windows 95 on floppy problem

[zeddsquirrel]

Hello,My problem is I have an IBMthinkpad 750c running windows for workgroup 3.11.I found windows 95 on floppy from a friend via the internet.However some of the file sizes for the floppys are 1.76 mb.Is there a way to fit 1.76 mb on a 1.44 mb floppy???Any feedback would be great,cause i dont even know if this old laptop will run 95 seeing to how its 16 bit and doesnt 95 run on 32?thanks for your help in advance

 

[diogenes10]

I would think one of the floppies would have a setup program that, when run, would read the rest of them.

 

[wolluf]

Have you actually got 95 on floppies - or do you need to write the cab files to floppy? (ie, is that the reason for your question)? If the second, you need to format the disks to write to (apart from first, setup disk, which is std 1.44) using a different process. I think I've seen freeware apps mentioned on this site which will do this (so if this is the problem, try searching the site & googling).

As to 16/32 bit, If I remember correctly 386 machines and later are 32 bit - so unless laptop is a 286... should run 95 (though depending on processor speed and more importantly RAM, may be very slow. When 95 came out it was said 4MB RAM minimum, should have 8 - but RAM was expensive then, and 24 is more realistic minimum, particularly on slower processor. Though it will run on less of course).

 

[jrbarnett]

Hello

Look up the DMF format for the 1.76Mb floppies and you should find several apps capable of formatting disks to it. It is a format invented by Microsoft I think, in a feeble attempt to stop software piracy by diskcopying each of the disks.

John

 

[SkipCox]

Here's how to make your own 95 floppy set from the cd.

http://www.btinternet.com/~robert.bale1/bkup/win95backup.htm

Should certainly work for you. You'll need 29 quality floppies before you start. Does it work? Yes. Is it worth it? A visit to ebay is easier.

Skip

http://home.comcast.net/~scox9/index.html

 

[Blujacket]

Another option, I put the Win95 folder from the CD onto a Zip100 Disk and use a Parallel-port Zip drive to copy the folder to the hard drive and install from there.

 

[edfair]

Disk 1 of the set has the setup program that reads the rest of the floppies.
But if it is a previously installed set, the user name will have been set in the boot sector of disk 2 and it will set up as that user when installed.
You could do a google search for "fdformat" for programs that will allow you to format or read the DMF disks, or look for copycq for a program set that will allow you to duplicate them.

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

 

[Blujacket]

I use WinImage to store backups of many floppies and can write exact duplicates.

 

[PatrickDickey]

Ok, I've got a few questions and a suggestion of sorts..

1) Does the thinkPad come with a CD-ROM drive? Or do you have one?
2) Can you find anyone that has Windows 95 on CD?
3) How much memory does the thinkPad have?

Ok, what I'm suggesting is this. If you know someone who has a Win95 CD, borrow it. Try booting from the CD, and installing Windows 95.If that doesn't work, make a bootdisk from the CD Or download one from

http://www.bootdisk.com

(Windows 95). If you get one from bootdisk, you will have to save it to your computer, put a blank floppy in the drive and run it. It will install itself to the floppy. Boot up from that and prepare the HDD for Windows 95 (Format it). Then run the CD.

The second suggestion is this.. Windows 95 was a 16Bit OS (Windows 98 was the first completely 32Bit OS on the home user side). However, there were add-ons to make Windows 95 a 32bit system, if I remember right.. So, yes, it will work on the ThinkPad.

Patrick.

 

[zeddsquirrel]

Thanks to all who replied.Valuble info.Im going to check around for the program to reformate and let me put the info onto the floppies.To answer a few questions,no i do not have a rom drive for it(yet).The 95 on floppy thing is files i downloaded from a friend,that are setup as 13 seprete disk files.To make 13 seperate disks.I hadnt even tried to do it yet,seeings how the file sizes were over the capacity of the floppies.Im trying to get this dinosaur on the net,and obviously im not very good with win3.11,but trying to learn.I started just playing,but now its turned into a hobby.Once again thanks very much for your help and believe me i hope you all are patient,cause im sure many more questions are forthcoming.

 

[jrbarnett]

PatrickDickey

A few points:
1) The Windows 95 CD was never bootable, you needed a boot floppy disk with CD-ROM drivers to start up and gain access to the CD drive, then run setup from the CD. Every OS install CD from NT 4 onwards (released 1996) was bootable.

2) Windows 95, 98 and Me aren't fully 32 bit. Only the NT family systems (NT, 2000, XP) are fully 32 bit. No patches or service packs will change that.

John

 

[edfair]

even if you get the data onto the floppies, it isn't going to work. You need the first 60 bytes in the boot sector of disk 2 to install and that information isn't included in the files you copied.
You need to copy the disks again with something like the copycq that does a sector by sector copy.

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

 

[mainegeek]

Hello zeddsquirrel,
I have done this using WinImage. Same problem as EdFair mentioned. Disk #2 contained the previous users name. This was on a set of Win98 Upgrade floppies, 13 disks if I recall (its been a while).

I don't remember if I used a hex editor to change the user name on #2 or just edited the registry after the install.

I believe the cab files on the upgrade were 1.68 mb but like a said, its been a while.

 

[mainegeek]

woopps......I meant Win95 Upgrade