Win 98 Upgrade...Problem

[Ioanni]

I'm upgrading my cousins old computer or at least I'm trying to. The computer keeps freezing up on her, from my research I found that Windows 95/98 share a common freezing problem. We tried to fix the machine, but nothing worked. So we decided to just rip 98 off and install 2000 or XP. 2000 Pro was the ideal OS because of hard drive space. So I try to boot from CD and nothing, so I decide to do the upgrade through Windows.

I get to the stage telling me the computer needs to be restarted and will need to be restarted 4 more times until its completed. Long story short I get to the blue install page and it tells me that it cannot continue because either there is not enough memory or because there are corrupted files.

Problem now, I cannot get into Windows 98. I get a screen which allows me to choose Win 2000 Set-Up or Microsoft Windows. If I choose Windows I get into Win 98 Start-Up and tells me to choose Command Prompt. I have no clue what to do now. This is where I get stuck. So I kinda need some help to at least get the machine working by next Friday.

Just to add when I turn the computer on it does not let me boot from CD.

 

[peterhuang913]

When you start the computer, get into the BIOS and set the CD drive at the first thing. You need to upgrade to Windows XP, it works on ancient comps, I have it on two of mines.

Is his data backed up?

 

[Ioanni]

All his files, mostly word documents, are all backed up. I didn't do the last install of 98 this computer tech did it, from what my cousin knows is that there might be a partition of 98 on the computer. I checked the BIOS quickly and I didn't see anything for CD-ROM boot. I just saw for the HDD and Disk 1 and Disk 2.

I'd really like to get the computer up and going rather then sending it out to the tech again. Only thing I might have failed to mention is that now when the computer boots up it still gives me the option to do the 2000 set-up. I'm not sure if I should try another copy of 2000. Also is there a way to find out if there is a 98 parition and restore the computer from there?

 

[Ioanni]

Also I tried booting my XP disk but couldn't get it to boot.

 

[KSoD]

Your BIOS is not set to boot from CD.

 

[Ioanni]

Then how am I going to get it to boot from CD if when I go into the CMOS in the BIOS and I don't see anywhere to set boot from CD?

Say I were to download from Microsoft the boot disk on floppy and use that to boot from that to install XP Pro, how would I boot it up? Like will it just boot the win XP setup file automatically like how it does after pushing the any key command when booting from CD or will I have to wait until the pc loads to the win 98 command prompt and type something like install.exe?

 

[KSoD]

The BIOS should show the boot up options. If you dont have the option to boot from CD tehn you will need the XP Boot disc's. Check bootdisc.com and see if they have them.

If they so you should find the installer under teh C:\windows\setup32.exe command. It has been about 7 years since i had to run setup from DOS so i dont know for sure if that is the right command.

 

[Jorsoft]

Download a bootdisk from here (anyone that loads cd rom rivers should be fine). remember using the ME boot disk as well as the XP one and having no problems. Once it boots to command prompt switch to your cd rom drive (d:\ or whatever it happens to be) and type SETUP. That should bring up the Windows installation menu.

Bootdisk.Com - Free Windows Bootdisks, Free DOS boot disk

The one from Microsoft will probably work the same way. Never used it myself but I don't see why it wouldn't be the same thing.

 

[Ioanni]

Im going to try the boot disk from Microsoft. I've had a bad experience using a boot disk(s) that I got from Bootdisks.com, I also spoke to this guy I know and he told me that I could use a recovery floppy from his computer (I dont think it would work) which is running 98 so he's going to make me a copy of that and I'm going to try that as well.

 

[superdave1984]

Is it possible you simply don't have enough RAM? Win2K doesn't need much, but it needs more than 9X.