Win98SE Clean Install?

[winzip]

I just bought a refurbished laptop; the hard drive is empty except for the COMMAND.COM file and when I boot, it goes to the command prompt and displays on the top that the system is Windows 95. Right now I don't think it recognizes the CD-ROM drive, but I'm sure with the right boot disk I can get to that CD-ROM drive.

How can I install a Windows 98 SE on this laptop? Can I use any Win98SE CD-ROM?

The laptop is a Toshiba 490XCDT Pentium II 266 MHz with 64MB RAM (I think) and a 4GB (?) hard drive.

Thanks!

winzip

 

[Marcs41]

You can Boot from a Full 98 CD, if you have a new licensed copy for it.
If the boot does not work, you can always load the DOS drivers for the CD and run setup from the CD drive then.

Marc
[sub]If 'something' 'somewhere' gives 'some' error, expect random guesses or no replies at all. Please specify details.
Free Tip: The F1 Key does NOT destroy your PC![/sub]

 

[edfair]

If you can get it to boot from the CD (BIOS setting) it should go OK.
Otherwise a matter of a 98 bootdisk and hope the drivers work.
Or as a last resort, the 98 bootdisk with Toshiba drivers from their website added to your bootdisk.

Ed Fair
Any advice I give is my best judgement based on my interpretation of the facts you supply. Help increase my knowledge by providing some feedback, good or bad, on any advice I have given.

 

[chaddarun56]

I have a similar laptop, as soon as you switch on the laptop, and see the toshiba screen keep pressing control + esc, you will get a message asking you to press F1 to enter setup, do this and make the system to boot from the CDROM by changing this in the boot priority option, choose CDROM-HDD-FDD. Put the win98se cd and boot from it.

If the CD is not bootable, then get a Win98 startup disk, change the boot priority in the Bios to FDD-HDD-CDROM and boot from the floppy, and choose boot system with CDROM support, then access the cddrive and start the windows install procedure

 

[winzip]

Thanks everybody! I will try your suggestions today and let you know the results.

winzip

 

[winzip]

Hi everyone,

Booting from the Win98 CD didn't work so I downloaded a Win98 bootdisk from a website. It boots with the option of having a CD-ROM drive, and from there, I ran the setup program. It worked OK, now I have Windows 98 SE on my refurbished laptop.

Thanks for all the tips - I really appreciate all the input!

winzip

 

[Marcs41]

There you go, you're all set!

 

[spasserium]

Marcs41,

Can you change the boot sequence w/o access to the BIOS?

Mark

 

[edfair]

No problem, just with the fresh thread you'll get more help. Some people won't look after 4 or 5 repies.

Ed Fair
Any advice I give is my best judgement based on my interpretation of the facts you supply. Help increase my knowledge by providing some feedback, good or bad, on any advice I have given.