Okay... i am trying to reformat an emachine for a friend. I have no disk's for this computer! It has windows 98 and i have the full version on a disk of my own. When i tried a format, the same way as my gateway's or dell's it seemed to screw everything up. I think i have messed up the bios setting and i don't know what they should be. But the biggest problem is that the cdrom drive won't work now. When the computer boots up it says drive not found. I went to the net and got the generic univeral driver but either i am not putting it in right or it won't work. The main problem is that all i have left to do is install the operating system but it won't let me because it can't read the drive. All help i have printed from the net has not been useful. LOL
A modern PC will boot from a bootable CD-Rom (the 'El Torito' standard). In the Old Days we used to fdisk and format the HD, then start the PC with CD-Rom support, to copy the Win98 folder from CD to HD. You could install the CD-Rom drivers from the C:\ prompt, or you could use the handy floppy disk that came with Win98, to get your CD-Rom going under DOS. You could then start Windows Setup from the CD, but better to copy Win98 folder to HD and start install from there Anyway you need to 'format C:\ /u/s' from a Win98 floppy. Ideally, said floppy would have generic CD-Rom drivers on it (all the drivers from all the companies will generally start any CD-Rom). The CD-Rom drivers will need to know where to locate mscdex.exe before they will function. You really need to create this boot floppy disk carefully, from a working Win98 computer, in anticipation of what you will require to do a new install... BIOS should detect harddisk only; should be set to 'none' where CD-Rom is located. Windows (or Dos CD drivers) will then detect Rom drive when they startup. L8R
1- go to this link and download the Boot Windows O/S of your choice .. for example Windows 98'SE if that is what you have ! Make that boot disk . http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm 2 - Use the boot disk to Format the hard drive ! At the a> prompt type Format C: answer yes and OK 3 - Shut down the PC and re-power holding the F8 key to get in the bios. (Some PC need the DEL key to be held to get in the bios) 4 - Look for a tab where you can specify which peripheral ( HD , Floppy, CD-Rom) -- will be used first. Make that Cd-Rom Drive the first on the list.Once done -- save and leave the BIOS screen. 5 - Insert your 98 Cd in and reboot the PC. _X_X_X_X_X_[small]Do It Right , and you will be a Happy Camper ![/small]
Thank you for trying to help me. However i am still having no luck. I have the Start up disk for win 98 the win95/98 universal boot disk and the floppy i downloaded the driver for the cdrom on. Plus the full version of windows 98 on cdrom. Could someone please give me the step by step..lol...leave nothing out... way to do this. I will even give you an 800 number if someone is willing to help me. My friend is gonna be calling to get this machine back and i really don't want to have to tell him i killed it! lol PLease Help! I was able to "format c:" but thats it. All other times i got an error saying "not ready reading drive e" it doesn't seem to recognize that i have a cdrom. without the cdrom working i can't reload windows from my cd. I have no clue what the commands are for dos. OMG please help!?
You've Formated the C:drive --- all that's left is to installed Windows 98'-- so Look at Step3 and 4 of my previous post. 3.. says to shut down the PC and to start it up again HOLDING F8 (( if that dont do it try shut down and start with DELETE key held)) -- so a new screen shows up called the BIOS. 4..Bios screen have usually a few screens .. or TABS .. where you can select things !! -- One of those screens will list the drives on the machine, that's the only one you have to do something on -- dont change anything else -- your CD-rom is to be selected as the first item your PC will look at when you start.--- once this is done EXIT the BIOS screen by saving it . 5.. PUT the Windows 98' CD in the Cd-rom. and Re-start the PC. (either Hold CTRL and click DELETE a few times or shut it down and start it up)
i did change the bios by holding delete and then setting the 1st boot device to cdrom. I did start the computer again and got all the same screens. Thats when i put in the disk with the downloaded driver for the cdrom. when i tried to copy that to the hd it said that a necessary file call msedex or somehting like that was not found on C: so i put in the disk with that file on it (thefloppy i created from the link you provided) and tried to copy just that file. I may have done it wrong but i don't know any other way. The computer will do nothing with out the 98 start up or boot floppy in it and even then i get all the way to the a: prompt and then nothing.
if someone is willing to call me, please email me at processing@vlonet.net maybe you can walk me thru it.lol
How old is your computer... and what speed cd-rom drive Seems like your CD-ROM is dieing or dead... CJC
i am not sure the year because it is not mine. do you know of a way to find out the speed of the cdrom? because i am not sure of that either. I have other cdrom's from another computer that i could replace it with... do you think that would be ok? would i need a disk for that cdrom drive? because i don't think i have any. It would be taken out of a gateway 2000 comp. so unless there is something on one of the disks that came with that computer then i don't think i have any. Would i just open it up and replace it then start your process again? or would it recognize that there is new hardware? i am still flying blind here...sorry if i sound BLONDE! lol
The disk you made from the link I gave you has all you need on it to start your PC and go to the A> prompt Leave your Windows 98' Cd in. and --- Put that disk in and start the PC when you get to the A> prompt..... type FORMAT C: when the formatting is done --remove that boot disk-- HOLD the CTRL key and hit the DEL key a few times ---- your PC will start again but will see the Windows 98' Cd ! That's when the installation will start !
If you have a spare CD-ROM drive there, i would try replacing the drive, just to see if that will work. You wont need any drivers for the CD-ROM drive. Just make sure that CD-ROM is first in the boot preference, put the Windows CD in, and reboot. CJC
prolly a dumb question... if my list in bios says "quick boot device" and then i have 1st 2nd 3rd boot device... when you say to set cdrom on the first one, do you mean the "quick or the 1st" i have on the one saying 1st boot device. Thank you so much for your help!!!
Jeanc, I am sorry, didn't mean to appear to be ignoring you! i did all those things, but the cdrom drive doesn't even open unless i shut down the puter and uplug power fromtower and then use a paper click in the emergency release for the cdrom. SO maybe because i have to keep shutting it off thats why nothing s working
1st Boot Device.. Since All bios's are differnt, depending on the year of make, model, brand etc.. CJC
[bold]1st boot device[/bold] That's perfect. If I understand you right -- your Cd-Rom drive will not open when you have the POWER on the PC ? Does the little flashing light on it .. flickers when you power "ON" ? If you have another CD-Rom handy .. try it on by all means !
ok i have 1st boot device to say atapi cdrom and yes the light blinks when i power up but then goes off. it will come back on when i push the button but the light goes off after a couple of blinks and then the door never opens. To avoid being shocked...lol.... not sure if i would be... i have to turn it off pull the power cord out of back of tower and then use the paperclip to release the cdrom door to remove or replace the 98 disc. I will try putting in the other cdrom and let you now what happens. right now i have to work but i will do it today and let you know what happens...TY sooooo much for all the help so far. hehehe i may need more...lol
