I got a computer from a friends's office when they upgraded. Nobody can remember the password, therefore I cannot log into the network. Because I cannot do this, none of the drives are working. They are communicating with the computer, but the system is considering them to be network drives and not local drives, so i get the message "d/drive is not ready." Etc Etc. I wish to install Windows 98, but there is a problem since the drives will not run the new CD. I was told that I should reformat the hard drive, and begin by rebooting with a boot disk. I had a friend make me a disk, but he said that I need a Windows 98 boot disk and not a Windows NT boot disk. The computer starts up with the disk, but I get an error message that reads "invalid or non-system disk. Please insert proper disk and press any key." Do I have the right thing? Once I actually get this thing to work, will the D/Drive run the Windows 98 disk and will it install as any new piece of software does? Or will I have to jump through hoops. Are there any troubleshooting tips you can offer up in case I run into snags? I have been told this will be complicated, but for me any of this is complicated. I'm just not computer savvy. Any and all suggestions will be TOTALLY appreciated!!!!

You need a windows 98 startup disk... or a DOS Boot disk with FDISK and FORMAT. BOOT up using one of these disk.. use fdisk to remove the NT PARTITIONS, they will be considered NON-DOS partitions.. once they are removed then you can create FAT32 partitions so that you can install windows 98. It would prob make things easier for you if you could get your hands on a Win 98 startup disk because it will have all the utilities you need and CD-ROM drivers so that after you have partitioned your drive.. you can go to your cd rom and start the win98 installation program.. i hope this helps.

Lets type this all again ....

If you can get a hold of a windows 98 bootable CDROM you should be on your way.

First you need to change the BIOS settings on your machine to boot from CD. So you boot sequence would probable be something like CDROM,SCSI,A... Whatever the sequence is just make sure the CDROM is first in the string of sequences.

On power up insert your CDROM quickly! Then the machine should boot of the CD.

This is all provided that your machine support this function. I thought I would just throw my two cents worth in.

Cheers ...

Download a W98OEM boot disk from http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm it is self extracting WinImage to floppy.

OK...I'm sorry that I'm so unsavvy...I'm really trying to learn...really I am. I have read so many responses to my problem and similar issues other people have, and everyone seems to have slightly different solutions.

I am having trouble getting a bootable CD, but floppys are no problem to get.

My System currently is NT. Hate it. Want it gone. I have legit software to install Windows 98 instead. I have the CD. Here are my questions:

#1 For a boot disk, do I need one for Windows 98, Windows 98 SE, Windows 98 OEM, DOS boot? I have heard all of these offered as suggestions. I have tried the first two to no avail...my computer considers them "invalid."

#2 I have instructions to, once I can start my computer from the disk, prompt a command and then type FDISK then enter. From there I should delete partitions and creat new ones. What are partitions and will this be evident to me once I get to that stage?

#3 What does FAT32 mean?

#4 What does SCSI mean?

I really am completely inexperienced in this...I have just tried to do a little research to help me accomplish this task, but I am still obviously very confused.

I am an ABSOLUTE beginner, so if anyone can send me step by step instructions, broken down so that a 6 year old can understand them, bearing in mind that I do not understand the lingo, I'd be ETERNALLY grateful!!!!!

Again, thank you!!

There are various ways to get rid of NT; one requires the (3) NT boot-disks; another uses a dos/'9x boot-disk; another is the delpart util.

You can either: run Fdisk routine via a '98 boot-disk and delete/remove all partitions. NTFS areas show up as non-DOS; Extended areas have to go before Primary areas; and Fdisk will not remove ntfs areas from an Extended partition location - only from a Primary location...). Or you can go the "kwik n'dirty" way to clear your drive prior to installing '98, i.e. download/use delpart.exe.

It fits easily onto a floppy, or it can be added to '98 boot-disk and run from there. You boot up with a '98 bot-disk and at the a:>\ prompt either change to the delpart floppy or run the delpart util direct from the '98 disk if added to it already. Follow on-screen prompts for using delpart. Afterwards regardless of how you lose NT... you reconfigure drive afresh for '98 and install 98.

