Failing to install W98 on an empty new disk

If You have more then one stick of RAM try them one at a time.
You may have bad RAM.

Here is a link for a free os independent memory checker.
www.memtest86.com
Download memtest86 to the harddrive. then double click on it. It will ask for a 1.44 floppy and create a self booting disk that you can use to test your ram. Run all tests not just the basic.

Download the software and the installation program automatically creates a self-booting diagnostic diskette. Simply insert this diskette into the floppy and reboot your PC to begin testing your system memory.

If all test pass you could still have bad ram. The best test is to use known good ram.

i normally do this way...
1. use a boot disk and wipe out paritions on hdd
2. create fresh partitions. atleast one primar and make it active
3. format all the paritions using "/u" option. active parition is to be ormatted with "/s" option to make it bootable.
4. copy all the required files (isntallation and utilities like format, fdisk..) on the hdd.
5. now remove all the disks and boot from hdd
6. start the setup from hdd...
7. if setup fails, boot again on hdd and copy the existing contents of hdd in a new directory from the hdd itself.
if u get errors while copying, hdd has problem.
9. try another installation media
10. if setup gives error like suwin caused problem, ram is problematic.

hth

Fail installation of os can because by few error.
Have u try to check the ram?
Bad ram can cause error when installing.
I recently also having a system that run well after installation but after a day it Os will show fatal error.
So after i have check, the problem was came for the mainboard.

Starting at the beginning - whenever I want to format a hard disk I start by booting the PC with the Windows 98SE CD in a bootable CDROM.
When the normal message appears (Boot from Hard/CD) you have to manually select CD.
Then I boot to DOS (with CDROM Support).
At that point I do FORMAT C: followed by FDISK (yes - watch what I am doing) thru' which I delete all partitions - ending with the active partition.
Then I reboot, select boot from CD and allow Windows to allocate the partition and subsequently format the drive (on the next boot).
Generally, there shouldn't be any problem from there, until you start actually using WinDoze (groan), of course...

Problems I've encountered in the past which can make you think there's a serious problem with the drive include:
1) A faulty drive (bad sector) - but provided this isn't Track 0 Sector 0 that shouldn't be a problem due to most drives using ECC on-the-fly (remaps spare sectors);
2) A faulty PCI controller (which was originally working but became faulty) which you cannot sort - try disabling the Controller you're using and use the secondary controller instead - if problems don't appear then that's your problem (awkward if you need to split CD and HD);
3) Faulty IDE cables;
4) Faulty RAM - which generally rears it's head when Windows decides to go into Protected mode (when the GDI is being displayed).
5) A faulty controller on the drive (but generally it'll time out before formatting etc. etc.).

Have you tried formatting the drive in another computer (using only the drive not cables etc.)?

There's not much more that can be offered without further information of your circumstances.
Mike

Hi

"How do I do (2) above ? (using 2ndary controller? "

you'll have to physically move the HDD to the second controller (IDE ribbon cable) and ajust the jumper accordingly as master, clave or CS.

H

Hi, saw this same problem once, and it turned out to be an overheating processor chip. I drove me nuts trying to figure it out. Make sure your heatsink thermal grease is there, and the fan is running on the heatsink. Good luck with whatever it turns out to be.