I am trying to install Windows Me on a recently formatted C: drive. My problem is that on my laptop, I can insert either a floppy disk drive OR a CDROM. I don't have access to both at the same time. I can start the computer from a startup disk, but I can't change to the CD drive in midstream. I have a USB and a PCMCIA external CD drive, but I can't get the computer to recognize them. Is it possible to make a CD startup? Can I transfer the startup disk files to the C: drive and have it boot from the C drive? Need a little assistance on this one.

Boot from the floppy and then once at the A:> prompt, type the following: sys C: hit enter Wait for the message: System files transfered. Then shutdown. Put the CDROM drive in. turn the computer on and start toggling the keyboard key that get you into the BIOS setup screen and look for the boot order. Set your CDROM as first boot device. Then put your ME CD into the CDROM. Hit F10 to save changes and exit. The computer will reboot and should boot from the CD and begin setup.

http://web14.compaq.com/falco/detail.asp?FAQnum=FAQ4860

Thanks for the information. I tried typing sys C:, but I got a message that says "Cannot find the system file in the standard location on drive C:. SYS can only be used on drive c to attempt a repair of an already existing installation of Windows. Use Windows SETUP to make drive C: bootable" Any suggestions?

Have someone make you a bootable CD with the Windows ME Startup diskette on it. Then use BIOS CMOS Setup to set system to boot from the CD drive. Boot the system with the bootable CD, then switch CDs and run SETUP. What I do is build a Bootable CD with the Windows ME startup diskette as the boot image, and then also copy the Windows Install CD onto it. This way I don't have to switch CDs.