Formatting Hard Drive

[Brian Dixon]

Hello again oh Wise Ones.

Trying to format the hard drive of a computer given to a friend by another friend - so I know all is legit!

The computer is a Win 98SE, AMD Athalon machine which only starts in safe mode. There is only one hard drive in the machine.
I am trying to re-format it so that new owner gets a completely clean machine, but appear to be reaching a problem. Sequence goes as follows:

Boot up with a start-up disk.

Once booted up I get the following message:
Drive D: = Driver OEMCD001 Unit 0
Drive E: = Driver OEMCD001 Unit 1

I then type "d:" (no commas) and get the D:\> prompt.

When I then type "format c:", I get the following message:
CDR 101: Not ready reading drive D
Abort/Rety/Fail

I changed the prompt to E and tried the "format c:" prompt again, but get the same message.

Any ideas as to what I'm doing wrong? I'm not brilliant with computers, but have managed to format hard drives before. Please keep solutions/advice to words of one syllable or less!

Many thanks, in advance.
Brian

[BOAC]

Until an expert comes along, Brian, what does the 'system' show as drives installed? You can access that in 'Safe', rt click on 'My Computer', 'properties', 'hardware' (I think!).

Maybe it HAD had extra drives and is still 'confused', or the C: drive is still partitioned?

If your boot disk has 'Fdisk' on it, run that and see what it gives.

Suggest you don't do anything else in Fdisk - yet!!

[shuttlebus]

OK, here goes (keeping it simple)

Looks like "Dos" is looking at the D:\ drive expecting the commands located there, when they are on a:\.

At the first prompt, type path=a:\

Then type format c:\ /s

This should then let you format the C:\ drive as a system partition.

Let me know if this works, otherwise I can post the instructions for creating a bootable floppy.

Also, idea #2

Can you not just boot off the CD and create a clean install of Win98?

Regards,

Shuttlebus

P.S. Sorry, Win98 is not Win2k or XP which let you vapourise partions during the install... scrub solution 2.....

[Saab Dastard]

Upgrade to Win XP home. Costs about £80. Well worth it.

Windows 98 is (effectively) over 10 years old now.

AFAIK, MS no longer support Win 9x, so no more patches.

Many newer devices do not support Win 9x.

Win 9x is horribly unstable compared to XP (compared to almost anything!).

I would suggest Linux, but I don't believe that it has yet reached quite the necessary simplicity for mass-market use. That's not to say the Win XP is bullet proof - just more user friendly than Linux.

SD

[maxell]

boot with disc in floppy drive
at a: prompt

type format c:

and away it should go after asking if you realy want to wipe the disc

not sure if format is on the start up disc or on the boot disc its a long time since i have played with win 98

Once format is finished put your windows cd in the drive and type D:\setup or whatever letter your cd rom drive is

Max

[Conan the Librarian]

Another wheeze with a poss XP installation, is that if you buy any hardware component (I suggest RAM, 'cos XP will use it all) then you qualify for purchase of an OEM XP CD, which is much cheaper and in fact, you will end up getting the memory for nothing and most likely, a bit of change in your pocket too.


Conan

[Wing Commander Fowler]

Hi Conan- is this a special offer in one of the shops? Haven't heard of this. How do you go about taking advantage of it please? WCF :ugh:

[Brian Dixon]

Thanks for all the advice.

My mate is absolutely strapped for cash - hence my trying to do it on the cheap for them. Plan is to re-install Win 98 until they can afford to upgrade.

BOAC, did as you said and got the following information:
Disk Drives - Generic IDE Disk Type 47 and Generic NEC Floppy Disk.

Floppy Disk Controller - Standard Floppy Disk Controller.

Hard Disk Controllers - Primary IDE Controller (Dual fifo), Secondary IDE Controller (Dual fifo), Via Bus Master PCI IDE Controller

Shuttlebus, I did the format c:\ /s and got a 'Bad command or file name' error message.

I'm using an original Microsoft floppy Boot Disk, if that helps.

As you can see, I'm not too sharp with computers, but I refuse to be beaten by an inanimate object!!

Cheers,
Brian

[BOAC]

Brian - it looks as if the config is ok.

Have you got/tried 'Fdisk'?

Which 'MS Boot Disk' is it?

Which directory does the boot disk leave you in? - 'A:> or what? It sounds as if there may be an 'autoexec.bat' file on it? Does that show in 'DIR'? Can you use 'edit.com' to read that file?

Can you read the 'config.sys' file too?

What happens when you type 'C:'?

