weird reformat scenario. Please help!

[Johnson]

I've long been wanting to reformat my old dinosaur computer and donate it to the kids room for their games, but I've hit a real snag.

It's an old Gateway pc I bought in 98. It's loaded with windows 98, and I wish to reformat the drive, and REload 98 and start anew.

I've made my boot disk, but when I test it, it doesn't recognize the CD-Rom drive (as you know---this is a problem).

The CD rom drive works fine--so I doubt it's that. The only thing I can figure is that, because the CDrom drive is an old 1998 Philips re-writable drive (that I'd ordered custom installed WITH the new computer from Gateway in 98), and not the standard "non-re-writable" drive that was the default norm back in the day, perhaps the old windows 98 boot disk doesn't recognise or have a suitable driver for the [then...] fancy-schmancy re-writable???

Assuming this could be correct, I checked into the feasability of creating a window XP boot disk from my other, newer computer (hoping that xp boot might recognise the drive), then when it got to the point to reload the OS, I'd just put in my old Windows 98 disk. I found that Windows is phasing out boot disks on floppy entirely, and one cannot be made from my newer, XP loaded computer. Instead, there is a downloadable one for XP from the microsoft page that would require 6 (yes...SIX) floppys! A real PITA...and I'm only guessing it would work in the first place.

Another possible option I suppose could try would be to disconnect the CD Rom drive (a newer, Sony re-writable) from my OTHER, newer computer, plug it into the OLD computer, cross my fingers and pray that the windows 98 boot disk recognises THAT one....Then, load Windows 98 from that one, THEN swap out the Rom drives again and hope that it works.

Can you see the problem I'm having? Can anyone advise?? Do any of the ideas I've listed make sense, or would any of them be bad ideas?? I've researched the internet (needle in a haystack) and came up with a BILLION sites with instructions on how to reformat, but not ONE that tells me what to do when the boot disk does NOT recognise the cd drive.

Help?

Thanks!
http://forums.ebay.com/db2/images/emoticons/happy.gif

[GretaP]

Hi Johnson,

The WIN98 startup disk loads drivers not only for basic CDROM driver, but for CD-RWs and DVD drives......but yes, there are a small percentage of internal optical drives for which the generic drivers on the startup disk just won't work.

If you know the model number of the Philips drive, you can seek out d/loadable real mode drivers and alter your startup disk to accomodate the drivers and reference them in the config.sys and autoexec.bat files on the disk.

You could also, as you mentioned, swap the Philips drive with the Sony and use the Sony drive for loading WIN98. Before opening the boxes and swapping the drives, you could "test" the startup disk (to see if it will load support for the Sony) by booting the newer computer from it, opting to start with CDROM support, and see if it recognizes the drive and loads the drivers for it.

[Johnson]

Bingo!

Thanks so much! I opted for the drive-swap option.

HOWEVER...

Now I'm at the part where you type in "D:\setup", and it's saying, "Bad command or file name". What now?!?

*OY! Will it never end?!?* LOL!

Thanks again!
:)

[renegade600]

try D:WIN98\setup.exe

[GretaP]

Chances are, booting from the startup disk created a RAMDRIVE which normally takes the drive letter of the first optical drive. When booting from the startup disk, when you get to the A: prompt, look above it for a line that says something like this:
Drive X: = Driver MSCD001 unit 0
(where the X will be replaced with the actual drive letter designation)
This will tell you the drive letter that has been given your CDROM drive for this session.

You could switch to the drive letter mentioned in the line above and then run setup, or you could simply key in setup at the A: prompt, and it will locate and run setup on the install CD.

[Johnson]

try D:WIN98\setup.exe
Drat! Nope. That didn't work either :upset:

[Johnson]

Re: Greta's 2nd post; I'm well past that section on the DOS screen now, so I can't see what it says, and can't figure out how to go back to wher that was.

Must I phisically turn off the computer again to see this, or will that be a problem now that I've zapped the c: drive?

sorry....I'm really in unchartered territory here with DOS. It's like a haunted forest to me with many dangers and pitfalls. Thanks for holding my hand through this:blush:

[renegade600]

verify that the cd drive is working, at a: type d:dir and if it reads the folders on the drive then it is working.

[GretaP]

You could press Ctrl-Alt-Del to restart it. Make sure you still have the startup floppy disk in the drive ;)

Alternatively, if you're at the A: prompt and have the install CD still in the drive, simply key in setup and hit ENTER. See if that works (it should!)

[Johnson]

Thanks a million, Renegade & Greta!!!

The thing is purring away right now. HOPEFULLY leading me out of the woods.

What got me out was gretaP's suggestion to simply type "setup" at the a prompt. I guess "D:\setup", etc. was too much or wrong or something.

weird.

Thanks again, you two! Please do keep an eye out on this thread, as I may yet fall into another pit before this is all over. I'll let you know when I'm out of the woods for sure.

:)

[GretaP]

You're very welcome, Johnson! Glad to hear that it's purring away right now :D

I am thinking that "D:\Setup" didn't work because the D drive designation was probably given to the RAMDRIVE that is created when you boot from a WIN98 startup floppy disk. This RAMDRIVE holds the utilities (such as the format command, for example) that are in the compressed ebd.cab file on the startup floppy disk.

[Johnson]

So close and yet so #@*%^ bloody far!!!

So, now I'm at the part where I enter the product key for my copy of win98. This copy of win98 and the adjoining "Certificate of Authenticity" are original, bought and paid for by yours truly versions.

But the numbers aren't matching up. The computer is asking for a series of 5, 5 digit/letter codes to type in. My "Product ID" on my C of A show a series of only 4, and they aren't all 5 digits/letters long.

1st section: 5 numbers
2nd section: 3 letters
3rd section: 7 numbers
4th section: 5 numbers

In all, I'm missing 5 digits/letters from my product id on the Cert. of Authenticity.

Can you explain? This is STILL weird-ing me out!!

:)

[renegade600]

You should have two sets of numbers. One is a product ID, which is what it sounds like you have, then there is a product key. The product key is what you need. Check the win98 cd case.

[GretaP]

Some manufacturers (I don't know about Gateway) put a sticker that contains the product key on the computer case.

[Johnson]

OH NO!! That dang jewel case is LONG gone.


I'm completely sol now, aren't I?

:(

[renegade600]

OH NO!! That dang jewel case is LONG gone. I'm completely sol now, aren't I? :(

If it is not on the jewel case or the computer case, or anyplace else, there is nothing we can do here. The only other choice is to contact microsoft and maybe they could help you. Sorry

[Johnson]

whew!

I went to Gateway dot com and signed up for live chat customer support (as they had originally loaded the program at the factory). I gave them the serial #, and within minutes they had me the product key.

Isn't that amazing?? I was a one-time customer 6 years ago, and THEY still kept that info on my computer, when I couldn't. LOL

The stars are aligned in my favor, what with stumbling accross you fine folks here, and that ultra-cool experience with Gateway.

I'm now back up and running completely. Thanks again VERY much y'all!

:wave:

[renegade600]

Wow, thanks for the update. Glad Gateway still had that info, now I know in case I need my info from them one day.