pons

Hi, I was trying to get my old computer (win98) cleaned and running to be used as a Email/homework machine. So I formated it.
My steps:
Put boot disk into the driver. Restart computer. Choose
"boot with CD-rom support". At the a:\prompt typed "format c:" waited until format completed.

Put my win98 CD into the tray. Change to E:\. At the E:\
prompt typed "cd win98", and at the WIN88 typed "setup"
And here is where I am. It doesn't go anywhere. The CD is
read, but when I type SETUP, it goes back to WIN98.

I assume I should transfer some files from my floppy to me HDD, but for the life of my I cant figure which ones, or how to do it. Or maybe something entirely different.

Can somebody give me a hand here? My family will appreciate it, ans so will I.

Thank you in advance
sebastian pons

manic

This is how I have done it countless times.
Put your win 98 boot floppy in the drive, boot to it.
Select start with cd rom support, wait for that to happen.
When it gets to the a: prompt, simply type in setup , should look like this,
a:setup
dont hit enter yet.
place win98 cd in tray, close, wait a couple of seconds then hit enter,
you should be on your way.

Done_Fishin

If you look at the contents of your CD ROM
You will find these files & Folders

try running setup from here instead of changing directory using "cd win98"

It is possible that your CD is damaged so if you have made a backup copy try using that too

Geekgirl

When you type in E:\, type dir, you should see the directory of the WIN98 cd.
Are you sure your cd-rom drive letter is E:\ and not D:\?
At E:\ or D:\ (which ever your cdrom drive letter is) type in setup, you should have no issues at that point.

pons

Hi, still stuck.

To Manic: followed your instructions, and what I get is
"CDR 102: not ready reading drive E
abort-retry-fail?"

To Done Fishin: because of the above, I can't get to the CD directory to know what is read from there.

On boot up just before it gets to the A prompt, there are my 2 CDs listed. I've a R and a R&W CDs. And before you
ask, yes, I've tried from either drive with the same results.
My feeling is that I've to transfer some files (system files perhaps?) from my floppy to the HDD, but I've been wrong so many times....

Anyway, here I am staring to a black screen .

Thank you for your time
sebastian pons

Done_Fishin

when it finishes loading the boot floppy does it not finish by telling you that your CD is a drive letter? probably 2?
try dir on each of the letters it showed.

if you feel that somethoing is not right with the floppy disk go to www.bootdisk.com and download a fresh complete working copy of the emergency boot disk which will allow you to create a new floppy or even a CD boot image (which can be used if your mobo has a boot option to start from CD ROM).

Tumbleweed36

Hi,

Why not just go in and Fdisk the thing and start anew. This should get you going. (you would lose all data on the drive, but be clean)

From the top of my head ( I just don't use Win98 anymore)

Go to Bootdisk.com and download a copy of the Win98se (or even WinME will work) startup disk

Put that disk in the computer and when it comes up type Fdisk.

Note: If it asks for large disk support, choose YES

When Fdisk comes up, then go in and delete all partitions.

Then, go in and Create a Partition.

Then, Activate that partition.

Shut down and reboot

When it comes up, Format that partition by typing Format or Format C:

When that is done, shut down again and reboot

When it comes up, select With CDRom Support

When it stops, then put the OS disk in the drive and type Setup or Setup C: and hit enter.......should get you going.

Note: YOu will have to hit enter to activate many functions, but I did not put that in there......you will know when.

Remember, this was from my memory, so if you run into any hitch, please repost with any problems.

pons

That was fast!!!

After bootup I get a A prompt. From there I type e:\
or f:\
Those are the letters of the CD drives. E being the master I think, but I've trie on f also.

I'm downloading a new boot disk, but my bet is still the system files from A to C....

sebastian pons

manic

For what its worth Ive never had to designate a drive letter to install
win98. Tumbleweeds suggestion is right on,

pons

Tumbleweed 36,
I downloaded a fresh win98 bootdisk from your link, and I've followed your instructions, it works up to inserting the CD and typing at the A prompt setup space C: enter

I get again the not ready reading etc...etc... abort....


