Creating a boot disk

JR#97

JR#97

New member
High crashed my OS hard and accidently deleted some system files/directories trying out one of those damn "Windows washer" programs. Anywho, I need to re-install the OS, however, the floppy drive doesn't work. I tried borrowing a friend's Windows XP bootable CD, but the product key wouldn't work. Now the PC boots to XP and I can't get into the bios or anything because XP tries to load up. Is there a way to make a Windows 98se bootable CD?
 
You should be able to go into bios and 'tell' the computer to boot from CD. The Win 98 CD should then boot and give you install options.
 
no no no. This bit about the system trying to load from the XP disk is a simple issue. I think you are hitting enter too soon and not reading the options....

When the system first boots, with the XP disk in it there SHOULD be a screen that says weather or not you want just CD drives, to boot from the CD (to setup) or boot with no CD. I'm betting you have the option of telling the system to install cd drivers but NOT go to install
 
No I have seen the problem

XP when you boot from it and choose install will creat a Boot.ini file and another file that specifies the OS 9or OS's if there is other bootable partitions)

The simplest option for you is:

a. Find the restore disc that came with your machine.

b. buy a copy of WIndows XP pro.


Good luck. I'm sure there are ways to edit the boot info, but I'm not sure what you would change it to.
 
Thanks for the help all. Let me be more specific.
I don't want XP. I just used the xp install disk because it is bootable because my floppy drive is toast. XP is installed up to the point of the product key. No where is there an option for me to "halt" the boot-up like with a dos boot up. I don't touch any keys or anything. I think because the XP install is not complete, the OS won't let me do much until it is complete. So therefore, I can't even get to the bios options to choose something else besides the c:\ to be the initial boot up device. I want to just just re-format the drive and remove the partial XP install, but how can I do that if the machine automatically goes into the XP boot-up and install?
 
This is a little odd. Can you not hit F8 during ram count to go to bios ? If you get to the bios and go to dos prompt, you can type in C:/FDISK to reformat.
 
I assumed by reading your post that you did not want XP. Your BIOS comes WAY before any operating system boot. You should be easily able to get into BIOS. Possibly the "hit del to run setup" is hidden (could be f1 or any other number of keys depending on the mother board manufacturer). You could try just hitting del continuously as soon as you turn the PC on. If that doesn't work, and it still goes past the BIOS screen, you'll have to look for a manual to see how to get into bios for your particular system. If you could post the brand or mother board model of your PC, we might be able to help you more.
 
I think what you want is an El Toro CD, a bootable CD. If you have access to a PC with floppy, CD-writer and Win98 on it, do this:

Make a recovery disk (ctrl panel->software->make disk).
Copy fdisk.exe (or .com don't remember) and format.com to it.

Find a CDwriting program that supports bootable CD's (I know Nero does it). Transfer the image of the diskette to the CD.

Change the BIOS of the computer to be examined to boot from CD, boot from the CD, format/fdisk the harddisk and copy Win98 install files to it and KEEP THEM THERE, you will need them.

hope this helps.


Herwig
 
While what DeadPoet says will work to get you into DOS mode so you can restore files/reinstall/etc., if you're going to reinstall 98 you are going to have to have a 98 CD. That said- if you have a 98 CD, it is already a bootable disk so there is no reason to go through all that hassle. The fdisk and format functions are already on the CD and can be run from there. Fdisk is in the root directory, ad format is in the "win98" directory if you need them.
 
MONTE said:
While what DeadPoet says will work to get you into DOS mode so you can restore files/reinstall/etc., if you're going to reinstall 98 you are going to have to have a 98 CD. That said- if you have a 98 CD, it is already a bootable disk so there is no reason to go through all that hassle. The fdisk and format functions are already on the CD and can be run from there. Fdisk is in the root directory, ad format is in the "win98" directory if you need them.
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As far as I know, you can't boot from a Win98 installation cd.
If the floppy drive is toast, get a new one. They cost virtually nothing nowadays. Or borrow one from another computer.
 
What Christiaan says.

