Not enough RAM? Bad hard drive?

[Toshiro]

A friend's got a Compaq Presario 1621 that had Windows 98, then that was replaced with Windows 2000 which seemed to mess up the computer, and it couldn't ever connect to the Internet. I used fdisk to remove the single partition, then it wouldn't let me format the drive ("Format not supported on Drive C:"). I made a DOS partition and tried installing Windows 98 all over again. When I ran setup.exe, it tells me "Windows Setup requires 7340032 bytes".... that's RAM, right? I dunno how much RAM it's got, but I need to reinstall Windows.... Can I make one of those harddrive-RAM substitutions (Linux calls them swap files... dunno if they can be done for Windows/DOS). If so, how, and will it solve the problem (not being able to install Windows 98)?

 

[derrmc]

What are the specs of the friends pc?

 

[Toshiro]

HP Support site is surprisingly helpful...

233 MHz AMD-K6 MMX enhanced processor
32 MB SyncDRAM, expandable to 96 MB
2.1 GB hard drive
20X max CD-ROM
Cache -- 512 KB L2 Pipeline Burst Cache

That looked like all the important stuff... the whole site with the specs is here: http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsuppor...skId=110&prodSeriesId=96345&prodTypeId=321957

I need to find out how I can format the harddrive (typing "format C:" gives me that "not supported" error). And I need to know what's up with that "Windows Setup requires 7340032 bytes").

Doesn't specify bytes of what, though.

 

[derrmc]

A friend's got a Compaq Presario 1621 that had Windows 98, then that was replaced with Windows 2000 which seemed to mess up the computer, and it couldn't ever connect to the Internet. I used fdisk to remove the single partition, then it wouldn't let me format the drive ("Format not supported on Drive C:"). I made a DOS partition and tried installing Windows 98 all over again. When I ran setup.exe, it tells me "Windows Setup requires 7340032 bytes".... that's RAM, right? I dunno how much RAM it's got, but I need to reinstall Windows.... Can I make one of those harddrive-RAM substitutions (Linux calls them swap files... dunno if they can be done for Windows/DOS). If so, how, and will it solve the problem (not being able to install Windows 98)?

first of all,you can't put 2000 on with 32 mg of ram and expect it to do anything. you can't remove a partition then format. you have to create a partition, reboot,format.setup is talking about the hardrive space. you need a 98 boot disk. run fdisk, do as I said about the partition

 

[Pantomime]

I know I'm a noob here but I'll give it a shot anyway...

1. I don't think you can format from DOS, because if Windows 2000 was installed then you don't really have DOS, you can only use the command prompt.

2. I'm pretty sure the 7340032 bytes refers to bytes on the hard drive or partition. If the partition you made isn't at least 7.34 Mb, then there isn't enough space to install windows.

Instead of running setup.exe from the prompt, I would use the Win98 CD that will format the drive before it tries to install windows.

I hope this is what you're looking for. Is a 2.1GB hard drive worth the trouble?

 

[Toshiro]

Eh? No, the guy's dad had put 2000 on it, and it ran really crappy. I took the partition off because it WILL NOT let me format. I have a 98 boot disk, which is what i used. I ran FDISK and it didn't help.

This is what I did in steps:

1. Tried to reformat, wouldn't let me.
2. Used FDISK to remove the NTFS partition (only partition)
3. Used FDISK to create a DOS partition for Windows 98
4. Tried to reformat the new partition, wouldn't let me

I, of course, could not create a new partition without removing the old one first, as the old one took up 100% of the drive.

There IS a partition on the drive that the Win98 Setup should be able to use but I simply cannot format it. I need to find out either how I can force-format the drive, I guess.

Note: Yeah, I mean "command prompt" when I say DOS... that's where I've been doing everything, and it's always worked before on other computers... I guess I can try doing the partition stuff over again...

Note 2: I cannot use the Win98 CD at all... when I try to do it, it gives me that "windows requires blah" error message...

 

[derrmc]

I know I'm a noob here but I'll give it a shot anyway...

1. I don't think you can format from DOS, because if Windows 2000 was installed then you don't really have DOS, you can only use the command prompt.

2. I'm pretty sure the 7340032 bytes refers to bytes on the hard drive or partition. If the partition you made isn't at least 7.34 Mb, then there isn't enough space to install windows.

Instead of running setup.exe from the prompt, I would use the Win98 CD that will format the drive before it tries to install windows.

I hope this is what you're looking for. Is a 2.1GB hard drive worth the trouble?

you can format from dos, thats where it all started. dos is commands. it takes a lot more than 7.34 mb to install windows.
2.1 is plenty for win 98

 

[Win2kpatcher]

I think the problem you may be encountering is that when the machine was updated to windows 2000 in most likely converted the file system to NTFS...If I recall the win98/FDISK will only support FAT file systems? Well as far as formatting goes...

I would tell your dad to boot off the Windows 2000 CD he used to upgrade as it has a much better and easier partition tool to work with...then you can see the current partitions and reformat using either FAT32 or NTFS.

 

[derrmc]

let me see the command you used to format

 

[Win2kpatcher]

It should be "FORMAT C: /s"

right?