Tech Support Forum - View Single Post - Laptop hard drive needs OS but can't get DOS to boot!

**TheOutcaste** · 06-19-2009, 12:08 PM

Connect the hard drive (not via USB) to another system that has a floppy drive. The Win98 boot floppy doesn't have USB drivers, so it won't be able to see the drive if it's connected via USB.
Boot with the Win98 startup floppy.
fdisk, create partition and reboot if needed, set the partition Active, format the drive if needed -- make sure you pick the correct drive, and not the main drive on the other system.

type sys X: where X is the drive letter of the laptop hard drive as seen on the other system. This will transfer the files to the drive to allow it to boot.
If you must connect the drive via USB, connect it to another Win98 system, then open an MS-DOS prompt to do the SYS command. I'm not sure if Fdisk will work with a USB drive, but if the drive previously has Win98 on it, the partition should already be set active.

boot to the main OS on the other system.
copy the Win98 folder from the Win98 CD to a folder on the hard drive.
If you have to copy the files while booted from the floppy, start smartdrv first (it's in the Win98 folder on the CD), it will greatly speed things up.

Put the drive back into the laptop, it should boot to a C: prompt
Type:
CD Win98
setup

HTH

Jerry

06-19-2009, 12:08 PM	#4 (permalink)
TheOutcaste TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 824 OS: MS-Dos 6.22 - Win7	Re: Laptop hard drive needs OS but can't get DOS to boot! Connect the hard drive (not via USB) to another system that has a floppy drive. The Win98 boot floppy doesn't have USB drivers, so it won't be able to see the drive if it's connected via USB. Boot with the Win98 startup floppy. fdisk, create partition and reboot if needed, set the partition Active, format the drive if needed -- make sure you pick the correct drive, and not the main drive on the other system. type sys X: where X is the drive letter of the laptop hard drive as seen on the other system. This will transfer the files to the drive to allow it to boot. If you must connect the drive via USB, connect it to another Win98 system, then open an MS-DOS prompt to do the SYS command. I'm not sure if Fdisk will work with a USB drive, but if the drive previously has Win98 on it, the partition should already be set active. boot to the main OS on the other system. copy the Win98 folder from the Win98 CD to a folder on the hard drive. If you have to copy the files while booted from the floppy, start smartdrv first (it's in the Win98 folder on the CD), it will greatly speed things up. Put the drive back into the laptop, it should boot to a C: prompt Type: CD Win98 setup HTH Jerry __________________ Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience Of course I know all the answers; I just don't always match the answers to the right questions. Rated R for Violence -- When your PC flies through a window, that's violent, right?