CLEAN INSTALL 1

[Wullie]

Hi, i`m having a problem doing a clean install of windows ME on an old computer.

I kept getting INVALID SYSTEM DISK on boot, but after a format of C the computer just says that the hard drives(2) are installed and then the floppy is installed.
I have tried putting in a full version windows 98 disk then a ME disk but nothing happens.

Please help as i am totally stuck.

 

[butchrecon]

Need more info. Are you booting from a floppy disk or the CDROM? You can format the disk right? Do you get the INVALID... after you install?

 

[Wullie]

Thanks for the very promp advice.

I was booting from a windows 98 startup disk when i formatted. Now i no longer get the INVALID SYSTEM DISK but nothing happens when i insert a windows cd. I have little knowledge of this side of computing and would much appreciate any suggestions.

Thank you.

 

[butchrecon]

Put the boot disk in and the cdrom in. Boot. Choose option #1 and follow the Prompts. You run into more trouble let me know.

(I am married and have no social life outside of my kids, so I am on most of the time)

 

[SRFlanigan]

Not to be a "Butt-in-ski" but you might want to change the boot sequence in the CMOS to "boot from CD" as the first option. If the above option doesn't work. (Actually, the above option is the best option!)

Just my $0.02 worth!

Steve Home: SRFlanigan@home.com
Work: Steve@regionalinternetmedia.com

DILBERT FOR PRESIDENT!

 

[Wullie]

Have tried what you advised.

I get a message saying drive E: = Driver MSCD001 unit 0
To get help,type HELP and press ENTER. There is a comand prompt but as i have little knowledge of computers i am stuck.

 

[Wullie]

How do i change the boot sequence to "boot from CD"??

 

[butchrecon]

SRFlanigan,

You are not being a "Butt-in-ski". Thats what these forums are about. Does not matter who is right or wrong as long as the results are the sames. Setting the system to boot from the CDROM is probebly the best option. (Dont know why I did not think of it :-( )

wullie, how old is the system? this will help us help you. I believe you can hit the delete key as soon as the memory test is done to get into the bios. Then its going to depend on the bios type. Do you know what type it is?

 

[SRFlanigan]

Depending on what BIOS you system has…The usual way to get to the correct menu is:

Reboot the system. During the reboot, press the DEL key repeatedly. This should get you to the CMOS menu.

At the CMOS menu, look for something like “boot sequence” or “boot options.” Choose it.

At this screen, you should be able to choose where you want your system to look for the boot information.

BTW-you can not do any permanent damage if you enter the wrong info, but if you aren’t familiar with the CMOS functions, you may just be better off taking it to a Tech to do this for you. (To save you some frustration.)

Like I said, since you don’t have an OS on the system, your choices made can’t hurt the machine. If all else fails, you can set all of the settings back to the default.

Steve
Home: SRFlanigan@home.com
Work: Steve@regionalinternetmedia.com

DILBERT FOR PRESIDENT!

 

[SRFlanigan]

Butchrecon,

Thanks for the kind words. As you know, there are two types of people in the Tech Field. You have, and I am sure you have met them, the IKE type, pronounced (I-Key-E), meaning "I Know Everything" types, and usually don't. Then there are the BTHOOM, (Bee-To-Um)group, the one I subscribe to. This is the "Beats the Heck Outta Me" group. We know enough to be useful, but learn something new each day.

I have been through Novell, A+ and Cisco, (along with a couple of language courses) in college, and still come up with issues that BTHOOM! X-)

Steve

P.S. Remind me to tell you about the "Wheel Mouse Incident" Home: SRFlanigan@home.com
Work: Steve@regionalinternetmedia.com

DILBERT FOR PRESIDENT!

 

[Wullie]

I am not sure how old the system is, it is a friends computer.
I think it is quite old, it is a Packard Bell Exectutive Multimedia.
When booting it says AMIBIOS (C)1992 American Megatrends, Inc.
BIOS Version 1.00.07.CP0R.

I think i know what menu you are meaning. Is it the setup?
I press F1 on boot and i get the setup menu.
I have been on that and there is boot options.

I have tried only booting the cd-rom but i get the message "INSERT BOOTABLE MEDIA INTO THE APPROPRIATE DRIVE"

 

[butchrecon]

Wheel Mouse Incident? Sound funny. I subscribe to the same group as you. I know more than others but only enought to get myself into trouble. And I do alot. I like these forums so I can learn more. Their great for that. James Collins
Computer Hardware Engineer
A+, MCP

email: butchrecon@skyenet.net

 

[butchrecon]

Wullie,

Packard (PB) Hell huh?! Sorry about that remark. I am not a fan of PB. They have always made thing difficult to work on. If you can boot to the CDROM you should be fine. Its telling you basically there is no bootable media in the drive? Have you tried the PB restore media? Is it the original HDD? James Collins
Computer Hardware Engineer
A+, MCP

email: butchrecon@skyenet.net

 

[Wullie]

I`m sorry for being stupid but i don`t understand what you have asked.

I don`t have a restore disk for the computer.

I basically have a windows 98 startup disk from another computer running 98, and a boot disk which i was advised to download but the computer doesn`t recognise it.(I get invalid system disk.)

 

[butchrecon]

Your not stupid. Use the Win98 boot disk and boot to it. Make sure the Win98 CDROM is in the drive. You should get a selection ance the floppy has booted. choose option #1. Then let us know if you got there. James Collins
Computer Hardware Engineer
A+, MCP

email: butchrecon@skyenet.net

 

[Wullie]

I get a message saying that windows has detected that drive C does not contain a valid FAT or FAT32 partition,then it gives me a list of possible causes for this.

It then says that the diagnostic tools were successfully loaded to drive C.

To get help type help and press enter.

Then there is a command prompt.

 

[butchrecon]

At the command prompt type cd d: then hit enter. then type cd win98 and hit enter again. then type format c: hit enter. then follow the prompts. James Collins
Computer Hardware Engineer
A+, MCP

email: butchrecon@skyenet.net

 

[Wullie]

The CD drive is E as there is 2 hard drives(C+D). Does this matter?

 

[butchrecon]

Yep, Just substitute d with e. Sorry about that. You said that earlier. James Collins
Computer Hardware Engineer
A+, MCP

email: butchrecon@skyenet.net

 

[Wullie]

I have tried what you said, still boots to the same messages.