Remove Win2000 load Win 98

[Bob Down]

I have bought a used Compaq 1640 laptop it has Win 2000 as OS I want to format hard drive and load Win 98.
I have read Microsoft’s Support and it speaks of removing NTFS file system, reformat the hard disk to use FAT or FAT32 file system. This is what I want to do; but it says to do this I am to use the Recovery Console tool on the Windows 2000 CD-ROM You can do this by using the Recovery Console tool on the Windows 2000 CD-ROM if your computer supports a bootable CD-ROM or by using the four Windows 2000 Startup disks. I was not provided the CD for Win 2000 and am not able to make floppy start-up disks, because the floppy drive is not working properly (and I can not reload the drivers because I do not have the administrative password). The support page also speaks of hidden files that are located in the root folder of the drive that is used to start the computer (and goes on to explain how to remove these files, but am unsure to if this will work if I am loading a different OS)
My 2 main questions are:
*Do I need the start-up disks to run the Recovery Console to remove all hidden Win 2000 files or can I just format my hard drive and install Win 98 (it is bootable from the CD) and does the formatting wipe out all files hidden or not. (also please remind me, which control key I use to set BIOS to boot from CD)
*If the answer to the first question is yes, then can you please tell me were to find start-up disk file on the net.
Lastly if anyone could give me any other advice or direction with this issue that I haven't thought of I would appreciate it.
Thanks

[MishY]

See posts below

[Bob Down]

Thanks for your reply MishY.
I have tried to get into CMOS to ensure that it is set to boot from CDROM, but I have had no luck. Tried ESC, DEL, and a bunch of F keys, nothing is working.
I had also mentioned before that my floppy drive is not working, if I download boot disks from the link you provided and put them on a formatted CDRW disk, will the CDROM on the laptop read the disk.
If I can't get to my CMOS settings should I Fdisk anyway? If I am unable to boot from CD or floppy, then what?
Do I have to delete a partition?
Do I have to create a partition?
Can I just fdisk then load Win 98?
Sorry if I am asking a question that you have already answered, but I want to make sure I do not make a situation that I can not fix regarding the boot disk.

[Bob Down]

I have got into my BIOS settings, FYI the key is F10, i have set my boot sequence to Cd, hard drive, floppy. I downloaded a Win 98 SE OEM boot disk and put the .exe file on a CDRW disk I put it in the laptop's cd pplayer and ran the .exe file, Batch assistant window comes up asking Insert floppy to write, as I have mentioned before my floppy drive does not work. What do I do. Can I just go to the dos prompt and attempt to fdisk ?

[MishY]

Bob,

You are going to need a floppy drive I'm afraid AFAIK

I'm sorry for not picking up on the floppy drive situation I must have been in a rush when I answered your post :(

The reason the exe is asking for a floppy disk is because its a self extracting zip and it needs to uncompress itself to make itself of any use to you.

Have you checked to see if the recovery console installed on the PC ? If someone did a decent install of win2k on that laptop they should have installed it. Press F8 at startup to get the boot menu. Is it listed there ?

This is how to get win2k into a state where you can install win98

Boot with Windows 2000 CD or Windows 2000 boot disks -

This obviously means that you either obtain a win2k CD, or replace your floppy drive and obtain some win2k boot disks

When you get the option "if you want to repair existing Windows 2000 installation of fresh install new Windows 2000" select new install

When setup asks you to select partition, remove the Windows 2000 partition -

Getting rid of NTFS

Create a new FAT32 partition for windows 98

Exit Setup using the F3 key without installing.

Boot to win 95/98 using a bootdisk

Type sys c:

Delete the following files :

Boot.ini
ntbootdd.sys
ntldr
bootsect.dos
ntdetect.com
Delete pagefile.sys
Delete hiberfil.sys

Insert Win98 CD and boot from it - or use bootdisk and type setup from command prompt

Do you by any chance own Windows XP ?

The best alternatives you could do IMO :

Replace the floppy drive and buy partition magic. Use that to remove the NTFS partition and create a FAT32 partition for Win98

I hope that answers all your questions

[Bob Down]

So if I am reading you right, if I was able to get a hold of a Win 2000 CD I would be ok to boot from it, then remove NTFS create a FAT 32 partition then load Win 98. Then possibly at that time I may get my floppy drive back.

