What Is The Right Way To Clean The HDD and Reinstall Win98?

Hi,


Was just wondering what the correct way is to reformat HDD and re install WIN98SE. I did this not to long ago I have a copy of a FULL install CD-ROM and a boot disk but I chose the CD-ROM to do the install with. All seems to be working good but I am still haveing my doubts as I have a "SKIP" in the windows music boot theme at the desk top when the tool bar starts to come up and I am wondering if I might of messed up as my puter never did this before, I am also starting to have problems with my Antivirus/Firewall program not wanting to respond at times and the system seems to lag just a bit or be a bit jerky at times.Just now it locked up on me. When I rebooted I did not see any error codes. Mike was very helpfull in looking at a copy of my start up and said it was very clean and all should be good but im still not happy with the preformance on boot up. What I did was went to bios and changed boot to CD-ROM, IDE, FLOPPY in that order, saved and rebooted then as follows below,
hit the F8 key on boot and got to COMMAND PROMT only and typed FORMAT C:
Once the format was done I inserted the CD-ROM and re booted
and installed WIN98SE
I then set up all my drivers with SiS Utilities Program that my mother board needs.. at one point in the set up it asked me to direct the proper path for the OS I typed D:\WIN98 but to no avail
it said it was NOT the proper path. I told it to cancel and the set up continued.
Once that was done I installed all my favorite programs
1 Game
Regcleaner
WINzip 8.0
Panda Antivirus 7.04
Solitaires Journey (a small card came)
ran a defrag
I also got all my updates for windows
with this glitch occuring I feel I did something wrong or there is a file in conflict somewhere (maybe in REG?)
what did I do wrong? can someone please explain to me what is the right way if this was wrong?

Stan (FireDancer) Determined to find out what makes these things work one way or another LOL!!! I know im a NOOB!!!

 

Different strokes for different folks but .....

I usually run FDISK from a boot floppy and delete all partitions as a first step, then create a new partition. Exit FDISK (Esc) and shut the machine down. Restart and boot from the same floppy and format the drive - Format C:

Then from an A: prompt, type
md C:\Win98
then type (assuming D is normally your CDROM Drive)
copy E:\Win98se\*.* C:\Win98 (note-there's a space after 2nd*)

Once all the files are copied, go to a C: prompt, type
cd C:\Win98
then type
setup

 

Ok, but....

Thanks for the reply,

As you can see im a total rookie as I dont understand how to run Fdisk and create a new partition this is all a foregin language to me. Yes my CD-ROM is the D:\. let me see if I understand right...

First put in my boot disk (A:\ and then FDISK and delete all partitons (is there a certain command for that?) then create a new partition (is therea command for that?) then ESC and shut down (just turn off and back on the machine?)

Once re booted type: FORMAT C:\

at the A:\ Prompt type: md C:\win98
then type: copy D:\win98SE\*.* C\Win98 once all files are copied im assuming then I need to just type from the A:\Prompt C:\
and then type: C:\win98 (enter) and then type setup (enter)

If I follow you right once set up is done I can start installing my software? And I will have no need to have used the CD-Rom set up right? this was all done from the A: correct?
Do I need to set bios to boot to A:\ first before doing all this? or does it matter? please set me straight as I belive i did do something wrong in the original set up and thats why I am getting this glich in my machine and I want so bad to learn the right way and have my machine work at its best ...nicew and smoothe. Thanks again Rockster!!!

Stan

Thanks for your patience

am I or not? LOL

 

Yes, you will have to re-set it to boot from A drive.

Here are a couple of links for ya. The first one is the one I use when I have to re-do mine. Once you Format a drive, there is essentially no Operating System on it, so it works just fine for doing a re-format too. I'd print it out. It will be several pages.

The second link, I just threw in for reading purposes & maybe it will help you understand a little more about this stuff.

Install Win 98 On Comp with no OS: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;221829

Reformat & Partition: http://www.everythingcomputers.com/reformat.htm

Just remember that once you get into FDisk, find out if you have any existing partitions.

I always delete all existing partitions, then make the whole drive the C drive & use third party software to partition it after installing the OS. Although I've never used the one this link goes to, I've seen it reccommended by several, and it's free. Ranish Partition Manager: http://www.ranish.com/part/

 

You're close, but .....

You missed my cd C:\Win98 guidance near the end.

Its OK here, but follow every instruction very closely when you go through this procedure for real.

As to FDISK, you are going to get led through there with very understandable options and choices. You want to enable large drive support and set your partition to active when prompted. Escape your way out when done to exit.

I'd reset your bios to boot from floppy first, HDD0 or 1 next (depending on your bios HDD naming) and CDROM last. Then disable boot up floppy seek because you don't need it.

 

Guess you also missed my renaming of your D drive to E which is exactly whats going to happen. Again, follow instructions a bit more carefully when you get down to this. Follow them exactly and you'll have no problems.

Edited my comments - sounded too terse.

 

The M$ link I gave has been more than adequate for me, and I've never had a problem doing it the way it says to.

