[links] file systems

[Kali McLaughlin]

Dear List:
Please, from a Newbie, why is it that Linux will not run on a umsdos disk
 formatted by some versions of DOS?
I found years ago that Monkeylinux will not run on a disk formatted with
DRDOS 6 (irrespective of the sys-ing) and just now wasted days trying to 
make my laptop run Slakware4.0  after fixing file system damage with win98
 Scandisk. 
It seems the only tactic is to copy the install to another drive, reformat
 the disk and reinstall Linux.
Regards
Kali