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View Full Version : Can't install win98, says must put MSDOS partition first. Help


lunarloop
October 16th, 2003, 11:03 PM
Can't install win98, says must put MSDOS partition first. I bought a cheap little pentium 400 to fix up to give to a kid who doesn't have a PC. It is an HP, appears it was used for business purposes. It is a Vectra. It has one of those complicated setups. If I put in the CDROM boot floppy for win98, and the win98 CD in the tray, it tells me I will have to put an MSDOS partition on before windows can be set up. If I put in disk to put on MSDOS partition, it tells me no hard drive is present, or it is not working propers, or needs a specific driver. I feel like the hard disk is probably good, and it just has all of this proprietary stuff out there. Does anyone know how to break through this armour, to prepare this drive properly for win98? I sure would appreciate it. I really want to give this little girl a computer.

Mobo
October 16th, 2003, 11:15 PM
Fdisk and format a partition before going any further.

Murf
October 17th, 2003, 12:02 AM
Welcome to CTH

Reboot with the Windows 98 boot disk and get to the A:\> prompt. Now type the following:

fdisk

Say YES to large drive support, you will be presented with a menu, select View Partitions.

Does it say MSDOS or does it say NTFS????

Here is my help page on using FDISK HERE (http://members.cox.net/joemurphy/fdisk.htm)

If it does not boot from the floppy, then you will have to enter the SETUP and change the boot sequence. Let us know.