How do I reformat my hard drive [Archive] - Cyber Tech Help Support Forums

christos42

March 16th, 2007, 09:10 PM

My work just gave me a computer that has Windows NT Server version4 on it. I want to wipe this computer completely out and install windows 98 on it. Windows 98 is the only operating system that I havve to put on it. I am looking for some detailed instructions. Step by step if you have them. I have used this site a few times before and always find some great info. Any help that cab ne provided would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

Murf

March 16th, 2007, 10:31 PM

The Hard Drive will be formatted as NTFS, which Windows 98 cannot read.

So go HERE (http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm) and download the file Windows 98 (http://files.frashii.com/~bootdisk/alabama/boot98c.exe) Custom, No Ramdrive (do not download directly to a floppy.)

Once downloaded double click on the file, a window will open up, have a clean floppy disk in, it will extract the boot files to the floppy disk.

Now you need to set the computer to boot from the floppy as the 1st boot device, you do this by entering SETUP. You get into setup from the 1st boot screen either by hitting the DEL key or the key the screen tells you to use to enter SETUP.

In SETUP find where you set the boot order and make the Floppy as the 1st one, then Save & Exit, have the floppy in you just made.

You will now end up at the A:/> prompt, now type the following

fdisk (hit<enter>)

Say Yes to Large Disk support

You will now see a screen similiar to this:

Microsoft Windows 95/98
Fixed Disk Setup Program
(c) Copyright Microsoft Corp. 1983 - 1998
FDISK Options
Current fixed disk drive: 1
Choose one of the following:
1. Create DOS Partition or Logical DOS Drive
2. Set Active Partition
3. Delete Partition or Logical DOS Drive
4. Display Partition Information
5. Change Current Fixed Disk Drive

Now you select #3 by typing 3

What you want to do is delete a non-dos partition

Once this is done, you are back to this screen again now you select #1 to Create a Primary Partition, follow the screen prompts.

Once the partition is done exit out and that brings you back to the A:\> prompt

Now you type format C: (hit<enter>)

Once the formatting is done, reboot the computer and have your Windows 98 CD in watch the screen it will assign a drive letter to your cdrom, lets say it is "R". Now back at the A:\ prompt, with the Windows 98 CD in, you type the following:

R: (hit<enter>) (or whatever letter it assigned your cdrom drive)

Type setup (hit<enter>)

Your off and running.