Like you said, Rockster2U, "differnet strokes for different folks. "

 

Like I said, sounded too terse.

 

Just a tad.

 

Here is how to use fdisk and format to ready the HD for Win98.
At A:\> type fdisk enter
press "Y" enter for large disk support
at FDISK Option select "1" enter
at Create DOS Partition or logical DOS Drive select "1" enter
Verifying drive integrity, **%
press "Y" enter at do you wish to use the maximum available size for Primary DOS Partition
and make the partition active (Y/N)..?
If you want to partition the disk set the size of your primary.
Verifying drive integrity, **%
you then get a message to RESTART your system for changes to take effect
To create a second partition, you must create a extended partition and then create the logical drive(s) or other partitions.
YOU MUST REBOOT and format AFTER FDISK.

Press Esc and then Ctrl,Alt,Del, with bootdisk/Startup disk still in the floppy drive
At windows Startup Menu select without CD-Rom support
at A:\> type format c: (this will only format the HDD)
or A:\> type format c: /s (this will format and make HDD bootable)
At WARNING, ALL DATA WILL BE LOST PRESS "Y "
Formatting and the size of your HDD (i.e. 19,09.84M for a 20Gig)
after format enter a name for the HDD or just press enter you can name it later
Press Ctrl,Alt,Del, to reboot with bootdisk/startdisk in floppy
Select with CD-Rom support
enter A:\>C:\
and C:\>dir to see HDD space (i.e. 19,083.48 MB free for 20Gig)

 

Deloris, Mark and Rockster....

Happy Easter,

If I have read right and my comprehension lvl is up to par then each partition would be like creating a new drive on the HDD right? Let me ask this.. so I know I am understanding right
When formating the drive the very first partition is automatic correct?

That would be the OS and then the left over space on the HDD would be for your software? Can I create a second partititon
to store certain programs that are not used very much? And if this is the case, do those programs boot with the cpu to the desk top at every re boot or am I making it (with another partition) just
dormant until I retreive it form that drive to use ?

Secondly by creating a seperate partition for say.. storage of games does this help the pc to boot faster? and if I wanted to play the game at some time I would then have to physically go to say.. the E:\ to play it? I have a 20GIG HDD which is more then enough for me and what little I use on my cpu is this whole partition thing really worth doing for the benifit of my PC?

I want sooooo badly to learn how this works and at the risk of messing up my PC I am going to attemp to re do the whole format thing today sometime as I feel my pc is not running as smoothe as it should be, thank you all for your post and quick responces as I feel I am a bit more comfortable with the understanding of the how to part.

Now it just seems I need to learn the why and when of it.
I appologize for my thick headiness, I am a beginner and dont just want to be a game geek anymore I want to understand
the health and workablitiy of my PC. Thanks again!!!!!,

I will let you all know how it goes tonight prvided I have no problems LOL!!! Please set me straight if my rambelings
are incorrect.

Stan (FireDancer)

 

one last question..

I have to use a ulilities program, SiS for my motherboard does this need to install before or after windows? does it matter?
In the book I recieved with the book it only shows how to run the set up from the D:\ and its a auto run for WIN98. I belive it is after the installation of windows if I am correct. Im not sure if this is considered a overlay program or not.


Stan

 

Stan

If you have the SIS chipset then it should and can only be installed after windows.

But do not rely on an older version from a disk. Go to the motherboard site and download the latest.

Same for sound card drivers you want the latest version either from your motherboard site or the sound card mfg site.

mike

 

10-4 !!

Roger the AFTER !!!!

Thanks Mike!!!

 

For what you are going to be doing, I'd keep it simple and just make one partition. (that should bring some comments)

As to the detail spelled out in MarkP52's post , you can make the partition active from FDISK where he has the ? ..(y,n) and then you can disregard the /S switch when you format. One other thing you might want to consider is FDisking your master boot record. Simply type FDISK /MBR when you first go into FDISK, then go back to whatever combination of instructions you are going to follow. It will appear that this did nothing, but not to worry - it did.

Good luck.

 

I agree with keeping it simple for now with one main C drive. There are many things to learn, & they have to be done in certain orders for them to work right. If you do something out of order, you will be starting over AGAIN. So for now keep it simple, & plain. Learn to understand how the OS handles things before trying to get too fancy. It took me longer than I wanted it to, to learn how to do what I've done, but patience, reading lots of articles, getting help when needed, & perserverence are the key. After that, bravery kicks in.

 

Partitioning the drive can be looked at as a way to organize your drive. You could consider the other drive(s) as just another folder, or a file cabinet with more folders. Nothing would be accessed from the other drives unless a shortcut you activate pointed to the drive [E:\Games\Game\Game.Exe], or if you have a program set to load at startup and it is installed on that drive. You wouldn't have to physically change drives, windows would just go to it as another folder.
If you have little use for the computer, one partition would keep it simple. When you get more comfortable with your system and it's workings, consider more partitions it at a later time. You are finding out the more you learn, the more you do not know about, take it slow.