Can I just purchase another Win98se CD

and load over everything that already exists on my computer? While looking on ebay I've noticed that on some it specifically says for PC's without windows or a clean computer. What should I be looking for to reload windows so just the missing files would be generated?
Old Subguy

 

Does that mean that you already have 98SE ?

If you do then the CD that say for PCs without Windows ( which should be the FULL version ) should be the one you need.

The other is more than likely an OEM and missing some stuff.

With the full version and booting from the 98 Startup disk and at the A:\ prompt type

[CDROM Letter]:\Win98\Setup.

For instance it should look like D:\Win98\Setup.

I will Add this WARNING.

DO NOT BOOT FROM THE HARD DRIVE to do this ReInatall

Gotta go and take My Wife to the Doctor. Will Check back later.

BillyBob

 

Well broom hilda just emailed me and said that I could pick up the CD and the start up disk today (now just to be able to keep my blood pressure in check while I pick it up. . . . . ) so to do a start up recovery what are the steps that I do so I don't blow it? Will it just fill in the missing files, directories, etc. and leave the existing data? I hope!

 

As long as you are attempting to use the same CD version that is now on the Computer.

Before you start and have the capabilies to do so, check to make sure that Windows is in C:\Windows.

1--Boot to the Start up disk from a power off state

2--Insert the CD.

3--At the A:\ prompt type d:\Win98\Setup

4--Then WATCH CAREFULLY as the steps go by to make sure that Windows installs itself into the Existing C:\Windows.

Booting from a power off state directly to the Floppy this should not present a problem but watch anyway.

Barring any instances of a Virus, Trojan or other SpyWare it should do just that.

BillyBob

 

OUCH !!!!! I forgot to ask

Is this a home built PC or something like and HP, Dell or Compaq ?

If it is one of them FORGET my ideas. They will not ( or at least may ) work.

BillyBob

 

no broom hilda built it. When she left she took everything that had to do with computers that we had. She's a pretty savy computer geek. She set up DSL installed a new western digital 20gig hard drive, it was pretty fast and I could save all the old boat pictures I wanted and still have room left almost for as long as I live from the looks of things. We had a deal, I'd keep her vehicle running and she'd keep my computer running. Never would take the time to teach me anything about it. What I've learned so far is from reading all the posts on here, a couple PC mag'[s she forgot concerning DOS and some terminology. Other than that I know better than to hit the OK button.

 

when I do step by step confirmation this is what comes up:

starts with SYSTEM REGISTER then creates a start up BOOTLOG TEX
CONFIG SYS
Device=C:\WINDOWS\HIMEN.SYS
" " \EMM386.SYS
" " \DBLBUFF.SYS
Devicehigh=C:\Windows\IFSHLP.SYS
Start up command file AUTOEXEC.BAT
SET CLASSPATH=C:\etc . . . ADOBE CONNECTABLES
C:\
C:\
WIN
Load all Windows drivers

then I can't read it because it's at the top almost off the screen
ndis.vxd
JAVASUP.VXD
WINDOWS\SYSTEM\vrtwd.386
" " \vfixd.vxd
vnetbios,vxd
vredir.vxd
dfs.vxd
Imouse.vxd
vserver.vxd
viagart.vxd
C:\PROGRA~1\SYMANTEC\SYMEVNT.386
SYMTDI.VXD
CSHOOK.VXD
mwlink.vxd
IPVNMON.VXD
C:\PROGRA~1\NORTON~2\SAVRTPEL.VXD
" " " \SAVRT.VXD

then a pause then nothing but a blue screen

Right below set path above there are two C:\ that are empty. Then the next line says Win. Is this by chance the windows you refer to?
Oh I have that sinking feeling again. . . .
old subguy

 

No it is not.

I am meaning to open Windows Explorer and examine the C: drive for a folder named WINDOWS.

Or. Open Windows Explorer and in the C:\ folder select Right click on Autoexec.bat and select edit EDIT. In it there SHOULD be a Path statement with the path to Windows.

What ever that path says is where you want to make sure the reinstall goes to it.

This brings up an Question. ( more searching for you ).

Has there ever been an attempt to reinstall 98SE before ?

If so and it was not done PROPERLY there could be more than one Windows folder. Such as C:\Windows And C:\Windows001. If the second folder does exist then I can tell you right now that the re-install was not done properly.

Alias. The machine was ( or may have been ) booted form the HD.

BillyBob

 

old subguy

You will also need to have the Product Key.

BB

 

well I don't know what to think now. the boot disk goes to options:
1, boot using CD only
2, boot letting C: help
3, help

Boot using CD only goes to an A:\ prompt

Help doesn't say what to do then. Broom hilda isn't answering my email which I asked her what do I type in the prompt so now I'm beginning to think this is her idea of another of her tricks so I'm at a loss now. Any suggestions short of hiring a hitman? I'm joking but it is a let down.
old subguy

 

what would I type in DOS when it prompts C:\ to get exployer to run?
I've tried a whole lot of combinations and always get a bad command msg

 

Ok, Lets see if somone else jumps in here to help us out.

It appears to me that if you are using a Win98 Startup disk that is other than what I am used to. When I put my 98SUD in and start the machine I get NO OPTIONS It boots directly to the A:\Prompt.

If Fact I will double check that right now. Be back in a bit.

OK. I am back after the test and when I boot to the 98 SUD I get no options. It goes directly to the A:\ prompt with no intervention on my part.

Also I do not believe the 98SE CD is bootable. But I am not 100% sure of that as I have never even attempted to boot from the CD to install/reinstall 95, 98FE or 98SE.

