*sigh* computer woes...guru help wanted

[charvelguy]

Re: *sigh* computer woes...guru help wanted

I do have a Win98 SE install disk..can I install that and then upgrade to WIN 2k pro from a download? As much as I like 98 sometimes...I'm used to XP now...even 2K pro is likely an outdated system, but still, I would consider much better than a system running 98se. Plus there's still the product code for Win 2k on the Gateway.

The problem is, the download is on my present computer..and that download is not my present OS for this system, which is WINXP pro.

Is it feaseable that I could burn that onto a CDR...or possibly do a transfer from this computer somehow...or will I still need a try to make a bootable win 2k disk.

http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=297

Tim, based on your comment, this isn't a feasable idea..
well..I'm trying to get a install disk from these guys who sold it to me, not sure if I will have much luck.
I'm assuming its a copy of a reg version and they wont want to divulge that info.

[xenophobe]

Re: *sigh* computer woes...guru help wanted

Yes, if you have the Win98 SE install disk, use that to install it, then upgrade to W2K from that...

You would need to burn a XP/W2K disk image/iso (which would be bootable) and then install from that.

[Soap]

Re: *sigh* computer woes...guru help wanted

Good work gang, were getting him fixed up and thats all that matters. Yes, a 98 startup disk will serve you well in this case.

[charvelguy]

Re: *sigh* computer woes...guru help wanted

yes, thank you Soap, Xeno, Tim, Matt, DM, & PT for all your extensive help, answers and comments. Its great to have the common resource of knowledge and be able to discuss this to weigh out options.

[Sandman0170]

Re: *sigh* computer woes...guru help wanted

Sounds like when you burned the 2000 disk, you didnt burn it as bootable. If you try to boot off a cd that isnt bootable, you will get that error. You can make boot disks for 2000, just need 4 flopys and then boot off of them. When thats done, put in the cd you made and install windows. Or your burning software should have the option to burn as a bootable iso.

[charvelguy]

Re: *sigh* computer woes, saga continues

the saga continues...

I put in the Win98 Se cd...I got a continual Disk I/O error. I pressed the spacebar and got the same error message as before with a valid Windows boot disk in the drive.
Is the disk drive bad? It seems to work and spin up ok.
or is it something else sinister at work here?

[Sandman0170]

Re: *sigh* computer woes, saga continues

May want to try with floppy boot disks then, just search google for em. If you can, install 2000 first...If you upgrade from 98, you will be suck with a FAT32 file system. The NTFS system that 2000 normaly uses is more efficient.

[charvelguy]

Re: *sigh* computer woes, saga continues

I did a google search last night on that and I came up with this websight. http://www.bootdisk.com/

Now the interesting thing is I have the boot files on this system already so I tried making a boot floppy last night..the image file reads 1440kb...a brand new, clean formatted 1.44mg disk says it won't have enough space for this...needless to say, it won't read a zip folder...so now what, burn a coaster?

I have a brand new 52k magicspin disk drive here in the box, but I'm thinking even installing that, there may be an issue with the board? or comnpatibiity at this point. I guess I could try it and see if it works, but will it need drivers?

[rjohnstone]

Re: *sigh* computer woes, saga continues

You cannot boot NTFS from one floppy.
The core MFT is 4MB and will not fit on oe floppy.
Win2k installs are typicaly run from the CD.
You do have the option to boot from floppy if the computer will not boot from CD.
It will be 3 or 4 floppies and will get you to the point that the CD can take over.
Go back to whomever sold you the PC and get the install disks. You're only going to continue to burn coasters and frustrate yourself.
If they said the OS was included, they should give you the install disks (CD). Make sure it's legit and not a CD-R copy. If they hand you a CD-R, report them to M$ and M$ will send you a new disk.

[charvelguy]

Re: *sigh* computer woes, saga continues

Well, they are selling on eBay, but they are a vendor local to me. I am assuming the reason why the system came without an OS was because they are putting copies on for like 10.00 and they got tired of waiting for me to pick it up.
The agreement to put an OS on was after the listing was over.

I know I need to make several floppys for the bootdisk, at least 4 and then to disks (two).

[Sandman0170]

Re: *sigh* computer woes, saga continues

Yes, win 2k takes 4 floppys to boot. But as long as you have 4 spare floppys...its pretty simple and its probably easier than lugging the pc back to them and then lugging it back home. You can download them at http://bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm

[charvelguy]

Re: *sigh* computer woes, saga continues

...my floppy drive says it does not have enough space on disk. These are all new 1.44 floppys, you would think a 1440kb image would be able to transfer.

Any suggestions or solutions..I have tried serveral floppies, they all say the same thing.

[Sandman0170]

Re: *sigh* computer woes, saga continues

Those are images of the floppys. That image needs to be extracted to the floppy not saved on to it. At the bottom of that page, they have a little program that will open those images and then you can save it to the floppy. http://www.winimage.com/winimage/winima61.zip is the program.

[charvelguy]

Re: *sigh* computer woes, saga continues

ahh..that is what is up...I was trying to save the image..awesome Jeremy, thank you!

[Newc]

Re: *sigh* computer woes, saga continues

I made a copy of my Dad's 98SE CD since he's always losing his discs and destroying his computer ("why's the System folder so big? I'm out of room so I'll just MOVE it to a Zip Disk to free up space" [img]/images/graemlins/brow.gif[/img] )

Anyhoo, I put the 98 CD in my drive, opened the drive in My Computer, and Copied all the files into a folder all by themselves - no compression, no ISO, no Zip, no Rar.
Then whenever he toasted his computer again and I had to reformat it, I burned the files as they are in the folder to a CD-R, put it in his computer, make the BIOS boot from the CD, and that's it.
I did not have to make the CD bootable, as the files on the CD are Setup files that boot automatically.

When you burn a coaster, make sure you're selecting the files themselves, not the folder they're in, otherwise the CD will be burned with the folder as the file location, not the root of the disc itself.