I think i ruined a perfectly good pc... nooo!!

[katuuuz]

guys, please tell me i'm wrong, but i picked up a friend's gateway essentials 700 series pc (i think it's from '97) but anyway, i tried going to the dos prompt and typing format c: at the c: prompt... it said action aborted, c: is being used or something... so i chose to reboot (win98) and ticked the option of starting in ms-dos mode... upon reboot i typed format c:, and it wiped the disc clean... only now when i put my winxp cd into the D: drive (well it used to be D) it says the directory doesn't exist... NOW TO MAKE MATTERS EVEN WORSE, i reboot the computer and am prompted with "invalid system disk, please replace, then hit any key". I hope it's not toasted.. (ps there are no cds or floppys in the system)

[enoch]

Try another directory. Although you mightve preferred to keep it at win98 for a lighter OS...at least for game stuff.

[Nologic]

It sounds like you destroyed your boot sector on C:\. Every thing else is just a cascade of that...nothing is destroyed more than likely other than data.

[katuuuz]

It sounds like you destroyed your boot sector on C:\. Every thing else is just a cascade of that...nothing is destroyed more than likely other than data.

yeah, i formatted c: without creating a partition? i'm trying to find a way to fix this online. i have downloaded a dos 6.22 bootdisk, inserted it into floppy, and type SETUP C: . it then asks if i want to install the full dos, custom bits, or to exit. i choose A for all. after that it says "c: directory does not exist, would you like to create it?" so i choose yes, then it tells me "parse error 9, the supplied directory name must not have a trailing \. what the hell is all of this?! will i be able to recover my system?

[Nologic]

try using the fdisk command from dos to create a new partition.

the nicest way to go about trying to get things to work is to have a recovery CD that you can boot to.

BartPE CD\DVD

Ultimate Boot CD

UBCD4Win

911 Rescue CD

[Will]

I am not sure what your goal is. Is it to reinstall Windows98? Reinstall DOS? If you just want to reinstall windows, then you just choose to format in the setup--you don't need a prompt at all.

[katuuuz]

I am not sure what your goal is. Is it to reinstall Windows98? Reinstall DOS? If you just want to reinstall windows, then you just choose to format in the setup--you don't need a prompt at all.

i basically ran cmd.exe and typed format c: at an A: prompt.

well i downloaded the dos 6.22 boot disk and inserted it. i typed FDISK then it brought me to the partitions. i hit 4 to view partitions and it said i had one that was named A. I couldn't do anything but delete the main partition, and upon createing a new one, the new partition label is C. so now i have an A: prompt, and a C: prompt, but if i so much as type DIR at the C prompt it tells me "invalid media type regaurding drive c". any help will do.

oh and in response, what i'm trying to do is have my system back with windows 98 and ms dos. i was merely trying to format my hd and i guess i wiped out everything.

**also, i'm wondering how i'm going to revive my D: drive (cd-rom) for reading..

[Nologic]

http://www.bootdisk.com/ grab the Win98 SE build

Okay now since you got the partition recreated,

A:\>format C: /q

Reboot with CD support

A:\>md C:\Windows

A:\>md C:\Windows\cabs

A:\>copy D:\Win98\*.* C:\Windows\cabs\

A:\>cd C:\Windows\cabs\

C:\Windows\cabs\>setup.exe

If any files get requested during setup point it to C:\windows\cabs\ first off...speeds up installation over all and saves a bunch of headaches later on.

Oh and go here to learn how to really f!up Win98

[jthompson]

http://www.bootdisk.com/ grab the Win98 SE build

Okay now since you got the partition recreated,

A:\>format C: /q

Reboot with CD support

A:\>md C:\Windows

A:\>md C:\Windows\cabs

A:\>copy D:\Win98\*.* C:\Windows\cabs\

A:\>cd C:\Windows\cabs\

C:\Windows\cabs\>setup.exe

If any files get requested during setup point it to C:\windows\cabs\ first off...speeds up installation over all and saves a bunch of headaches later on.

Oh and go here to learn how to really f!up Win98

Yeah Katuuz, you will need the win 98 boot floppy as suggested by nologic to get cd support. Unless you have floppy drivers of course, but thats a hassle. Older systems won't let you boot to cd directly so the 98 boot disk is a good option. Good to hear your still around.

Jay T

Edit: sorrry if I confused you, I meant to say cd rom drivers not floppy drivers.

