Hoi http://www.computing.net/windows95/... <- it's a topic i made about 2 months ago. Im bringing this back :F To summarize the situation: I've had a finland Windows so i wanted to get rid of it and formatted my HDD. Then i wanted to install another system on the laptop. I've had a CD-ROM only, but the laptop wouldn't boot from a CD. I've just got an FDD for my laptop. The drive is swappable with my CD-ROM. The laptop does boot from an FDD. I found a bootdisk for Windows 95. Though, it still won't install on my HDD because of the fact that it's formatted and inactive as some of you said. Do you think i cannot do ANYTHING with my laptop now? It's useless? :X I don't think there's no way to make it usable again, or else there wouldn't be a format c: command .) If anyone knows anything about it, please respond. I'm now going to look for some BIOS update for a floppy that'll make it able to boot from a CD.. if it's possible. Regards.

Hi Simon, hi everyone I have replied in your original thread, IBM Thinkpad - Boot with no OS. (http://www.computing.net/windows95/wwwboard/forum/169690.html) Best Regards and Wishes, The Count, Co-webmaster of mesich.com

Your laptop should boot from CD if you format c: /s c: being your h/d /s sys's your drive making it bootable copy these files to your h/d: mscdex.exe gives you drive letter oakcdrom.sys cdrom driver himem.sys if needed atapmgr.sys handy too autoexec.bat *this file need only read: mscdex /D:cdromdrv /L:Z config.sys needs to read: --- DEVICE=HIMEM.SYS Device=atapmgr.sys DEVICE=oakcdrom.sys /D:cdromdrv --- * mscdex /D:cdromdrv /L:Z =Z: .. .. .. .. L:E makes CDROM drive to E:

(sorry) this might help mscdex.exe /D:cdromdrv /L:Z mscdex.exe /D:cdromdrv /L:E ... for Autoexec.bat ... L:Z makes it CDROM Z: drive ... L:E makes it CDROM E: drive

hai, thx for trying to help me, but i think it won't work. To make my laptop boot from CD i'd have to update it's bios. Having put anything on the hdd or whereever else won't have any effect as my drives are swappable - there is a possibility of having only either an FDD or a CD-ROM installed in it :F

Hi Simon, mavis007, hi everyone First thing Simon has got to work out is getting his C: partition active and formatted (FAT16), after that we might be able to get him to boot from the laptop's HDD with CD-ROM support (without the swappable floppy drive installed). Simon, have I lost you down the road? IBM Thinkpad - Boot with no OS response #17. (http://www.computing.net/windows95/wwwboard/forum/169690.html) Best Regards and Wishes, The Count, Co-webmaster of mesich.com

I don't think Simon is gettin it... So he needs to pay attention First you have formatted the hard drive, If you have done this properly you can access the hard drive via floppy disc. Copy the listed files above like you were told to the floppy disc "this being your windows 95 boot disc" Boot up the laptop with the floppy drive and the modified floppy disc. once booted type C: and hit enter. If you don't get a c: prompt you need to start over. If you do then proceed. Copy the files above mentioned like stated in responce 2 & 3 from the floppy disc to the hard drive. Once you have done all this shut down and swap to cd rom. Your laptop should boot up to a c: prompt. you should now be able to type in your cd rom drive usually D: run setup from there. You are not necessarily making the cd rom bootable but you are making the hard drive bootable with cd rom support. MSI K8N Neo AMD Athlon 64 3200+ @ 2.21ghz 1GB DDR 3200 nVidia 128mb FX 5200 WD 120gb SE NEC ND-3500AG DVD R/RW