New Hard Drive Won't Load Win98se

RoadrunnerLA79 · 11-22-2005, 09:02 PM

Hi,

My son just replaced his 80 MB hd with a 200 MB and is trying to install win98se on it and then update to windows xp (we don't have the full version of xp) our boot disk floppy is damaged and says to format the disk in order for us to use it. the hd won't accept it. we are unable to install any windows operating system at all on the hard drive. Any suggestions?? Thanks

batty_professor · 11-22-2005, 09:19 PM

Hi, and welcome to TSF. The large part of your problem lies in windows 98 itself. I believe it has an inherent limitation of 137GB partitions. Therefore It can't manage the drive as a single drive. I think this will work....You might use a win98 bootdisk to boot the computer, and the fdisk utility to create two partitions on the drive. Then install windows on one of those partitions. That will pave the way for XP to install as an upgrade. Once XP is installed, you can manage the entire drive as one I believe. You might consider leaving it as two partitions though. Keeping backup files or music or whatever there instead of on the system drive, in case the system were ever corrupted, you stand a good chance of keeping the second partition intact.
edit: I see your bootdisk is a problem, you can download a win98 bootdisk floppy at http://www.bootdisk.com
Do you really mean 80 MB / 200MB??? You do mean GB don't you? If you had 98 on this machine before, I don't see it being on an 80 MB drive, it just wouldn't fit.

Stu_computer · 11-22-2005, 10:07 PM

The fdisk command found on win9x bootdisks doesn't work correctly with hdd's larger than 64Gig so I suggest you use the winME bootdisk instead.

You can install xp (using upgrade CD) without installing win98 first (see step 9) Clean Install Windows XP

Note: xp cannot make FAT32 partitions greater than 32Gig, so if you need one larger then make it with the WinMe fdisk command instead. NTFS partitions can be any size. Win9x/dos do not recognise NTFS partitions.

RoadrunnerLA79 · 11-22-2005, 10:46 PM

I have tried to download a boot disk from there and when i put it on a floppy, it tells me it is corrupt have tried to download from other sites and the same thing happens don't know what the problem is but does not work and yes i meant GB instead of MB sorry

Stu_computer · 11-22-2005, 11:16 PM

The download file is not a boot file, it's a program that makes the bootdisk.

Put a blank floppy in the drive, double click the downloaded file and it then makes the bootdisk.

RoadrunnerLA79 · 11-23-2005, 05:50 PM

Thanks I will try it and let you know

RoadrunnerLA79 · 11-23-2005, 07:05 PM

ok it seems that the pc is not reading the floppy disk it won't work at all

Chevy · 11-23-2005, 11:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RoadrunnerLA79

Hi,

My son just replaced his 80 MB hd with a 200 MB and is trying to install win98se on it and then update to windows xp (we don't have the full version of xp) our boot disk floppy is damaged and says to format the disk in order for us to use it. the hd won't accept it. we are unable to install any windows operating system at all on the hard drive. Any suggestions?? Thanks

You don't need to install 98 at all. Just boot to your XP Upgrade cd, partition the drive when prompted, and XP will ask for a qualifying product. Take out the XP cd, insert the 98 cd, and it will check it, then prompt you for the XP cd again.

11-22-2005, 09:02 PM	#1 (permalink)
RoadrunnerLA79 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 4 OS: XP	New Hard Drive Won't Load Win98se Hi, My son just replaced his 80 MB hd with a 200 MB and is trying to install win98se on it and then update to windows xp (we don't have the full version of xp) our boot disk floppy is damaged and says to format the disk in order for us to use it. the hd won't accept it. we are unable to install any windows operating system at all on the hard drive. Any suggestions?? Thanks

11-22-2005, 09:19 PM	#2 (permalink)
batty_professor Asst. Manager, Alternative Computing Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Hooterville Il 45 mi. east of St. Louis mo Posts: 2,608 OS: Fedora Core 5 for now	Hi, and welcome to TSF. The large part of your problem lies in windows 98 itself. I believe it has an inherent limitation of 137GB partitions. Therefore It can't manage the drive as a single drive. I think this will work....You might use a win98 bootdisk to boot the computer, and the fdisk utility to create two partitions on the drive. Then install windows on one of those partitions. That will pave the way for XP to install as an upgrade. Once XP is installed, you can manage the entire drive as one I believe. You might consider leaving it as two partitions though. Keeping backup files or music or whatever there instead of on the system drive, in case the system were ever corrupted, you stand a good chance of keeping the second partition intact. edit: I see your bootdisk is a problem, you can download a win98 bootdisk floppy at http://www.bootdisk.com Do you really mean 80 MB / 200MB??? You do mean GB don't you? If you had 98 on this machine before, I don't see it being on an 80 MB drive, it just wouldn't fit. __________________ It's better to know me and not need me than to need me and not know me. B. While users are never under any obligation, if you feel the urge please feel free to visit our donation page. Every little bit helps. And we thank you for your support. Microsoft free Registered Linux user 397458 Last edited by batty_professor; 11-22-2005 at 09:28 PM. Reason: add

11-22-2005, 10:07 PM	#3 (permalink)
Stu_computer Tech Hardware Team Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 1,461 OS: Windows	The fdisk command found on win9x bootdisks doesn't work correctly with hdd's larger than 64Gig so I suggest you use the winME bootdisk instead. You can install xp (using upgrade CD) without installing win98 first (see step 9) Clean Install Windows XP Note: xp cannot make FAT32 partitions greater than 32Gig, so if you need one larger then make it with the WinMe fdisk command instead. NTFS partitions can be any size. Win9x/dos do not recognise NTFS partitions. __________________ Last edited by Stu_computer; 11-24-2005 at 07:09 AM.

11-22-2005, 11:16 PM	#5 (permalink)
Stu_computer Tech Hardware Team Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 1,461 OS: Windows	The download file is not a boot file, it's a program that makes the bootdisk. Put a blank floppy in the drive, double click the downloaded file and it then makes the bootdisk. __________________

11-22-2005, 10:46 PM	#4 (permalink)
RoadrunnerLA79 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 4 OS: XP	I have tried to download a boot disk from there and when i put it on a floppy, it tells me it is corrupt have tried to download from other sites and the same thing happens don't know what the problem is but does not work and yes i meant GB instead of MB sorry

11-23-2005, 05:50 PM	#6 (permalink)
RoadrunnerLA79 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 4 OS: XP	Thanks I will try it and let you know

11-23-2005, 07:05 PM	#7 (permalink)
RoadrunnerLA79 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 4 OS: XP	ok it seems that the pc is not reading the floppy disk it won't work at all