boot disk for w2k

[aces99]

I d/l the 4 bootdisks windows 2k pro and I put them onto to floppy disks but now my computer keeps saying they are invalid system disks. I put in a ME boot disk and it comes up. Then i try to start computer with cd support and then i get all the info for thr\e drives. Then i go to D:startup.exe to reinstall w2k pro and it comes up cant run this on ms dos. What should i do? i have alot of important files on my computer.

Thanks

aces99

[aces99]

in addition to my last post, if i try to boot my computer without any system disk i get a blue scree that says i have an unaccesible boot device. What causes thia=s and what do i do to fix it?

aces99

[GretaP]

Hi aces99,
I have merged your two threads together. If you have posted a question or a reply, and then want to add something to that same thread, you should either click on the Edit button or Reply button to post your additional comments.....just a friendly nudge in the right direction

Are you ensuring that you are booting from the first floppy in the 4-disk set? Perhaps that floppy has gone bad or one or more files on it are corrupted. You could try making a fresh set of copies, or you can invoke setup by booting from a WIN98 or WINME startup disk, but not by double-clicking on the Setup.exe file (as you've found out). Before running setup from a WIN98 or WINME startup floppy disk, it would be to your benefit to copy the SMARTDRV.EXE file from either a WIN98 or WINME system (hopefully you have access to one!) to the startup floppy disk. You can run WIN2K setup without invoking SMARTDRV, but it will be painfully slow........and I do mean painfully (may take several hours to complete).

Once you have copied SMARTDRV.EXE to the WIN98 or WINME startup floppy disk, boot from it, start with CDROM support, and when you get to the A: prompt, key in:
smartdrv
<ENTER>
You won't get any confirmation that smartdrv has loaded, but you will be returned to the A: prompt.
Now, change to the drive letter that has been assigned to your CDROM drive (I'll call it drive X). At the X: prompt, navigate to the i386 folder on the 2K install CD:
cd i386
<ENTER>
At the X:\i386 prompt, key in:
WINNT
<ENTER>
Setup should now commence.


BTW, the install CD for WIN2K is bootable.......if you have the option to set the CDROM as a boot device in BIOS Setup, this would probably be the easiest way to do the install.

[aces99]

on gretap post to me on my win2k problem

she gave me the way to get smartdrv to work.
after i did smartdrv
i put in my cd drive like she said d:cd i386
then winnt then enter
i get to blue setup screen then it asks where are the files loctae.
what do i do then?

aces99

[GretaP]

Hello once again, aces99

If you're at the portion of setup that I'm thinking you're at, point it to the i386 folder on the install CD (I guess that would be D:\i386 in your case).

BTW, I merged your new post with this one.......although you're not just dealing with making the boot disks anymore, it's still part and parcel with the same "topic", kinda sorta.....that topic being installing 2K.