Win98 Setup won't Install - ' 1

[markinvention]

I've been trying to install Win98SE on an old PC currently running Win98 first edition.

When I run 'setup' for SE, the setup checks the system and reports the following error:

'Setup has detected that your disc has a 64k FAT cluster partition. Because ScanDisc does not work on discs with this cluster size Setup cannot continue. To complete setup you must repartition your hard disc, format the partition with a FAT file system that has a cluster size of 32k or less and then restart Setup.'

I have checked the 'C' drive I am trying to install on and it is a FAT32 format. It has a single parition and is 8gb with 1.73gb unused.

Any ideas as to what I can do to get SE to install? I don't want to have reformat the entire 'C' drive or reinstall all the stuff on the drive currently after somehow getting SE to install.

Thanks in advance

 

[jimp56]

try running the setup.exe from a command prompt with the /is switch:
"setup /is"

http://home1.gte.net/~mrscary/switch.htm

 

[markinvention]

jimp56

Lack of sleep must be getting to me....

Successfully initiated the command prompt, it worked like a dream, unfortunately I got another error saying that I already had an operating system running and needed to get a Windows 98SE upgrade disc - the one I was trying to install was a 'full copy'.

As my machine has an OEM copy of 98 first edition, do you know if I specifically have to locate an 'update' disc for 98SE?

 

[jimp56]

check this out:

http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/win98/t1023020848

just rename win.com and run the full version to "upgrade" -- apparently it retains settings(if you choose c:\windows as stated in the article), but i have also heard it may not work fully, so do this at your own risk. you wont lose data, but you may end up with an unstable SE install.

if you can stand to do it, i would just back up data, reformat, and do a full clean install (assuming you have your app installers still available).

 

[edfair]

Generally it goes well. But if it doesn't make it the first time try it again. Haven't ever traced the reasons but have found that multiple overlays keep refitting things until it finally gets it right.

And while you are at it, why not put the install stuff on the hard drive? It speeds up the install by about half.
I do a w98sein directory with the stuff off the root and a win98 under that with just the stuff from the corresponding CD directory. Keeps it from trying to install any of the other things that mostly just take space. Note that the 4 files on the root are not needed but I keep them so the install parallels what would come from the CD.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[markinvention]

Thanks so much to you all!!

I used the win.old/boot disc solution and it worked like a dream.

Thanks to you, I have now solved my problem (or one of them at least

I hope to repay the compliment to you all sometime in the future.