Hello! I'm trying to install windows from DOS and I keep getting a message saying ' CDR101: Not ready reading drive E' I'm not sure if I'm just being impatient or what... Also, not sure how to partition drive or get to the point where I can

Here's how you do it... http://support.microsoft.com/kb/221829 But first, clarify some stuff for us. You're running XP; yes or no? You want to install 98 on an XP machine; yes or no? You want to do a fresh install of 98 on a different machine or repair/reinstall an existing 98 machine? You don't have a cd drive and need to install from the hdd? You're running DOS (like 6.22) and want to install 98? You simply don't have a 98 boot disk and need one? http://www.bootdisk.com/ Skip

Yeah, the error means your cdrom can't read or doesn't see a cd in the drive. But as Skip mentions, we need more background..

very sorry. it doesn't have an operating system and i am trying to install Win 98 on it. I do have a disk drive but i guess it could be malfunctioning and i am running DOS not sure what version something with .71 perhaps?

Watch the screen when you boot off the floppy...it will tell you which letter is assigned to the CD drive. If you use a boot floppy from bootdisk.com, the letter is usually "R"

Just for info, CD installs of W98 usually include DOS7, so you don't need a DOS version onboard first. The boot disk contains sufficient commands to get the ball rolling (normally). some other bloke...