[RESOLVED] Windows 98 Installation

[SquadTech]

I have an old P-166 that I am trying to set up for my kids. It has Windows 98 on it already, but it has a lot of broken links and general junk on it. I have a copy of Windows 98 Second Edition for PC's with no OS on it. What I want to do is re-format the hard drive and install Windows 98. I have found that it is not as easy as popping in the Boot Disk and letting it rip, it tells me that Win 98 is already there and in can't install over itself. Can anyone offer some help. Can I just take a bootable floppy and boot from it, then use the format command to re-do the hard drive and then install win98?

Thanks for your help

[dlagace]

boot up hitting f8 start in command prompt only, type in fdisk enter,enable large disk, option 1, option 3, reboot enter bios change first boot device to cdrom, put windows in drive, reboot and follow intructions,, should work if not after option 3 reboot and type in C:/windows/win98/format then reboot make sure bios is set to cdrom for 1st boot device then change back after your done

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IF IN DOUBT FDISK /MBR especially with
Windows (CTRL ALT DEL) 98

[Hackmaster]

Sure you can...just make sure your bootable floppy has CD rom support.

[iateyourcat]

dlagace is correct IF you have an OEM version of 98. if you have an upgrade it's not as easy.. upgrades won't automatically format/fdisk the hard drive. but, all the tools you need are on the win98 boot disk if you make it..

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=-iateyourcat-=

[SquadTech]

Thanks for the input. I tried dlagaces recommendation. After I chose option 1, I then chose option 2, it then told me "Cannot create logical DOS drive without an extended DOS partition on the current drive". Is it doing this because there is already an operating system on this hard drive?

[robfam]

I just reformatted with Win 98 second edition this week, and it was a nightmare, but also a learning experience. After you Fdisk, you should format, with either the way the first guy said, or format C: I did it with format C:/S which is the way we did it for the first edition of Win98 and it doesn't work for the second editon. I found out if there are any Windows files on the hard drive, Windows will not load in correctly. Just make sure cdrom is first in bios for startup before you reformat. Good luck.

[Darren Wilson]

Rob

You can format the HDD with the /s switch on all versions of Win9x. The /s switch was removed from the Windows Millennium version of teh Format command.

Squadtech

• Firstly Fdisk the HDD making the required amount of partitions.
• Reboot then select Option 2 form teh boot menu.
• change directory to x:\win98 ( with x being your CD-Rom drive letter)
• Type in format c:/s to format the disk with the required bootable system files
• This is what I do and find ok, but is optional. I then use the following commands:-
  
  md c:\cabs
  copy d:\win98\*.* c:\cabs
• Then run SETUP /IE/IS from the c:\cabs directory to install Windows 98.
  

The reason I copy the files to the HDD is so that I don't have to search for the Win98 cd everythime it asks for it.

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[mjbauer]

put fdisk, sys, format, and deltree on a bootable floopy, go into fdisk and delete all partitions, create a primary partition taking all of the space of the HD (no other operating systems are going to be on this? its for your kids right?) exit out of fdisk type fdisk /mbr, make sure you can boot from cd (check bios, F1 or del at very beginning) if not make a bootable disk from win98, it should make it cdrom support, put those files on them (under command directory in win directory) restart your comp, win 98 should format the drive for ya, if not exit out format it and start setup again.

good luck

[SquadTech]

HI,

Thanks for all your help. Win98se is installed and working on the computer now. I had a few other issues that I found out about when I finally hooked up the system and booted up. The cd drive was picked up during the boot sequence, but was not recognized after the old win98 system booted and the video, audio, & other drivers were not there. So basically I have no sound, basic video and that was it. I decided to make the boot disc and re-format the hard drive and then I poped in the Win98se install floppy and the cd-rom, fired up the machine and 30 minutes later, everything was working fine! Thanks for all the input and assistance. I will probably be bugging you guys again at some point in the future as I continue to try and self teach myself the tricks of the trade so to speak. Thanks again!