BleepingComputer.com: I would like to start over

I`ve been trying to re-install W98. There is nothing in jt that I want to keep. It will not boot from ANY disk. I`ve been to setup a million times. I keep getting to "insert boot diskette in a:,press any key when ready", then after going around in a big circle I end up in this same place. Any suggestion or help would be most appreciated.

budman1404, on Aug 17 2009, 04:45 PM, said:

Right, what you need is a bootable floppy disk. If you don't have one you can downloaded one from here the WinME is a good one. I'm presuming you have a floppy drive if its an old system? You will need a friend who as a floppy drive to make this boot disk for you.

Now if you've never changed the boot sequence in the CMOS/BIOS you need to get into there to change it so it reads the floppy drive first. Either press Del as the computer is just starting up or some other key combination.

Now the fact that it won't boot from any disk not even a floppy can be a problem because you can't use Sys C: from the floppy to put the system files back on the main drive.

Now the Win98SE CD is bootable but as before you need to change the boot sequence to CD Rom first in the CMOS/BIOS. Now I'm not sure it Setup.exe of the CD will format a drive before it installs. I've never tried this as I've always formatted from my bootable floppy. There is a Format.com on the CD in Win98 folder. That is another problem if it won't boot from a floppy which will give you CD Rom support how are you going to run D:\Win98\Format.com ?

See if you can get the bootable floppy to work first. Once your done that then you've cracked it. The only other slight problem you are going to have is the hardware. You will need drivers for additional hardware e.g. graphics card, sound card, monitor, printer, scanner etc

get a new floppy drive
their like $5 now
or just find one off the side of the road

I built the `puter that I am posting from. I`ve been using it to download boot disks,etc. It`s the wifes` `puter that I am trying to fix. I had done a clean install and everything was working great. I was downloading drivers,programs and such and was almost finished,then an audio driver (the wrong one) that I unzipped filled the screen with icons. I put most everything in the recycle bin just in case and then continued trying to find the right audio driver...and then the devil entered the room.
I am not sure what action caused the current chain of events but now I`ve been trying to erase the hdd and reformat it for a clean install (after two days of restarts,downloads,and screaming at the monitor). I have changed the boot sequence to everything except "call Popeye". At one point it kept telling me to insert cd #2, I have NEVER had a cd #2, but I did have EVERYTHING working (wireless connection,new cd-rom,new floppy,we have pics and stuff on a ton of old floppies so a floppy drive will still be on all of our `puters for the near future).
I can get to an "A: drive(?) prompt and can get to Smartdrv, but haven`t a clue how to use that.I can eventually find all of the brackets,hash marks,dots and letters to type but it never works, I just don`t know what the line I need should look like. I seem to have some files on an "X" drive, I don`t know where that came from, maybe I did it and don`t know that I did. At one point I had everything I needed to get it done but now I am just LOST.
Thank you for the response and any help you can give me ( I have a big blue lighted black beast, to play with and the wife can`t play solitaire, so you can see my delimma (sp?).

[quote] did have EVERYTHING working (wireless connection,new cd-rom,new floppy[quote]
It`s not for lack of resources it`s operator failure.

Reset boot sequence,#1=floppy,#2=cd-rom,#3=hdd,save and exit.
Restarted with new boot disk,
step one=got"remove disks or other media,press any key to restart",
step two=got "insert BOOT diskette in A:,press any key when ready",
step three=got "boot failure",
repeat step two,three,one,
repeat step two,three,one....forever

Case:__RAIDMAX SMILODON ATX-612WB Black 1.0mm SECC Steel ATX Mid Tower Foldout MB Computer Case
PSU: __OCZ ModXStream Pro OCZ500MXSP 500W ATX12V V2.2 / EPS12V SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply compatible with core i7
Mobo: __ASUS M4A78T-E AM3 AMD 790GX HDMI ATX AMD Motherboard Xtreme Phase for AM3 CPU w/ DDR3 support, TurboV
CPU: _AMD Phenom II X2 550 Black Edition Callisto 3.1GHz 2 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Socket AM3 80W Dual-Core Processor
HDD: __Western Digital Caviar Black WD5001AALS 500GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive
RAM: __G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory
Model F3-12800CL9D-4GBNQ
Video Card: __SAPPHIRE 100245HDMI Radeon HD 4850 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card
Monitor: __ASUS VW192T+ 19" 5ms Widescreen LCD Monitor 300 cd/m2 ASCR 4000:1(1000:1) Built in Speakers
Extras: _NEC Black 1.44MB 3.5" Internal Floppy Drive Model FD1231M
Logitech laser mouse
Western Digital 1TB External harddrive
LG GGW-H20L BLU-RAY RW-HD-DVD-ROM
really crappy secretary chair
this is what I`m using to try an fix momma`s old POS.
(Gateway Essential 433c).

Have not loaded 98 in a very long time.

Sounds to me like either the floppy drive has failed or the floppy itself has become corrupt.

One other thing. I am guessing you have been inside the case checking connections. Check one more time paying particular attention to the power cable as well as the data cable.

I have a disk that I downloaded from somewhere, of batch files ( in desperation) and when I put IT in I can definitely see and hear the floppy working and then I get"DOSKey installed Microsoft SMARTDrive Disk Cache version 5.02" a lot of other info. and an A: prompt but I don`t what to do after this point. Just before the A: prompt I have "Drive X:=Driver MSCD001 unit 0"

I was really a cute little cowboy at four...see avatar

Maybe this MS link will get you going.

from the link,
How to Partition the HardDisk,
step one=check,
step two=nope, I get
'remove disks or other media" and it just keeps doing this...
I can`t get to the Start Up Menu

Since we are not sure of the "disk you downloaded from somewhere" let`s start fresh.

98 boot disks here.

All you want as far as far as drives plugged in are;1 hard drive that you want to install the OS on.
1 optical drive for the 98 cd.
1 floppy drive

I see you have an external storage drive. Make sure that is not connected until the install is done and the OS is updated.
Win 98 did not support USB until 98SE. Even then it had problems.

Got the boot disk,
the list you supplied is what I have, this is an old Gateway Essential 433c I am working on. The external hdd is on the one I am using to post,they are in no way connected.

Booted with the "new" boot disk with same result.