About some 1997 OS install...

I am having trouble reinstalling Windows 98 on a 1997 computer (pentium 1,32ram,2gb hdd) because it only boots from a floppy disk,and I don't have any empty ones to try maybe some dos to boot the CD install..
The only option I see is using another computer to install the OS from,but they have different specifications..
Any ideas?
thanks in advice
 

johnb35

Administrator
Staff member
Can I ask why you are trying to reinstall windows 98 that is not even supported anymore and hasn't been for quite some time?
 

strollin

Well-Known Member
You need to boot from DOS first in order to partition and format the hard drive. Then you need to setup the autoexec.bat and config.sys correctly in order for DOS to be able to access the CD-ROM drive. Once you have all that in place, then you can run setup from the CD.

You can find DOS boot disks at http://www.bootdisk.com/. Maybe you have a friend that can download the DOS diskette image and write it to a floppy for you?
 
You need to boot from DOS first in order to partition and format the hard drive. Then you need to setup the autoexec.bat and config.sys correctly in order for DOS to be able to access the CD-ROM drive. Once you have all that in place, then you can run setup from the CD.

You can find DOS boot disks at http://www.bootdisk.com/
The hard drive has a form of old linux on it,with a password that I have no idea about,I formatted the Hard Drive in another PC.Should I just reinstall windows from another pc? Will that work?

Can I ask why you are trying to reinstall windows 98 that is not even supported anymore and hasn't been for quite some time?
Because that pc has a form of linux that has a password,so it is useless with it.I'm trying to reinstall it just to have some fun with a old Pentium 1 computer.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

johnb35

Administrator
Staff member
The computer in question needs a cd drive and a floppy drive in order to install 98. The 98 boot floppy will install everything needed to access cd drive in dos.
 
The computer in question needs a cd drive and a floppy drive in order to install 98. The 98 boot floppy will install everything needed to access cd drive in dos.
I know all of these but my 98 floppy does not work anymore and I don't have any empty floppies. Thats the whole problem
 

johnb35

Administrator
Staff member
Then until you get a floppy that works, you can't install. Can probably find some on ebay.
 

Arc

New Member
Windows 98 can boot from a CD ROM. No need for a floppy drive.

Windows 95 cannot install from a CD ROM.

You can run a DOS session with the Windows 98 CD ROM. You may want to use FDISK to delete non DOS partitions and also delete the Master Boot Record if Linux was installed on the hard drive. Having said that you might be able to get a new IDE drive on line. Windows 98 should install without any problems with just the CD ROM. It has been years since I have used DOS line commands but their should be videos showing how to delete the Master Boot Record. I think it is /MBR.
 

beers

Moderator
Staff member
No need for a floppy drive.
Depends if the BIOS supports CDROM booting.
Windows 95 cannot install from a CD ROM.
That explains this:
windows_95_cd.jpeg
 

Arc

New Member
In order to install Windows 95 you have to use a DOS floppy disk to partition and format the drive with the system files. You then have to install the CD-ROM drivers because Windows 95 does not support CD ROMs for the initial installation. Trust me I know what I am talking about. I think the original poster has confused Windows 95 for Windows 98. If you don't think I know what I am talking about you can watch the video link below. I was using Linux, RAID and Dual Boot back in 1995. Having said that I think I could find the video clips of me deleting the Master Boot Record file using DOS line prompt commands if it is needed.

 

StrangleHold

Moderator
Staff member
Like said by johnb35, plus it might not have the option in the bios to boot from the CD-Rom. If so you need a boot floppy.
 

beers

Moderator
Staff member
Windows 95 does not support CD ROMs for the initial installation
Some of the OSR2 disks were bootable. But otherwise you'd have to leverage a floppy.

Kind of a waste of time dicking around with these old OSes though, even a raspberry pi would offer exponentially higher performance on a modern software stack under Linux.
 

Arc

New Member
Some of the OSR2 disks were bootable. But otherwise you'd have to leverage a floppy.

Kind of a waste of time dicking around with these old OSes though, even a raspberry pi would offer exponentially higher performance on a modern software stack under Linux.

He may have a reason for needing it. Who knows?
 

Arc

New Member
Like said by johnb35, plus it might not have the option in the bios to boot from the CD-Rom. If so you need a boot floppy.

A 1997 computer will have the CD-ROM as a boot option. Having said that he should set the CD-ROM as the first boot device.
 

Arc

New Member
Some older cd drives were not bootable. I've came across a couple.

He referenced the BIOS not being able to boot from the CD-ROM. My response is for the available boot options not the CD-ROM it's self. If the CD-ROM did not work it was a glitch in manufacturing. Some people also are not aware the with IDE devices you have to set them to slave or master.
 
Last edited:
I'm wondering if the cd drive is just bad? Or maybe jumpered wrong.
The bios just has not got the option for CD booting. Tried it with more than 2 drives with different jumper settings. The pc is designed for windows NT 4.0 and win95 so I guess i shouldn't be CD bootable. ( as those systems didn't boot of CD i think)
 

Arc

New Member
The bios just has not got the option for CD booting. Tried it with more than 2 drives with different jumper settings. The pc is designed for windows NT 4.0 and win95 so I guess i shouldn't be CD bootable. ( as those systems didn't boot of CD i think)

There is no such thing as a Windows NT computer. Having said that change the IDE Cable and take out the Hard Drive but connect the CD-ROM. See if the CD-ROM shows up in the bios. Even if the computer was from 1991 it will be able to boot from the CD-ROM. Having said that are the CD-ROM and Hard Drive using the same IDE cable? If so which one is the slave and which on is the master. I wouldn't use cable select.
 
Top