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I have an old computer (Gateway) that was a toss aside basically. Problem is, I'm new to all this and really what is there left to do when it prompts me to insert the Windows 98SE disc at every turn? I have no disc. There was no disc in the deal. Nada. Can't hookup a printer, nothing. What do I do?
Can you even boot to windows without this message, whatever give a couple of examples of when it asks?
You "might" have the cab files on the HD but how we tackle it depends on your answer.
DerekW
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Actually if you do not have a License you should not be using the software, EBAY sell 'W98SE CD with EULA'
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I can boot to Windows and get to the desktop and access all the programs. The problem is when I attempt to connect something like a webcam, or if I attempt to install a new software, then it prompts me to insert the disc. I wanted to connect a modem but I can't even do that without the disc!
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Do a search of the drive looking for *.cab files. You may have to set Windows Explorer or My Computer to show hidden files, and not hide file types of known extensions (or similar wording.) This is done through the Menu Bar, View, etc. View is the key word here, you may find two.
If it finds them, note where they are and point the installation there when asked for the 98 CD.
It's a good day when you learn something
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If the cab files do happen to be on on the HD then we can edit the registry so that it looks there instead of asking for a CD.
DerekW
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If the cab files are on the hard disk;
When it asks to insert the 98 CD, the first time you browse/point to a hard disk directory housing the setup files, the registry key should update. From then on it should look there.
It's a good day when you learn something
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Yeah Dan that's a good thought and in fact once you've done it the permanent registry change does take place.
It's just that I vaguely remember certain situations where it "insists on the CD" so it's tricky if that happens to be the first type you run into before making the switch.
As always, many ways and angles...
DerekW
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Except Dan in #6 is wrong. Only the MRU lists are updated like that but then they are cleared to nada again when history is cleared either in Internet Options or Documents Menu via Start Menu|Settings|Taskbar dongle. Nice try though.
SourcePath value which is the ONE to be changed, but isn't normally modified EVER. We therefore HAVE to do that manually.
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup]
"SourcePath"="C:\\Windows\\Options\\Cabs"Normally only Windows setup writes the value to that key.
Then Derek vaugly remembers that this value then heads up the MRU list typically but sometimes gets appended with a trailing backslash which munges the dongle into reporting that it "can't find any files there, please browse to the correct location" or something very similar to that. If the user can remember to just remove the trailing backslash, the dongle will work right at that point. I never have been able to figure out when or how the backslash gets put on there, but it's the deal breaker everytime. Now you think Windows should be smarter than that wouldn't you?
Lee
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If you are trying to hook up a USB printer,
nusb31e.exe may help you.http://www.technical-assistance.co....
You also could try...
All In One | UNOFFICIAL Windows98 SE Service Pack 2.1a
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4...
Please excuse the below off topic comment:A note to the administrator:
Thank You for the edit option.You the man!!! Justin..LOL
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Just a point of detail. The presentation given in #8 is part of a .reg file. When doing a "manual edit" to the registry the source path should only have single backslashes as per normal DOS syntax.
Anyhow, there is no certainty that the cabs are on the machine and even then they could be elsewhere (such as c:\win98) so all this is a bit academic unless confirmed by the poster.
DerekW
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"Only the MRU lists are updated like that but then they are cleared to nada again when history is cleared either in Internet Options or Documents Menu via Start Menu|Settings|Taskbar dongle."
melee5, I don't ~recall~ "it" going away, though it's been a while since I've "played" with my 98SE machine. (It's in storage due to my current living/space constraints.) I'll have to try to remember to try this once I get it back out.
It's a good day when you learn something
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I have the best 98 bootdisk. What it doese is you put the disk in like a normal boot disk. Boot to a 9 option menue. Choose to install Windows. Next it will ask for the CD. Put the CD in it copies all the cab files in a Win98 folder. Now it NEVER ask me for a CD because the CD is copied to the Win98 folder. Where did i ever get a bootdisk like this? Well i got it with a computer i bought secound handed. The computer was made by a company in California. Nutrend Computer now ABSPC witch owns New Egg. This bootdisk will work with any computer.
Keyboard not detected. Hit F1 to Continue. BREAKFAST.SYS HALTED Cerial port not Responding!!
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Re #12
Very neat but of-course the poster has no W98 CD so it wouldn't have helped this particular situation.It's quite easy to do it manually tho and you only do it the once. I just copy the W98 stuff over then use a reg file to switch the install source.
DerekW
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Ok im not sure how to use the reg file im more of a hardware geek than a software geek.
Keyboard not detected. Hit F1 to Continue. BREAKFAST.SYS HALTED Cerial port not Responding!!
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It's good to get your hands on a disk like that just the same. Anything that makes life even easier....
DerekW
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win 98 or se can be installed from just the /win98 directory.
this works:
use a 98 bootdisk fdisk and format thre drive.
put system files on the drive, no config.sys or autoexec.batmd c:\win 98 cd\win 98
d: cd\win98
copy d:*.* c:
the d drive will only SEE the open c:\win98 directory.
put aside the cd and reboot from the boot floppy. go to c:\win98 and type setup.the bootdisk loads himem.sys (required)
and in the future wildows 98 will look for needed files on c:\win98.You may still need a video or other driver if it is newer than the date or win 98.
all I required was the sis agp driver.
the lan, sound and all else installed automatically.
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