Installing Windows ME

Fonz,

Check if this helps you in creating a bootable CD for windows ME
http://www.geocities.com/mark_ashworth1/me_boot/winmeboot.html

SR

And if that does not work, here is an easy way to create a bootCD that you can use...  Once you boot to DOS, you can install your OS...

http://www.nu2.nu/bootcd/

Bootable Dos CD-Rom (single boot image) [updated! nov 4, 2002]

This will create a bootable CD-Rom using one boot image. The boot image is a sector by sector image taken from a bootable floppy. When a PC boots from floppy this is normally done from the first floppy drive, known as drive number 0 or as drive A:. So, to let the CD-Rom boot there must be some mechanism that emulates a floppy drive (drive number 0).

Sunray: I successfully created the CD, however, MSCDEX is not finding my CD/DVD Drive. Maybe it is because it is USB. I can boot up with it, but MSCDEX is not seeing it. it says "No valid CDROM device drivers selected "

If you have Win98 it is usually a bootable cd that you can use to start the process.

Fatal Exception:

I tried your method, however, when I boot from that CD, it freezes when it says "UNPACK: Extracting "a:\lib\atapicd.cab""

x86fix:

Good idea, I'll try that

Your CD drive is USB, right?  Then your laptop must support booting from USB devices.  If not, you can't.  The simpliest way I'd suggest is getting a little 2.5" (laptop) to 3.5" (desktop) hard drive adapter and then put the hard drive from the compaq into a friend's computer and copy the Me CD to the hard drive.  Then put the drive back in the notebook and install from that directly.  

Now, it does seem you've successfully booted from the CD, in which case, you need to find DOS USB drivers so that MSCDEX can recognize the CD-ROM (just because it boots from it, doesn't mean it knows how to see it)

Knoppix is a good idea...

:)

Cyber

Aren't we back to the same issue in that the user does not have a Floppy drive that will enable the system to boot to DOS?

And I also agree.  Knoppix should also work, and it is a good idea here...  

If you've got a USB-pendrive you could try the following:

On another machine, try downloading the USB DOS CD ROM Boot Disk from http://www.stefan2000.com/darkehorse/PC/DOS/Drivers/USB/.

Copy the disk to a USB pendrive and try booting from it.

Check your BIOS to see if booting from USB is enabled.

Interesting..  Never thought of using a pen drive for this..  

Nothing is working. BTW I have 2 USB CD-ROMS that I can use.

For some reason Knoppix is not letting me write to the Hard drive. it just says cannot make folder or cannot copy file. Any ideas?

USB Pendrive *almost* worked, but it's not seeing the CD-ROMs

I bought a USB Floppy Drive that I plan to return when this is over.

I've tried to boot up with every floppy I made, and noone is letting me use the USB CD-ROM.

HELP!!!! URGENT!

Ok, I got Knoppix to work and copied the files over to C:\ . Now I'm booting up with a regular win98 floppy and started the installation, however, it freezes for some reason!!!

I'm sick of this!

Try setting your BIOS back to its defaults, then make sure that your USB devices are activated...     Maybe a swift drop kick out the window may help also..  :)  Sorry, bad humor, I know...  But I think we have all been down this road before, eh?

Maybe set up a 750 MB partition for the ME CD but first set up the primary Partition and save some space for the extra partition, put the 750mb at the end of the drive.
Another thought is that you may want to use MS FDISK to parttion the drive and also format it within DOS as opposed to Knoppix.

x86fix:

Just did it......and it does the same thing. The installation starts, but when it reaches 100% where it says "Setup is preparing the Windows Setup Wizard, which will guide you through the rest of the setup process. Please wait." the installation then apparently proceeds to read the floppy for some reason, and then freezes. This happens with or without the USB Floppy drive / USB CD-ROM Drive. I also tried disabling scandisk, scanning for low conventional memory, smart-drive caching, and nothing worked!

BTW I now have 3 more weeks. My client (who lives in england and comes back and forth)... will bring me his docking station with floppy and CD. That's how I formatted the HD before. but I'm still curious to solve this one.

Make the c: drive bootable to dos and then try again.

Simple;
Enable PCI PnP capabilities via BIOS. you may suffer device conflict.

Cyber

Don't have PCI PnP option. BIOS is very simple. I can only modify USB Legacy and boot options pretty much.

What MainBoard you have?

Cyber

OK
You have a BIOS update. You have instructions on how to install the BIOS by pressing the link presented along with the fixes:
http://h18007.www1.hp.com/support/files/evonotebook/us/locate/64_4214.html

That link consist of all the drivers you need for all the devices in-case you will need them. Refer to the BIOS update and run it and try to install once gagin. There is also a Firmware update for the drive. Check that out as well...

Good luck

Cyber

You can see from the discussion that he took my advice and was able to get past his initial problem.  He then encountered other problems.  Some other users added comments that compliment and endorse my answer as well.