Using bootdisks/cd's gives "missing operating system" error

[w00tage]

I am trying to format a hard drive to install windows on there (the hard drive is empty), but when I try to boot my system with a Windows 98 boot floppy, windows 2000 bootable cd, or even a dos boot floppy, it always gives me a "missing operating system" error. On the boot floppy, I took out everything in autoexec.bat, and shortened config.sys to:

device=a:\himem.sys
dos=high,umb
device=a:\emm386.exe noems
files=30
buffers=20

but that still gives me the same error. Curiously enough, I can load cd drivers with the DEVICEHIGH and LOADHIGH commands (don't you need himem loaded to do that?). Anyway, any help is appreciated.

 

[Osiris]

can you hear it accessing the floppy? Where did you get the bootdisk from?

 

[w00tage]

The cd and floppy drives are definitely running. The floppies were made from downloads off of bootdisk.com and the windows 2000 cd was lying around (but I've used it before, and it works).