My Win98SE (dutch edition) doesn't boot by itself. NT4, W2K, XP do that, but not the 98. (I have never owned ME so that I don't know)

...10 seconds later..

Hey, wait a minute, the 98 I have is an upgrade edition... would it have to do anything with that ???



Herwig
 
I already tried booting from my windows 98 cd. no go. It's a full install and just an upgrade. Anywho, I did get into the bios, but I can't find anywhere where I can get to a damn dos prompt. I F8's during the the windows open sequence, but there were no options for a command prompt there either. Safe Mode didn't work and the only OS option was XP. I think I'm just going to have to throw the drive into another pc somewhere and fdisk it there and install windows98 that way or at least get a dos partition going. The floppy drive is new and I've tried other floppy drives as well. I think there's something wrong with the MB. I've even tried multiple ribbons. The drives power and spin, but they aren't recognized. It was never an issue until now damnit!

Thanks for the help, all.
 
JR, you can't get to a DOS prompt by way of BIOS.

Are you sure you didn't disable the 3.5" floppy in BIOS? This would be under 'standard cmos setup'.

If the floppy or motherboard controller is toast, then certainly, pull the hard drive out and format it. Make it bootable though and make sure you have cd-rom drivers installed on it. After that, move it back to the orginal machine and install 98.

For some instructions and a good universal cd driver, go to www.sigmacomputers.on.ca/dualboot.html

Essentially you will:

- create a boot disk, copy fdisk.exe and format.com to it, unzip cdsetup on it.
- boot with the floppy
- format and or fdisk depending on whether XP has already went NTFS.
- install the cd-rom drivers with cdsetup.exe

Hook the drive back up in the original machine, install windows.

BTW, my 98SE boots of CD-ROM. Is yours a backup copy or an original? I've found backup copies will still install fine, but will not boot unless created as such at the burn stage.
 
Emeric said:
JR, you can't get to a DOS prompt by way of BIOS.

Are you sure you didn't disable the 3.5" floppy in BIOS? This would be under 'standard cmos setup'.

If the floppy or motherboard controller is toast, then certainly, pull the hard drive out and format it. Make it bootable though and make sure you have cd-rom drivers installed on it. After that, move it back to the orginal machine and install 98.

For some instructions and a good universal cd driver, go to www.sigmacomputers.on.ca/dualboot.html

Essentially you will:

- create a boot disk, copy fdisk.exe and format.com to it, unzip cdsetup on it.
- boot with the floppy
- format and or fdisk depending on whether XP has already went NTFS.
- install the cd-rom drivers with cdsetup.exe

Hook the drive back up in the original machine, install windows.

BTW, my 98SE boots of CD-ROM. Is yours a backup copy or an original? I've found backup copies will still install fine, but will not boot unless created as such at the burn stage.
Click to expand...

Thanks Em. My 98SE is a MSDN library version. Actually, it has 98 and SE on it. Anywho.. about the floppy, yeah.. I believe the controller is toast. I've checked/double checked the bios settings. In fact, I've had the floppy as the first boot device since day one and I get an error on boot up saying the device can't be found "hit F1 to continue" blah blah blah. I'm going to try burning a CD of my 98se boot up floppy and making the CD bootable.
 
OOPS! My bad! I could have sworn Win 98 was a bootable disk, but guess I F'd up. My apologies for the misinformation. Hope I didn't make extra work for you and I hope you get things figured out. It seems my efforts to help you only complicaed things.
 
MONTE said:
OOPS! My bad! I could have sworn Win 98 was a bootable disk, but guess I F'd up. My apologies for the misinformation. Hope I didn't make extra work for you and I hope you get things figured out. It seems my efforts to help you only complicaed things.
Click to expand...

OEM versions are, but the MSDN version is not bootable. :(

Another alternative would be to find a Win98SE machine somewhere and make a system boot floppy.
 
honestly.

Do what the DeadPoet says.

Or.. putting the drive in another machine... (hopefully a XP machine.. just incase you went NTFS..)... that is a Powerful idea.


xoxo
 
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