[jtdoom]

hi

FWIW, you can burn a cdrw with closed session using authoring software
(use a fresh CDRW, do not format it)

you can put delpart.exe or wipeout on it (plus whatever else you think you could need)

the reason to NOT use an UDF formatted CDRW is that DOS cannot read them

you can boot from the windows 98 CD and get to a dosprompt
it has told you what letter the CDROM device was assinged

then put the CDRW in
change to the letter
eg if assigned lettr was E: you type
E: and hit enter

if you put wipeout on that CDRW, then type
wipeout C: /nq /np

if you got delpart exe, type delpart

either of these utills can delete all partitions
delpart can be used selectively, wipeout simply wipes all

after this, you again boot from the win98 CD, and run fdisk

for links and a few tips, klick that "there is always more " in my signature.

[jtdoom]

you can also create a bootable CDRW, (first make and then use the EBD floppy as boot image) but above method ought to work just as well

[Bob Down]

I downloaded a copy of delpart.exe but do not know how to "burn a cdrw with closed session using authoring software" how is this different from just burning a non-formated CD-RW ?
I want to confirm the steps:
-Run delpart from the dos prompt (please give me step by step instructions for this, I am virtually a DOS dummy)
-fdisk (please give me step by step instructions for this, I am virtually a DOS dummy)
-format c (please give me step by step instructions for this, I am virtually a DOS dummy)
-boot from win 98SE CD and follow instructions

***Remember I do not a have a floppy drive***

[jtdoom]

hi
do this on your working machine

>>
Pop your original windows 98 CD in, hold shift so it won't load, open explorer & navigate to tools\mtsutil\fat32ebd\fat32ebd.exe
Pop in a new floppy, and run fat32ebd.exe. It will warn you that whatever was on the floppy will be overwritten.

This makes you Windows' "Emergency Boot Disk"
and you can use that floppy when you burn a bootable CDROM

you got delpart from that site... you do not have to unzip this one
you can copy it onto the emergency boot disk as well
(which is perhaps easier...)

now, copy the content of that floppy to a folder on your hard drive
copy delpart.exe to same folder
you will want to burn the content of that folder to the CDR

authoring software is a burn program
easy CD creator, nero, winoncd, whatever
you make a new compilation, choose boot CDROM
you make sure you do not do multisession, and that you close session

you have the compilation pane
put the files you put in that folder in the compilation
and then you burn the CDR
the dialog for a floppy will come up, and you tell it to use the floppy in A:
(that EBD which you copied delpart.exe to...)
NOTE... it can be done on a CDRW too, but if you place a CDRW in the drive it could pop a message that asks you to format it... you say NO THANKYOU, because later on, in DOS, you can not use a formatted CDRW, and you need DOS.)

and then, when that CD is burned
you start working on the laptop.

you try boot with it on that laptop
if it boots, all you have to do is type
delpart
and hit enter

if it wont boot with this CD
boot with the windows 98 CD, and load CDROM support, and get to the DOSprompt
(in extreme cases, this can be done by declining the licence)
then put the CD you burned in, and change to its letter
if that letter was E:
you type
E:
and hit enter

then type
delpart
and hit enter

once the partitions are deleted, you can use either the windows 98 CD or the one you made (if it booted correct, you can)

anyway, after you deleted partitions, you HAVE TO REBOOT
and then you type
FDISK
and hit enter
you make the partition(s) you want
after you CREATED partitions, you HAVE TO REBOOT

and then you type
format C:
and hit enter
after FORMAT finished, you HAVE TO REBOOT

put the windows 98 CD in, and reboot
you can run setup

sorry if I sound convoluted. I cannot explain this any better than I can..

[Spider]

Originally posted by Bob Down
***Remember I do not a have a floppy drive***
I'm just going to jump in here in-between jtdoom's excellent steps
and offer this.

The BIOS has been checked to see where the floppy drive
has been assigned? A: or B: ?