[katuuuz]

http://www.bootdisk.com/ grab the Win98 SE build

Okay now since you got the partition recreated,

A:\>format C: /q

Reboot with CD support

A:\>md C:\Windows

A:\>md C:\Windows\cabs

A:\>copy D:\Win98\*.* C:\Windows\cabs\

A:\>cd C:\Windows\cabs\

C:\Windows\cabs\>setup.exe

If any files get requested during setup point it to C:\windows\cabs\ first off...speeds up installation over all and saves a bunch of headaches later on.

Oh and go here to learn how to really f!up Win98

ok nologic, i'm glad to see you have a lot more knowledge in this than me, you've always been a big help. now i created that partition (before i got your mesage) and somehow was able to install dos. well i think i did, to the C: prompt. now i can go to dosshell and things like that. i do not have drive D: support (cd-rom), and i now tried reformatting c: and trying your advice but it won't even let me format it now. also, by win98 bootdisk do you mean the "boot98se" that i put onto a floppy disk? or an actual cd image?

if i can get dos and win98 running from scratch, it will make my day.

[katuuuz]

ok, i put

format c: /q

it said proceed, and i said yes. i did the md commands, but upon entering: copy D:\win98\*.* C:\Windows\cabs\

it tells me: "invalid drive specification"

it's not recognizing my d: drive i'm assuming.

[Nologic]

correct its not finding the CD drive...and you booted from the Win88 floppy? if not you need to..

boot98se.exe...is an executable that when launched will prompt you to have a floppy in your A:\ drive at which point it will install its self onto the floppy...once done the floppy will now be able to boot your system...and provide you with CD support should you press the correct option to enable it.

Hehe we are going from memory here...and its been a long long time.

[Nologic]

Basically once the floppy is done all you should need to do is boot from it, and enable CD support and then just pick up where you left off...and thats copying the files from the CD to the hard drive.

[katuuuz]

Basically once the floppy is done all you should need to do is boot from it, and enable CD support and then just pick up where you left off...and thats copying the files from the CD to the hard drive.

ok i think i got it, and your the man. i just put the win98 boot disk in the slot and tried typing the commands... never thought that i'd have to reboot for the BOOT disk.. i'm an idiot. now if things go smooth from here, windows will install dos, or do i need to do so? like is dos a part of windows? i'm thinking the dos boot disk is to be installed if you WEREN'T going to use windows?

[Nologic]

Win9x is just a shell over DOS, so yes.

Now any thing prior to Win9x you would be required to install DOS before windows.

[katuuuz]

Win9x is just a shell over DOS, so yes.

Now any thing prior to Win9x you would be required to install DOS before windows.

excellent man excellent. i'm just waiting on my win98 cd now to try and wrap things up. now say i was going to format a fairlly new computer's HD that is running windows xp... do i just create the partition like the older pc, get a winxp boot disc and do that same things?

[Nologic]

Newer systems can boot from CD natively...so you'll typically see some thing during start up like:

To boot from CD press (Space)...

All you do then is press the spacebar WinXp install disc will bootup in a DOS shell like environment that you'll have to push buttons to navigate through...and at some point it'll ask you how or if you want to partition and\or format a drive...and which drive to install to.

So..yes and no.

[Nologic]

Oh the Boot to CD option is some thing that typically needs to be enabled in the computers BIOS...along with placing the CD drive as the first drive to try and boot from....well at lest prior to any hard drive.

[katuuuz]

Newer systems can boot from CD natively...so you'll typically see some thing during start up like:

To boot from CD press (Space)...

All you do then is press the spacebar WinXp install disc will bootup in a DOS shell like environment that you'll have to push buttons to navigate through...and at some point it'll ask you how or if you want to partition and\or format a drive...and which drive to install to.

So..yes and no.

nologic you are the man. i find myself saying this often. as soon as win98 is done being installed on my other pc, i'm about to format my arcade pc for i was using it to surf the net and things like that and it's not a true arcade only pc. i'm sure i'll be on here troubleshooting things setting up my cab again, but i thank you again mate.

p.s. i'm playing lucasarts and sierra games all day otherwise on my *new* windows 98 pc.

[Nologic]

Well make sure you got the 98 box up and net worthy before you touch the other one.

[katuuuz]

Well make sure you got the 98 box up and net worthy before you touch the other one.

what do you mean box up and net worthy?

[Nologic]

Meaning that you have all the required drivers and such installed, and that the system can access the internet encase you run into problems.

[katuuuz]

Meaning that you have all the required drivers and such installed, and that the system can access the internet encase you run into problems.

affirmative, i'll let you know how it turns out, had to run out and get floppys, win 98 is installing now. thanks.

[Nologic]

Your welcome