Windows 98 Setup Just..Freezing

PurePwnage · 03-17-2008, 03:41 AM

OK, so I switch over to the E:\ drive. Enter cd win98 and then enter setup. It starts setup. Then it just gets to this one point where it says, "Windows" and just freezes and doesn't do anything.

Windows 98 on a Laptop!

You can read that; specifically page 2 for more information about it.

It's really weird, I am supposed to be doing setup from:

e:\win98\setup right?

PC eye · 03-17-2008, 03:57 AM

How much memory is currently installed on the laptop there? 98 has a 512mb max and will often stall with more install when trying to get in on. The setup.exe file is right at the E:\ root directory for the disk itself. If you first boot with a startup floppy choose the with cd rom support option and type setup at the dos prompt once you change from A:\ to the optical drive there.

PurePwnage · 03-19-2008, 12:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PC eye

How much memory is currently installed on the laptop there? 98 has a 512mb max and will often stall with more install when trying to get in on. The setup.exe file is right at the E:\ root directory for the disk itself. If you first boot with a startup floppy choose the with cd rom support option and type setup at the dos prompt once you change from A:\ to the optical drive there.

Thanks for the response. It's got 32mb (lol) and ran Windows 98 before (It's my sisters old, old, old laptop).

I've tried loading setup.exe right from the E:\ directory and that didn't work, but I guess I can try again.

PC eye · 03-19-2008, 03:45 AM

Once you boot to the dos prompt after selecting the "with cd rom support" option change to the E:\ root and type dir/w followed by pressing the enter key. That will show all files at the root of the cd itself. Also look over the disk itself for any scratches or finger marks from handling.

Being that old of a laptop the optical drive itself could also be the problem. Simply tossing in another old software disk to see if any installer will at least show signs of starting up manually will show if the drive is still reading disks.

PurePwnage · 03-24-2008, 11:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PC eye

Once you boot to the dos prompt after selecting the "with cd rom support" option change to the E:\ root and type dir/w followed by pressing the enter key. That will show all files at the root of the cd itself. Also look over the disk itself for any scratches or finger marks from handling.

Being that old of a laptop the optical drive itself could also be the problem. Simply tossing in another old software disk to see if any installer will at least show signs of starting up manually will show if the drive is still reading disks.

It reads all the files when I do this (dir /w) but it won't do the Setup.

PC eye · 03-25-2008, 12:31 AM

I'm just wondering how good the memory is in the old laptop. Besides the optical drive you may have some bad ram if there's nothing wrong like scratches or finger marks found on the 98 cd itself.

The other problem is your reference to the drive letter "E:\". The old dos based program installers always look for the default "D" when thinking cd rom. But even with "Z" that wouldn't see the installer simply lock up. Is this a full install or an upgrade or recovery disk that you are trying this with?

PurePwnage · 03-25-2008, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PC eye

I'm just wondering how good the memory is in the old laptop. Besides the optical drive you may have some bad ram if there's nothing wrong like scratches or finger marks found on the 98 cd itself.

The other problem is your reference to the drive letter "E:\". The old dos based program installers always look for the default "D" when thinking cd rom. But even with "Z" that wouldn't see the installer simply lock up. Is this a full install or an upgrade or recovery disk that you are trying this with?

Full install

PC eye · 03-25-2008, 10:57 PM

With some of the old 98 full version disks you could boot off of the disk itself to see the installer run. I always thought that to be odd since the retail disk I bought required booting with a floppy for manually running setup on desktops. The ststement by voyagerfan99 on the other thread is accurate on this.

Ready access to the drive and seeing it list all files with the dir/w command suggests the drive maybe an old 1x/2x cd rom is still able to read. The question now is on the floppy drive being used. Did the laptop come with one in or swap capable where you can easily exchange from one type to another or did you plug in a usb model?

The fact that the installer began to run is encouraging since that shows a good optical drive while running into a snag like a damaged disk or a memory problem. Another thought would be the need for a bios update, new battery if the board takes one, or the likely need for a new cable going to the optical drive. On any old system one small item can cause a number of problems.

Irishwhistle · 03-26-2008, 12:21 AM

Being such an old OS (and hence an old CD), it could be a bad CD. Make sure you check the back of the CD for scratches and dust. To clean the CD you can put some rubbing alcohol on the bottom side of the CD and then wipe it off with a soft cloth.

PC eye · 03-26-2008, 12:43 AM

There are some cd repair kits available for covering over minor scratches. Another thing that comes to mind about seeing the installer freeze up would the optical drive simply binding up once it starts getting busy reading the disk.

The quick dos command to list all files in the root directory only takes a second or two while the continuous reading of the disk seen during an installation is a little more then then the old drive can take. The question about what floppy drive is being used would concerm a problem being seen with the floppy itself as far as the load with cd rom support if something is lacking there.

