^OPM^

Hi - basically i keep an old PC as pure back up case my main comp packs up so i can still get on net etc-this being an old comp only runs with 98.

I formatted it other day now when i try to reload 98 on it i get the following problem - i have 2 hard drives in it so i blanked c drive off under a dos window with command format c:-that all went ok ,but when i come to reload 98 i first put in my 98 start up floppy, let that load etc with cd rom support-then i ran fdisk and if i remember right you create a partition in the primary sector then it formats it and thats when i hit a problem. Everytime it does that at end of format instead of just putting up prompt for disk label and u just hit enter it flashes up a white box saying my boot sector is about to be changed press "y" to change or "n" not to.
Now which ever way i do it and tried several times once i then put my 98 cd in and it begins to install after the first bit when it has checked my drives etc then copied files of cd it then puts a black empty box up on screen with no words in it and my comp locks up.

Any ideas where im going wrong as im sure the hard drive is ok so im thinking its something im doing wrong as its been so long since i formatted a comp running 98?

jpor

iTrader: (1)

What's the condition of the Win98 CD like? Any scratches? Is it windows 98 or Windows 98 Second Edition? As I believe Second Edition was a better bet due to issues on the 1st.

Can you not set the CD as a bootable device in the PC's BIOS? There for not needing the bootable floppy. If memory serves me here, the win98 CD (Maybe second edition) was a bootable CD.

I take it the disc you have isn't an upgrade copy only? If so you will need to install win95 first before the win98.

Theres also info here on installing win95 and 98: Bootdisk.Com

Hope that helps?

spectrum48k

"boot sector about to change" is the old anti-virus protection in the BIOS isn't it ?

If you go into the BIOS and turn that off, you might get further.

^OPM^

i have tried *ahem* a few different versions of 98 and none of them will load-get same error on all versions -will look at that site when i get a bit more free time thanks

stevem2k

if its just for a backup browsing machine, drop a linux distro on.