Can't finish installing windows 98

I have tried three times to install windows and two other times I have hit this error windows protection error. I have read what that means but I can't remember. And plus I have also formated it twice thinking I have done something wrong but I didn't think I did. On the other hand the computer may be too slow it has only 166 Mhz Pentium I believe that is the right speed it said. It does have enough memory 32mb. The last couple of times it has hung and I had to turn it off. The last time I just reinstall windows and this time I was very careful to do what the instruction said. I thought the last time it would work cause it went through the hardware settings I thought it did cause it restarted two times during the setup. I even went through the safe mode to try to troubleshoot through the help but that didn't work I even went to update the color settings but that didn't work. After I turn it back on the startup screen comes up like normal, safe mode, etc. so I choose normal cause it didnt finish the setup but then again it froze so I had to turn it off again. It did have windows 95 but the hard drive was giving problems so I decided to format the hard drive thinking this will work then it started to give me these problems.

Thanks Billy

 

Hi Billy,

Is it a branded compter, like a HP, Dell, Compaq, Gateway, etc? If it is you will most likely need to use the original recovery/setup disk to make it work (which would run Win 95).

If not, try looking at the make/model of the harddrive and get the utilities from the manufacturer's website and check the drive with those (and repartition/format with those).

Matt

 

Matt I have got a 98 startup/boot disk and I have booted it from the boot disk repartition and format from the disk. Now I don't know if part what you said was a boot disk or not. I do know that I don't have the original/startup disk. That maybe the problem. By the way it is HP computer

Billy

 

Billy, if it is a HP, I would be certain the only way to make it work is to use the original recovery/setup CD that came with the computer when purchased. They have special hardware and drivers.

Matt

 

Matt, You may be right on this however I had a computer and it was a HP it was a dead of course and the person didn't have a the original windows xp however after I repartition and format I could use my software win98 I had from another person and it worked on this particular HP fortunately I have the disk no more. I am afraid the hardware is too old but like everybody else I am still learning.

Billy

 

To clarify
You got the OS installed, but it just won't boot into normal mode, but it will boot into safe mode?
If this is the case, it is likely that you did everything correct, but you need drivers.
I would check the HP website for that model, and get updated chipset/mobo/video drivers for the make and model of that pc.
You will of course have to use another computer to obtain and burn them to a CD.
I believe you can install them in safe mode
This is a shot in the dark, and I hope it helps

Where exactly does it freeze up when booting into normal mode?
Do you get an error message?
If so, write it down and post it here
Do you get the Windows 98 screen, then it hangs there?
If so, hit ESC on your keyboard, and it should show what is going on behind the scenes at boot up, and may give some clue as to what is hanging it up

 

Hi DumbTerminal,

Regarding the HP drivers, that is what I would have suspected when I first tried working on my sister's HP machine. You will find that the HP drivers are "proprietary "...the original/main drivers are not available for download at the HP website...the only things available for download are driver updates .
The main drivers are only available on the original CD that came with the computer. If you lose the original CD or want to upgrade the OS, the only way is to buy a "restore" CD from HP.
I have seen some cases where people have been able to install a standard version of Windows, but because they are running on Windows standard drivers and not HP, the machine will not perform correctly and throws all sorts of errors.

See here (hidden partitions )
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/...docname=bph07143&product=58186&dlc=en&lang=en

Matt

 

Although a bios overlay ala compaq and HP is a possible cause, I would think this sounds more like a bad hard drive or bad IDE cable.
My first suggestion is to spend two dollars and replace the IDE cable for the drive with a nice new 40pin 80wire IDE cable.

The next likely cause of this problem on an install is that the cdrom drive has dust on the lens. Run a laser lens cleaner to clear it .
For win98, 166MHz and 32MB of RAM is adequate, not spectacular, but I have run it on that (I ran win2K server on a Packard Bell Platinum with a 166Pentium and 32MB or RAM, slow but it worked. )

Your big problem will be correctly identifying all your hardware and getting the correct drivers for it.