You have two choices
repair the floppy drive
learn about burning *.iso CDs and how to deal with creating the *.iso itself
as well as dealing with an *.iso image to create a CD

Since you said that your a novice in some areas then I'd suggest
you repair the floppy and use jtdoom's steps.

[Bob Down]

Thanks guys, I finally got to following through your advice. I ran delpart, ran fdisk chose option "1" both times (dos / logical partition then Dos) Formatted then loaded Win 98 SE. Seem to get some bumps when I was at the loading Hardware part of the Win 98 load. Now that the O/S is loaded and I reboot I get: Windows Protection error. You need to restart your Computer.
C:\Windows\system\vmm32.vxd
Missing /unable to load.
Any thoughts??
Back a few responses back Mishy said:

Create a new FAT32 partition for windows 98

Exit Setup using the F3 key without installing.

Boot to win 95/98 using a bootdisk

Type sys c:

Delete the following files:

Boot.ini
ntbootdd.sys
ntldr
bootsect.dos
ntdetect.com
Delete pagefile.sys
Delete hiberfil.sys

I did not do this because I followed the sequence laid out by jtdoom. (which has seemed to get the job done)
Have I forgotten something? or ?

[jtdoom]

Hi again

I see you was succesful with delpart
and after removing the partitions, you rebooted and then you ran fdisk

but, I read you first did a logical, and then a DOS
??

that does not sound correct, and if you really did it this way, it may lead to problems

I suggest you start anew

make sure BIOS Antivirus is off

boot that CD, and again use delpart
remove all partitions

reboot from the CD

fdisk /mbr

reboot
fdisk
y
make PRI DOS
since you want to a second partition (good thinking) do not let it use all space
it recalculates, and after this, you give it a size or percentage
(please make notes on what you enter... because this is what saves the day when disaster strikes)

it makes the PRI DOS
then make EXTENDED
let it use the rest of the space
then it asks about making logicals in the extended
you again make notes on the sizes you chose there
(if you only want a D: let it use all the extended space for logical...)
when that is done
esc
esc

reboot

fdisk
y
you now make sure that the PRI DOS is ACTIVE
if not
activeate the pri dos
and esc
reboot

format C: /U
format D: /U

when finished
shut
reboot from the win98 CD
choose CDROM support
I strongly advise you copy the setup files to D:

D:
md win98
cd win98
copy E:\win98 (i assume CDROMdrive is given letter E: )

when that is done
we'll use a setup option

setup /p j

please note there is a space between p and j

the /U option for format could make the difference
the /p j option for setup forces ACPI compliancy, which could make a difference

(btw, for laptops, I prefer millenium over win98)

I hope this solves your problem
after this, enable the mobo's BIOS setting for antivirus

[Bob Down]

I took your advise and started over again: Delpart, fdisk, format, load o/s (followed your instructions to the T).

Also made a BIOS setting change that I think is worth mentioning and believe made a big difference with the Hardware setup (last time I mentioned things got a bit bumpy when I hit this part of the install) there is a setting in advanced settings for O/S supports Plug and Play -Yes or No - It was set on NO I changed to Yes.

I now have Win 98se as o/s and a successful partition.

My only remaining problems are these:

1. Floppy drive does not work
I have deleted the controllers and allowed Windows to find floppy and reload with no luck.

Message: A: is not accessible
The System cannot read from the specified device

In device manager Status is "The Device is working properly"



2.Video Driver
In Display properties I am able to chose from only 2 color or 16 color and
640 x 480 pixel screen area.


3.Sometimes when I put my mouse pointer over an icon it will act as if I clicked the mouse.


I appreciate all of the help I have received so far; it has been very useful.

[jtdoom]

now comes the hard part

the hard part is finding the drivers for this mousetrap
model Compaq 1640 laptop

crucial drivers are
display adaptor
monitor driver
motherboard drivers (if any)
you probably also need input device drivers (if any) (mouse or trackball or keypad...)

[jtdoom]

you won't believe haw hard it is to sift thru all them models that have 1600 or 1640 in the name

I hope this gets you going
(well, I hope this is your model )

http://www29.compaq.com/falco/sp_result.asp?Model=2065&Os=8

http://www29.compaq.com/falco/doc_detail.asp?Model=2065&Os=8&SoftwareVer=11986