"setup.exe" on the Windows 95 CD-Rom not there.

ryebread145 · #1 November 17th, 2003, 02:51 AM

Hey, I'm having problems reinstalling windows on an old computer that I am giving away within the week to charity. I formatted the hard drive already. When I start the computer with the boot disk and put in the CD to setup Windows 95, and I type "R:\setup.exe" I get the response, "Bad command or file name". I've tried "R:\win95\setup.exe", but no luck. I think I may have the "Companion CD", though. I've searched the forums and nothing seems to matchmy case. Please help. Thanks in advance.

BTW: I have reinstalled an OS before, so I am not completely new to this.

oink · #2 November 17th, 2003, 09:11 AM

Can you access the cdron from the boot disk at all?

**smurfy** · #3 November 17th, 2003, 11:11 AM

Hi rybread145, welcome to CyberTechHelp.
I take it you are noticing your bootdisk is assigning "R" drive letter to your CD drive during the boot process, can you switch to that drive in dos and run a "dir /p" to list the contents of the CD-Rom?
Try the following commands from the A:> prompt...
r: [ENTER]
dir /p [ENTER]
cd win95 [ENTER]
setup [ENTER]
Better yet, you clearly have access to another working PC, slip the Win95CD in the CD drive on the working PC and browse the contents of the CD with Windows Explorer.

Alfons · #4 November 18th, 2003, 02:39 AM

If you have a name-brand computer, then this OS disk is most likely a Restore CD - that's a bootable CD that's got a lot of compressed files on it that will be able to reinstall your system to the condition it was on delivery. This CD doesn't react the same way as an installation disk, so you won't find things like SETUP.EXE on it. If the CD "belongs" to the computer, try booting with it, and if it's the Restore CD for the computer it should give you a couple of options - Clean Restore, or Overwrite. Choose the Clean Restore - I've never seen the Overwrite work properly. If the disk isn't for this computer, it should tell you that also.

ryebread145 · #5 November 20th, 2003, 12:49 AM

It is an old Gateway 2000, so it the Restore CD. Thanks for all of your help and I will try the clean restore method. Thanks again.

EDIT - How do I get to the options of clean install. I botted it with just the CD and it gives me a command prompt for "C:\".

oink · #6 November 20th, 2003, 02:06 AM

Do you still have the win95 key# that came with it. If you do, you can borrow a win95vb disk and then use your number. You will then have a clean install.

Alfons · #7 November 20th, 2003, 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ryebread145

It is an old Gateway 2000, so it the Restore CD. Thanks for all of your help and I will try the clean restore method. Thanks again.

EDIT - How do I get to the options of clean install. I botted it with just the CD and it gives me a command prompt for "C:\".

You'll need to set up your BIOS to boot from the CD Drive - if you're getting the "C" command prompt, you're booting from the hard drive, or you have no hard drive present.