Delpart is a freebie; was part of NT3.1 Resource Kit; omitted from subsequent versions... It will remove just about any partition - permanently; can be found at:

http://hercules.lss.ksu.edu/download/MSSTUFF/index.htm

http://www.mesich.com

Useful (how to use Fdisk, install '98 etc....) sites:

http://www.btinternet.com/~robert.bale1/formatinstall.htm

http://www.compguystechweb.com/index.html

To install '98 you either need a computer that allows a CD boot up option (i.e. it can be set in the bios to allow a CD to boot the system as opposed to the normal floppy option), or you use a '98 boot-disk (with CDROM support. If you have a full version CD of '98 it will (should) be bootable, and should come with a boot-floppy too; similarly an Upgrade version is (usually) bootable and should have a boot-floppy included in the 'box'. The boot-floppy approach is probably easier, rather than going into bios settings to change boot-sequence options; easier if not used to going into the innards/holy of holies in a PC bios setup...?

Bootdisk of various 'flavours' can be downloaded at:

http://www.bootdisk.com.

You download the file (it's an image) to a hard-drive; click on it - it (self-) expands to a floppy and you use that to boot, run Fdisk etc., run '98 setup etc... Ensure you get the '98SE (with CDROM drivers) version.

fat16 is the original M$ file format; it allows partition sizes to a max of 2Gig.
fat32 is the another file format; allows partitions in excess of 2Gig... fat32 is a more efficient format for partitions in excess of 540Meg.

Windows '95A uses fat16; '95-OSR2b\c uses fat16 and fat32. '98 uses fat16 and fat32. NT can only use fat16 and ntfs4.

SCSI = Small Computer Systems Interface... It's a system that allows various additional hardware (internal/external) items to be connected in a string (daisy-chained) to one interface card in the PC (a little like current USB, but a totally different system). Devices can include hard-drives, CDROM, scanners etc. SCSI hard-drives allows faster transfers of data to conventional EIDE drives; EIDE drives etc. (and other non-SCSI - and non USB - devices) cannot be 'daisy-chained...' It is pretty much in use with NT systems (servers, multiple-drive systems etc.; was sometimes used in workstations - usually NT but also other windows OS. Many current drives can match performance of SCSI and usually for lower costs. Installing a SCSI device can be a little labour intensive...; not the necessarily the most user-friendly. USB may have displaced it somewhat, particularly with regard to external add-ons? Apple-Mac systems used to use SCS exclusively; I'm not sure if Apple now uses EIDE as an option to, or alongside SCSI?

When you reconfigure (prepare) the drive for '98 I suggest you configure it to have both a Primary partition (for OS, applications, utilities), and an Extended partition (for data). This arrangement allows you to re-install to (even reformat) the Primary partition with out affecting/damaging data in Extended partition (unless one is really careless...); each partition is separate from the other. Putting everything in one partition isn't the wisest/safest way to go; a bit like all one's cash on one bank/stock - if it fails you lose the lot...

For general 'what is help/info/definitions' you may find it useful to know about:

http://whatis.techtarget.com

It does give some useful definitions/info etc.

HTH?

(Need more input - post back; folks here is pretty helpful when you ask for specific help.)

Thank you so much...that was SO comprehensive!!! I'm going to print this out and use it when I try again tomorrow!!!!

You people are EVER so kind!!!!!

OK..I've reformatted..I went through all of that, created new partitions. When I re-boot, I just get the A prompt. It's asking me for a command. I need to install Windows. It says "running Windows" and for a millisecond, the Windows start-up page flashes, but then it goes back to DOS screen. None of the commands I give are working. Run, install, windows etc. It says invalid command. What do I do now?

I'm confused here... Have managed to install '98 or not? Regardless...

The command to 'install' '98 is setup - not install etc... You access the CD via the '98 bootdisk and run the command from the CD. Similarly you can copy the '98 folder from the CD to the C: root and run setup from there - but ensure the version you have includes the setup.exe file in the '98 folder; or transfer that .exe from the CD (root directory) to the C: drive as well.

http://www.btinternet.com/~robert.bale1/formatinstall.htm

http://www.compguystechweb.com/index.html

http://www.mesich.com/HowTo.html

detail installing '98; and two include copying '98 folder to the hard-drive. Perhaps go thru' it with them?

Once '98 is installed correctly it 'should' automatically boot thru' to '98 desktop.

Post back if need-be with clarifiction re' how you have gone about attemtping to install '98 thus far - actually steps...?