Installing Windows 95 on an unformatted hard-disk
My situation is this:
I have a computer with 2 3Gb partitions. I want to change this to 1 5.25Gb partition and 1 750Mb partition.
I have copied the entire contents of my hard disk onto CDs and have used fdisk to remove the old partitions and create new ones.
Now however, I am in a bit of a situation, since I have no OS I have no way to copy my files back onto the computer. How do I install Win 95 / 98 again?
I have a boot disk but it doesn't seem to work. The computer will access it, but not actually do anything. The computer starts up, displays the BIOS graphics and then some stuff about my devices. Then it says 'Verifying DMA pool data...' (or at least, I think that's what it said' and sits there.
I think that's everything that's relevant.
Please answer soon.
I have a computer with 2 3Gb partitions. I want to change this to 1 5.25Gb partition and 1 750Mb partition.
I have copied the entire contents of my hard disk onto CDs and have used fdisk to remove the old partitions and create new ones.
Now however, I am in a bit of a situation, since I have no OS I have no way to copy my files back onto the computer. How do I install Win 95 / 98 again?
I have a boot disk but it doesn't seem to work. The computer will access it, but not actually do anything. The computer starts up, displays the BIOS graphics and then some stuff about my devices. Then it says 'Verifying DMA pool data...' (or at least, I think that's what it said' and sits there.
I think that's everything that's relevant.
Please answer soon.
Some things to check some of which you most likily have done.
Make sure that in your bios settings you are boot from A drive first
Next check that your bootdisk does work and doesn't have an error normally you would get and error if it wasn't anyway. You will also need to have your cdrom sys file on the boot disk so that you can access your cdrom once the machine boots.
If you get that far the easies way is to format the drive partitions copy the cab file to your "D" partition and then run setup from your harddrive.
Did you make any other changes to the machine other than removing the existing partition?
Tom
Make sure that in your bios settings you are boot from A drive first
Next check that your bootdisk does work and doesn't have an error normally you would get and error if it wasn't anyway. You will also need to have your cdrom sys file on the boot disk so that you can access your cdrom once the machine boots.
If you get that far the easies way is to format the drive partitions copy the cab file to your "D" partition and then run setup from your harddrive.
Did you make any other changes to the machine other than removing the existing partition?
Tom
... If you know how to use fdisk, shouldn't you be familiar with setting up windows?
Anyway, once boot up with the startup disk, type in 'format c:/s' to format your harddrive, do the same to your d drive. Reboot the machine, and install the CDRom driver, then reboot and insert your Win95/98 CD and run setup...
Anyway, once boot up with the startup disk, type in 'format c:/s' to format your harddrive, do the same to your d drive. Reboot the machine, and install the CDRom driver, then reboot and insert your Win95/98 CD and run setup...
i think the problem is with the DMI pool data rather then anything else.
a few ways to get around this is
1. pull out your battery from the mboard to reset it
2. manually reset your mboard from the bios. either load default information or reset PNP info.
after you do that.. you should be able to boot with the boot disk. then you do a sys c: and run your install from then on.
bush
a few ways to get around this is
1. pull out your battery from the mboard to reset it
2. manually reset your mboard from the bios. either load default information or reset PNP info.
after you do that.. you should be able to boot with the boot disk. then you do a sys c: and run your install from then on.
bush
ASKER
Okay, I didn't quite make myself clear.
I don't have a prompt at which to type anything. The computer hangs after it says 'Verifying DMA Pool Data...'
The BIOS is set to check for a boot disk and I assume the disk works because I have one for Win 95 and one for Win 98 both of which do exactly the same thing ... i.e. nothing.
I would rather not go pulling out the battery etc unless your sure that's a good idea.
Any other suggestions?
I don't have a prompt at which to type anything. The computer hangs after it says 'Verifying DMA Pool Data...'
The BIOS is set to check for a boot disk and I assume the disk works because I have one for Win 95 and one for Win 98 both of which do exactly the same thing ... i.e. nothing.
I would rather not go pulling out the battery etc unless your sure that's a good idea.
Any other suggestions?
Have you tried some antivirus program?
Yes I know you have FDISKed your hard.
I´ve found viruses in fdisked drives. . .
Yes I know you have FDISKed your hard.
I´ve found viruses in fdisked drives. . .
yup, that's exactly what i diagnosed it to be. DMA is this thingy which the computer uses to store data and because you changed it when you changed the partitions etc, now the computer is sorta stuck.
to fix this, follow my above directions.
bush
to fix this, follow my above directions.
bush
But he doesn´t want to take out the batteries !
Perhaps he should use an antivirus boot disk.
Perhaps he should use an antivirus boot disk.
it's hanging at the Verifying DMA Pool data. it's not even accessing the floppy drive at this point, so what difference would it make if you put in an antivirus boot disk or not?
he has to reset the motherboard, so he can get to the floppy dirve, then he put in the antivirus boot disk.
bush
he has to reset the motherboard, so he can get to the floppy dirve, then he put in the antivirus boot disk.
bush
Ok, ok.
You don´t have to yell at me !
You´re right.
(hope he has a virus or else ...)
You don´t have to yell at me !
You´re right.
(hope he has a virus or else ...)
this is kinda off thread, but i wasn't yelling :) yelling usually happens in CAPS.
bush :)
bush :)
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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I would agree with bushhead totally. Strart from scratch in other words as bushhead said
clear your cmos by loading cmos defaults. then simple check standard setting to ensure that you have 1.44FDD setup in A drive the rest could be auto unless as one of the above say you have an older motherboard which requires some form of diskmanger software.
I dont think this is the case from what you have discribed but it doesn't hurt to cover these points. By loading defaults you should be able to access your A drive then following instructions as listed above to format and load your software. I normally do not used the /s switch when I format I simply format the partitions load the cab file and let 95/98 do its own thing this also stop the os looking for a cdrom when it reboots when loading from cd-drive.
Tom
clear your cmos by loading cmos defaults. then simple check standard setting to ensure that you have 1.44FDD setup in A drive the rest could be auto unless as one of the above say you have an older motherboard which requires some form of diskmanger software.
I dont think this is the case from what you have discribed but it doesn't hurt to cover these points. By loading defaults you should be able to access your A drive then following instructions as listed above to format and load your software. I normally do not used the /s switch when I format I simply format the partitions load the cab file and let 95/98 do its own thing this also stop the os looking for a cdrom when it reboots when loading from cd-drive.
Tom
ASKER
Okay, I fixed it, thanks for the help guys :)
I actually kinda want the points to go to irelandone, but j_powers gave a good answer too, so I'll stick with that.
I appreciate the help everyone.
Mike.
I actually kinda want the points to go to irelandone, but j_powers gave a good answer too, so I'll stick with that.
I appreciate the help everyone.
Mike.
Well done team.
Glad to learn a bit from you.
Glad to learn a bit from you.
ASKER