Must install windows ME on give away computer. The computer has it's original ME CD's but no startup disk (lost). Must format HD but the ME cd do not have sys files on them as do win 98 or XP therefore can't boot directly from CD. Is there some way to make a startup diskette without ME already installed on HD. Can't use win 98 startup disk because Win ME format will not work Any suggestions (other than throwing away ME CD's)

"Win ME format will not work" As always "won't work" is a pretty worthless description of a problem - an actual ME CD 'should' work, but it's a different story with "restoration" discs There are various utilities available online that will format or partition a drive, it only requires a moment or two spent searching (considerably faster than posting) Bootable diskette or CD images are also easily found - such as those at AllBootDisks I'm not one of those who think Bill Gates is the devil. I simply suspect that if Microsoft ever met up with the devil, it wouldn't need an interpreter.

http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm

Thank you for the input! It has solved my problem.