So, where from here?
sebastian pons

Hi,

Siince you have already done everything, then put the Setup disk in and when it comes up select with CDRom support....then, simply type Setup and hit enter and see what happens.

Addendum: I hope you downloaded the Win98se boot disk and not the Win98 boot disk???????

Done_Fishin

HAve you tried putting your CD in both drives?
If yes, then suggest you try another CD of Win98.

It might just be feasible that you are having memory problems. To rule that out download a bootable floppy image from www.memtest86.com and run a test to see if all is well. The test from BIOS is very rudimentary and doesn't pinpoint problems, just notes that memory is available.

pons

Hi, I downloaded Windows98 SE OEM.

And yes, I've tried both drives. I'll download the bootable flpppy image and post results.

----------------------

Downloaded, I don't understand what to do now. I have a Zip file, and the instructions go:
To create a Memtest86 bootdisk
1) Insert a blank write enabled floppy disk.
2) As root, Type "make install"
----------------------------------------------

What does as root mean?

sebastian pons

herpfan

I like Tumbleweeds system of fdisk and reformat. Al lot of times I also install from the hard drive.
Boot from floppy, type c: <enter> then md win98, then cd win98.
Load CD into preferred drive.
Type D: or E: or F: and do a dir until the correct drive is found and the files are listed.
Type xcopy *.* c:
Type cd win98 then xcopy /E /H *.* c:
After the files are copied you should be able to install from C:\win98 directory. This has 2 benefits: the install is usually much faster and safer than from CD and if you want to change installed windows programs at a later date it should have all the necessary files and be the registered install location so you don't have to find the CD.

pons

Herpfan, my problem is that I get the message:
not ready to read drive E.
So from there on I'm stuck. I can't even get an answer if I type dir, or dir\p

sebastian pons

Done_Fishin

root means that the prompt shows no folder names

A:\>
C:\>
D:\>
are considered to be the root (of the drives)
whereas
A:\Anyfolder> is not.

I am not sure where you are reading the instructions from since , within windows, all you need is to extract the files and then run

the site says

Done_Fishin

Re not being able to read files .. can you place another CD (data CD not Music) in one of the drives and get a response from dir?

try downloading The WINME boot floppy and making a floppy .
boot from that floppy and see if you can then see the contents using DIR.

It could be that MSCDEX isn't working or configured properly from the other floppy, although it should be.
I doubt if WinME Floppy will allow you to run SETUP in Win98 but you can try.

pons

Done Fishin. Done. Rebooting with this disk in the drive now.
And to answer your question, I'm online using my winXP computer, and trying to get my old 98 working. So I'm jumping from one to the other.
Test still runing there, or stuck...I'll let you know in an hour or two
sebastian

Done_Fishin

Since I now know that you have a second computer to hand ..

on your XP PC

put your boot 98 CD in the ROM

put floppy in the drive

BOOT from Floppy

Check to see if you can read from CD ROM using DIR.

don't run setup except if you just try to start then abort before install. It will first run scantest anyway. Power off or ESC to abort.
Remove disks and restart computer.

pons

Done. it did complain that the partition doesn't contain any FAT or FAT32 files, but I knew that already.
With win98 disk in the drive, when I type dir at the (in this case) D prompt, it presents me with all the directories in the drive.

So now we know that my other machine doesn't read the CD even-thou it sees the drive.
My floppy is OK
My win98 install CD isn't damaged

Done_Fishin

It's time now for a bit of hardware diagnosis.
Have you removed or touched anything inside your PC prior to starting this re-install?

Are you able to try the CD\DVD ROM on the 98 PC on your XP PC?
you'll have to take care of master slave configuration.

when you open your PC take note of the components on the motherboard. Are there any swollen capacitors (domed topped rather than flat)