Windows 98 SE clean install not working

[flex4life]

I got a virus a few weeks ago and now I am trying to do a clean install. I got my boot disk in drive A and my Windows 98SE CD ROM in drive D.

I tried:
A:/ FORMAT C:
but then the command line says "Bad file name or command"

I do not understand why since I have formatted my drive a few months ago and it worked? Can someone help me please?

 

[karmic]

doesn't look like format is on the a drive. If you create a startup disk thru windows, it doesn't put it on.

if you can boot to the cd, start computer with cd-rom support. you will find format.com under the win98 directory on the cd. ~ Whether you think you can or can't, you're right. Henry Ford~

 

[flex4life]

I'm not very good with technical stuff, so what is it should i exactly do?

 

[WheeDoggy]

FORMAT.COM should work. It is contained in the startup disk in EBD.CAB and should be in memory.

What virus did you have?

Is it possible that the startup disk you have somehow became infected? Have you kept the write-protect tab locked?

Did you boot directly off of the A: drive after POST?

 

[karmic]

Did you create a startup diskette thru windows?
The only file you are missing is format.com
Boot to the floppy and see if you have the cdrom support you need. (you should see the cdrom load.)
if a cdrom loads, put your windows 98 cd in the drive.
If you only have one hard drive (c: only) then your cd rom should be d:
follow these steps: type the following
d: (or the proper cd drive letter) <press enter>
cd win98 <press enter>
format c: /u <press enter>

If the format completes, type:
setup <press enter>

The rest is up to you...

Good luck ~ Whether you think you can or can't, you're right. Henry Ford~

 

[SESaskDFC]

Howdy:

If you boot using the startup floppy, you should get to a: prompt or a line that looks like this a:\_

All you have to do is type in &quot;format c:&quot; without the quotes.. NOTHING ELSE !!!

Murray

 

[WheeDoggy]

Thanks for the confirmation SESaskDFC.

~KARMIC
Creation of the startup disk IN WINDOWS creates a file called EBD.CAB and that is where you will find FORMAT.COM.

This .CAB is extracted into RAMDRIVE which if someone has only 1 HDD (C:\), takes up the drive D: designation which, in conclusion, would make his CDROM drive E:.

 

[karmic]

Nothing like a good dressing down over a startup disk eh?
Thank you, much appreciated...
Just realized the original problem was the &quot;/&quot;, good eye SESaskDFC.
~ Whether you think you can or can't, you're right. Henry Ford~

 

[flex4life]

SeSaskDFC, I already tried that but that doe snot work.

- I do not know what virus I had, it wouldn't let me open norton program.

- my boot disk is the original one that came with windows 98 SE

I'll try the other suggestions by karmic and let everyone know how it went.

Thanks alot

 

[WheeDoggy]

Flex,

Humor me on this..........

1- The possibility lies that you may have a boot sector virus and/or others.
2- You have not mentioned whether or not your boot floppy has been write protected for the duration for which you have had it or if it can be verified trustworthy from the beginning. FORMAT.COM is a standard file/command and yet is not recognized.
3- You do not seem overly concerned about the contents of your HDD and if you do in fact have a boot sector virus a format and clean install is not going to get rid of it and it will come back to plague you.

Suggestion:
1 - Obtain a RELIABLE Win98 boot diskette with write protect tab in the &quot;locked&quot; position. Could probably download from

http://www.bootdisk.com

from a clean machine and save to diskette if you cannot obtain one otherwise.
2 - Make sure that the target machine has had some time unplugged from the outlet to ensure that it is not in the RAM.
3 - Boot directly into A:\ using the floppy
4 - @ command prompt type: A:\FDISK \MBR
5 - Type: A:\FDISK , Enable support for Large Drive,
Delete current drive partition.
6 - Reboot

Now you should be OK to create new partition/s, format, & do the install.
Sorry if I seem hurried here at the end but I've got to go.
If there is anything you don't understand please ask and either myself or someone else will assist you.

rgds

 

[flex4life]

Thanks WheeDoggy,

I appreciat your help, too bad I read yor post alittle too late. I had made a new bootdisk yesterday from a clean machine. This allowed &quot;format c:&quot; to work.

After formatting I tried typing in &quot;d:&quot; then &quot;setup.exe&quot; BUT this gives me &quot;Bad filename or command&quot; (Yes I do have my win98 startup disk in my D drive)

I tried &quot;d:&quot; then &quot;dir&quot; and I cannot see a file that says setup.exe in that list.

Sorry but where do I go from here?

 

[Comtech]

Try E:\Setup
The bootdisk will put some system files in a ramdrive, called D:
The actual CD-ROM drive becomes E: Cheers,
Jim

http://members.cnx.net/reboot/

 

[flex4life]

I just took out the win98 cd rom from drive d and put it into drive e and then I tried &quot;f:&quot; then &quot;setup.exe&quot;

Its installing right now, although i do not know why the drives got bumped up.

Anyways I will keep yall posted on my adventure!

 

[WheeDoggy]

Hi Flex,

I think that what you are looking at is RAMDRIVE. This is a cache created in RAM for the dos files on your boot disk that is created on boot-up and assigned a drive letter (D) by dos.

Type A:\DIR - you will also see the similar files.

SETUP.EXE can be found @ E:\ - you got the bad filename or command error because you were looking on D:\ .

However I seriously recommend before going any further that you refer to my previous post and start out with the power down and FDISK \MBR to be sure that you did not have a boot sector virus. It is certainly worth the trouble to do this as you do not want to get everything installed and after all that work have a malicious boot virus come up and botch things up.

Let me know how it goes.

Regards

 

[flex4life]

WheeDoggy,

Windows 98 is already installed and i am about to install Norton antivirus, hopefully my antivirus proggy will detect the virus you are talking about.

 

[flex4life]

Thanks ALL!

Everything worked out perfectly and I don't have any more viruses!

Have a good day