installing win 95

[k1m1ryan]

Here goes, I'm trying to installing windows 95 on a hard drive that is 40 gigs. I FDISK and formatted the drive as one partition and fat 32. using windows 98, yes that is windows 98 start up disk. When I try to install 95 it comes back and tells me that it doesn't recognize C drive. I can get to the C drive and do a dir. C drive is working, but not when I try installing 95. Now, do I need to use the 95 start up disk to FDISK and then format to make windows 95 install on this drive. I have win 98, upgrade not the full version. So, is that were I messed up using 98 instead of win 95 to FDISK. The 95 is the CD that came with the computer, after reinstalling it the first time, the software changed the partion to 2 gig and FAT 16 and ran just fine, but you know I want the full 40 gig that the hard drive is. When all said and done I will have win ME back on it, just like it was before I did the restore thing. Thanks for any Ideas or solution that you have. Ryan

[HKEd]

Hi Ryan...welcome to CTH.

A Win98 bootdisk should work for installing Win95 (I've fdisked and formatted XP using a Win95 bootdisk - just don't use the /s switch when formatting. Transferring Win98 system files when preparing to install Win95 is not a good idea).

Decide what size of partitions you want to use - I'd suggest three: 5GB for the primary partition, with the rest divided in two (size is up to you) for backups and stuff you want to store. When using Fdisk, remember to answer Yes to "Do you want to enable Large Disk Support?" - this will get around the FAT16 2GB partition limitation. Make the Primary active, then format it and install Win95 (using the "with CD-Rom Support" option), then type the letter of the CD (F:, for example), press Enter, then type setup. This should get Win95 installed and you should be able to use the Win98 upgrade.

Let us know how it goes.

[k1m1ryan]

Hi Ryan...welcome to CTH.

A Win98 bootdisk should work for installing Win95 (I've fdisked and formatted XP using a Win95 bootdisk - just don't use the /s switch when formatting. Transferring Win98 system files when preparing to install Win95 is not a good idea).

Decide what size of partitions you want to use - I'd suggest three: 5GB for the primary partition, with the rest divided in two (size is up to you) for backups and stuff you want to store. When using Fdisk, remember to answer Yes to "Do you want to enable Large Disk Support?" - this will get around the FAT16 2GB partition limitation. Make the Primary active, then format it and install Win95 (using the "with CD-Rom Support" option), then type the letter of the CD (F:, for example), press Enter, then type setup. This should get Win95 installed and you should be able to use the Win98 upgrade.

Let us know how it goes. Ok, I will try it again, but it still comes back not finding C, I just wonder if I should FDISK and Format. I can CD to C and do dir, and it shows up ok. By the way, it takes about 25 min. just to do that with 40 gigs. LoL Thanks, Ryan

[GretaP]

Hi Ryan,
Did you initially have WIN95 installed on that 40Gig drive? What I am thinking about is what version of WIN95 it is that you're trying to install on it, because, if I'm not mistaken, the first version didn't support the FAT32 file system.

You also said that, when all is said and done, you will have WINME back on it, just like it was before you did a restore.....have you tried installing WINME after formatting, instead of installing WIN95 first?

[k1m1ryan]

Hi Ryan,
Did you initially have WIN95 installed on that 40Gig drive? What I am thinking about is what version of WIN95 it is that you're trying to install on it, because, if I'm not mistaken, the first version didn't support the FAT32 file system.

You also said that, when all is said and done, you will have WINME back on it, just like it was before you did a restore.....have you tried installing WINME after formatting, instead of installing WIN95 first? Winme that I have is a upgrade, so I have to put 95 on first, and it is fat32. I'm thinking now, after I FDISK, I did the dos partion, but I didn't do the pri. partion. I will check in the morning and let you know what I found. Thanks again, Ryan

[GretaP]

You should be able to do a clean install of Windows ME with the upgrade version, so long as you have the install CDs from a previous Windows version that you can insert when it asks for this "proof" during setup. If you purchased the promotional upgrade of ME, you'd need the WIN98 install CD, but if you purchased the standard upgrade, you could use the WIN98 or the WIN95 install CD.

[Jim Smith]

Basic Windows 95 does not support FAT32, or so I think, so partitions greater than 2.1 GB are not processable. Am I wrong?

[GretaP]

Basic Windows 95 does not support FAT32, or so I think, so partitions greater than 2.1 GB are not processable. Am I wrong?
That's my understanding of it, Jim.

[k1m1ryan]

That's my understanding of it, Jim.
OK...Thanks, I would like to take this time to let you guy's know that the help you provided here on this forum help a great deal, Thank you again for getting back so quickly. The start up disk that came with the computer had 95a (I didn't know that) That is why every time I formatted to 40 gigs and 32 FAT from the 98 start up disk, it would place it back to 2gigs and 16 FAT. Then Thinking I needed a full blown version of windows, I tried installing win 95b that has FAT 32, that didn't work either! (turns out that 95 CD was bad). OK here goes, After FDISK and Format with a 98 boot disk, I gave windows ME upgrade a shot, That made everything worked, and as you know, I needed the windows 95 to confirmed that I did have a legal copy. The 95 copy worked long enough to confirm. All is good, Computer is running with 40 gigs, 32 FAT, and windows ME on it. What a day!
Thanks again,
Ryan

[GretaP]

You're very welcome, Ryan! I'm glad that things worked out, and it's running well with Windows ME on it.