BillyBob

 

Hi

both my 98FE and 98SE SUDs give me 3 options but they are not the same in old subguy's post

I get:
1 Start with CD support
2 Start without CD support
3 view Help file

however the behaviour of the W98 startup floppy is sensitive to its environment, if you use one on a computer with no CD ROM at all it's all different, the SUD is "clever" enough to know what it cannot do...

==

from the A: prompt you might try

A:\>dir c:\*.* /a:d

will reveal all the top level folders of C:, will show up if you have more than one WINDOWS directory

(there's spaces between dir and c, also between *.* and /a:d, these are the only spaces)

best wishes, HJ

 

mine says:

1 Start with CD-ROM support
2 Start without CD-ROM support
3 view Help file

so I chose option 1 the when it got to the A: prompt I did what you said and this is what I got:

Volume in drive C has no label
Volume Serial Number is 1E81-6EEB
Directory of C:\

ATI <DIR> 01-30-02
C_DILLA " 12-14-04
KPCMS " 01-30-02
LOGITECH " "
MYDOCU~1 " "
MYPICT~1 " 03-12-04
NCDTREE " 01-30-02
PROGRA~1 " "
RECYCLED " 01-30-02
TEMP " 03-12-04
WINDOWS " 01-30-02
0 file(s) 0 byte(s)
11 dir(s) 7,252.71 MB free
A:\>

Now what do I type next?

 

I think we should check which version of Windows is involved - on your original installation on the HDD, on the SUD, and on the CDROM

can get serious problems with "crossed-up versions "...

(below assumes that your CD-ROM drive letter is E: if it's different pls replace with the letter you see above the A:/ prompt where it says "Drive E: = Driver MSCD001 unit 0 or similar)

can check the version with the date/time stamp on the system files...

from booting with the SUD to the A: prompt try these:
A:/>dir c:\command.com (version on your hard drive)
A:/>dir command.com (version on your SUD)

now put the CD in!
A:/>dir e:\setup.exe (version on your CD)

you are looking for the *dates* in each case...

23/04/99 22:22 = Windows98SE
11/05/98 20:01 = Windows98FE

there are other (unlikely) possibilities, there were releases like upgrade CDs, and OEM stuff might be different

sorry if it seems tedious but can get terrible trouble trying to put a different version "over the top "

==

umm, puzzled as to how you arrived at the options

1, boot using CD only
2, boot letting C: help
3, help

earlier but got the normal ones this time around?

best wishes, HJ.

(PS my earlier post should have said CD-ROM, not CD - it is the same as you now get, just me being lazy typing!)

 

OK Folks. I see what is happening here in regards to the Menu on the SUD.
My Memory went sour.

I do not have it because I TOOk IT OUT. And made other modifications to the SUD.

Such as setting the CDROM letter to a fixed Letter ( S ) so that is the same as the 1st CDROM on all three machines.
Added a mouse.
Added few Pause commands so the I can see what is happening and be sure it is right.

But I made and used an original 98 SUD on a 98 machine and it does have the menu.

DEFFINETLY

When making reapirs. But not when upgrading if done properly.

BillyBob

 

If you do not hear from me for a few HOURS there is a good reason.

I got 10 inches of the white stuff called SNOW to get out of the driveway.

Hope the Wife has PLENTY of coffee made.

BillyBob

 

Are you using a floppy disk to boot from or the windows 98 cd. The cd is bootable if it's a standard win98 cd. If you're using a floppy to boot from, boot the computer and select the option with cdrom support. Pay attention while booting from the floppy and toward the very end of the boot process it'll show the drive letter designated for the cdrom drive. When it stops at the a: prompt put the win98 cd in the drive and type x: (change x to whatever letter was given to your cdrom drive) followed by the enter key. Then type setup followed by the enter key. If this is a standard win98 cd that should get you going.

If it is a regular windows cd you should be able to boot from it instead of the floppy. I booted from mine and this is the menu it presents.

Start Windows setup from cd-rom
Start computer with cd-rom support
Start computer without cd-rom support

If you boot to the cd and get this menu, select the first one and setup will start.

If you are already using the cd to boot from and get the menu you mentioned earlier, it must be a custom cd that she made. If this is the case and it stops at the a: prompt when you choose to boot with cdrom support, do the same as you would using a floppy. Just leave the cd in the drive and type x: or whatever the letter is for the cdrom drive. When the prompt changes try typing setup. If you get an error, try typing the following two lines pressing enter after each one.

cd win98
setup

If that doesn't work, take a look at how the cd is layed out by typing the dir command. Post back here with the contents of the cd and maybe we can figure it out from there.

 

Got rid of MOST of the snow. The Kids next door a Helping A LOT.

OK. I see another difference here that caused me to maybe overlook somethings.

Starting with Win98FE but excluding XP Pro I have never installed Windows from the CD.

I would boot to the Floppy and then copy the contents of the Win98 folder on the CD to a Win98 folder on a partition of the HD OTHER THAN C: and then boot to the floppy and run setup from the folder on the HD.

I am not real sure but I believe I did the same with Win95.

And then HOPEFULLY have the Product key handy.

This also helps if Windows should need some files. It usually can find them without me having to spend time looking for the CD.

BillyBob

 

Same here. I've always preferred to do it the way you mentioned for the simple reason when win98 first came out there was still a fair number of computers still in use around here that didn't support booting from the cdrom. If I was going to install windows for somebody I always brought a boot floppy and used it. It saved having to check bios settings, etc. to boot from the cd. There was no doubt the computer would boot from a floppy, so that's what I did.

Probably a bigger reason for me doing it that way was simply because that's the way I've always done it. Kinda falls under the catagory of "can't teach an old dog....."