03-17-2008, 03:41 AM	#1 (permalink)
PurePwnage Bronze Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 79	Windows 98 Setup Just..Freezing OK, so I switch over to the E:\ drive. Enter cd win98 and then enter setup. It starts setup. Then it just gets to this one point where it says, "Windows" and just freezes and doesn't do anything. Windows 98 on a Laptop! You can read that; specifically page 2 for more information about it. It's really weird, I am supposed to be doing setup from: e:\win98\setup right?

03-17-2008, 03:57 AM	#2 (permalink)
PC eye Diamond Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Inside a pc Posts: 18,938	How much memory is currently installed on the laptop there? 98 has a 512mb max and will often stall with more install when trying to get in on. The setup.exe file is right at the E:\ root directory for the disk itself. If you first boot with a startup floppy choose the with cd rom support option and type setup at the dos prompt once you change from A:\ to the optical drive there. __________________ Geek Goliath: Gates Says G'Bye to Microsoft http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/sto...5246378&page=1 Nitendo DS hits the classroom http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory?id=5250297

03-19-2008, 03:45 AM	#4 (permalink)
PC eye Diamond Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Inside a pc Posts: 18,938	Once you boot to the dos prompt after selecting the "with cd rom support" option change to the E:\ root and type dir/w followed by pressing the enter key. That will show all files at the root of the cd itself. Also look over the disk itself for any scratches or finger marks from handling. Being that old of a laptop the optical drive itself could also be the problem. Simply tossing in another old software disk to see if any installer will at least show signs of starting up manually will show if the drive is still reading disks. __________________ Geek Goliath: Gates Says G'Bye to Microsoft http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/sto...5246378&page=1 Nitendo DS hits the classroom http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory?id=5250297

03-25-2008, 12:31 AM	#6 (permalink)
PC eye Diamond Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Inside a pc Posts: 18,938	I'm just wondering how good the memory is in the old laptop. Besides the optical drive you may have some bad ram if there's nothing wrong like scratches or finger marks found on the 98 cd itself. The other problem is your reference to the drive letter "E:\". The old dos based program installers always look for the default "D" when thinking cd rom. But even with "Z" that wouldn't see the installer simply lock up. Is this a full install or an upgrade or recovery disk that you are trying this with? __________________ Geek Goliath: Gates Says G'Bye to Microsoft http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/sto...5246378&page=1 Nitendo DS hits the classroom http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory?id=5250297

03-25-2008, 10:57 PM	#8 (permalink)
PC eye Diamond Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Inside a pc Posts: 18,938	With some of the old 98 full version disks you could boot off of the disk itself to see the installer run. I always thought that to be odd since the retail disk I bought required booting with a floppy for manually running setup on desktops. The ststement by voyagerfan99 on the other thread is accurate on this. Ready access to the drive and seeing it list all files with the dir/w command suggests the drive maybe an old 1x/2x cd rom is still able to read. The question now is on the floppy drive being used. Did the laptop come with one in or swap capable where you can easily exchange from one type to another or did you plug in a usb model? The fact that the installer began to run is encouraging since that shows a good optical drive while running into a snag like a damaged disk or a memory problem. Another thought would be the need for a bios update, new battery if the board takes one, or the likely need for a new cable going to the optical drive. On any old system one small item can cause a number of problems. __________________ Geek Goliath: Gates Says G'Bye to Microsoft http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/sto...5246378&page=1 Nitendo DS hits the classroom http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory?id=5250297

03-26-2008, 12:21 AM	#9 (permalink)
Irishwhistle Diamond Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Michigan, USA Age: 14 Posts: 1,779	Being such an old OS (and hence an old CD), it could be a bad CD. Make sure you check the back of the CD for scratches and dust. To clean the CD you can put some rubbing alcohol on the bottom side of the CD and then wipe it off with a soft cloth. __________________ The Heron Has Been Unleashed! CPU: Intel Celeron 1.5GhZ :P GPU: Integrated Intel :P RAM: 256MB :P OS: Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron! :D The statement below is true. The statement above is false.

03-26-2008, 12:43 AM	#10 (permalink)
PC eye Diamond Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Inside a pc Posts: 18,938	There are some cd repair kits available for covering over minor scratches. Another thing that comes to mind about seeing the installer freeze up would the optical drive simply binding up once it starts getting busy reading the disk. The quick dos command to list all files in the root directory only takes a second or two while the continuous reading of the disk seen during an installation is a little more then then the old drive can take. The question about what floppy drive is being used would concerm a problem being seen with the floppy itself as far as the load with cd rom support if something is lacking there. __________________ Geek Goliath: Gates Says G'Bye to Microsoft http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/sto...5246378&page=1 Nitendo DS hits the classroom http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory?id=5250297

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