[maxell]

not sure about the file name but in 98 try start search and look for a file called ( format.com ) write this to a floppy disc
Then reboot with your windows boot disc in the A drive at the "a" prompt remove the boot floppy and replace with the floppy with format.com on
Then just type format c:

If the boot disc leaves you in any other drive than A type a:\ to get back there then format c: with the new floppy in the drive

It sounds like the boot disc you have does not have the format function on it

[rotorcraig]

Does sound if your boot disk isn't complete; you could try downloading another from bootdisk.com (http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm)

For Win98SE click here (http://www.mbhs.edu/~jaosborn/boot98se.exe) and then run the download. It will prompt for a floppy and create a Win98SE boot disk.

RC

[Conan the Librarian]

Wing Commander F, if you talk to your computer spares place and mention OEM XP, it works something lke this.

If you buy a piece of system hardware, (not peripheral though) you qualify for a Windows OEM disk. I did it with the PC on which I type and got an OEM XP Pro for a lot less than the full retail version. To qualify, I bought a new hard drive which was my real need anyway. The disk came shrink wrapped and minus the box, but has performed as flawlessly as one can expect of a MS product.

The reason that such deals are there is for those building their own PC, where inclusion of the full price retail package would make it non viable. If in any doubt, PM me and I will research more.


Conan

PS I also got an OEM Norton Internet Security 2005 a few months ago for all of £16.

[rickity]

Brian

Just going back to your orginal post, when you type in format c: it should be against the a> prompt because thats where the file format.com should be on the floppy in a. alternativly if you can boot from win98 cd you will need to change the directory to something like d:\win98 and then type in format:c.

good luck

Rickity

[spannersatcx]

The command given Then type format c: \ /s is in fact wrong it should be format c: /s

Insert your boot disk in the floppy drive and start the computer. Once the system has completed booting and an A: prompt appears you are ready to start.

Type: format C: /s [press Enter]

This statement tells the system to format your "C" drive and when it is finished to copy the system files to the drive, (the /s switch for 'System'). You can format a different drive this way by using a different drive letter.

Format should display: WARNING, ALL DATA ON
NON-REMOVABLE DISK DRIVE C: WILL BE LOST!
Proceed with Format (Y/N)? Type [Y] [Press ENTER]

Your screen should display the size of your drive and a countdown in percentage of formatting completed. Depending on your computer's speed and the size of the drive it can take from a few minutes to over 15minutes.

When it reaches 100% complete, you will see a new message:
FORMAT COMPLETE. SYSTEM TRANSFERRED.

This indicates that the files required to boot your computer from the hard drive have been copied from the floppy to the hard drive. The computer can now boot from the hard drive without a boot disk in the floppy drive.

You will see one last message:
Volume label (11 characters, ENTER for none)?
Type anything you like or leave it blank - [Press ENTER]

You can now begin to load your Operating System.

[Brian Dixon]

Thank you everyone.

I will print this thread off (and the PM link, ORAC - Thank you), and try this afternoon.

I'll come back to you later today to let you know how I get on.

Currently have loads of splinters in my fingers from scratching my head!

Sincere thanks.
Brian

[shuttlebus]

spannersatcx

Indeed you are correct, my humble apologies.

Unfortunately, it is several years since I carried out a Windows 98 install, and my dos skills are slowing heading south :(

Apologies to all for any confusion caused.

Regards,

Shuttlebus.

P.S. I always find it much easier to provide "tech support" when you are actually in front of the machine you or A.N. Other are trying to re-install...

[Brian Dixon]

Hi all.

Very many thanks. I have formatted the hard drive and am now beginning the big hunt for device drivers :uhoh:

The main problem appeared to be that the Microsoft boot disk (originally supplied when I bought a Win 98 computer ages ago - since upgraded to XP though) was lacking a format facility.

The download version suggested by rotorcraig appears to have done the trick - but info from all was referred to throughout!

I have currently located an updated version of DirectX and a driver for the monitor. However, on the Device Manager screen I have the old yellow question marks against the following:
PCI Communnication Device, PCI Ethernet Controller and Multimedia Audio Device. I believe that a GeForce graphics card was fitted, so will look at graphics drivers for that.

Incidently, I have foound out that there was no sound card fitted (so will dig one out of the loft from an old box).

I cannot thank you enough, as I know how much this computer means to my mate. I should be able to hand it over in a few days.

I salute you all!
Brian

[BOAC]

Drivers drivers drivers:mad:

This is worth using if you are completely stuck- Driver Guide at (http://www.driverguide.com) - joining is free, but you need to hunt around for the right drivers.

PCI Communication Device - is a PCI dial-up modem fitted? If so what type - 'generic' drivers sometimes work

PCI Ethernet Controller - likewise?

Multimedia Audio Device - depending on the processor/mobi (I guess if it is W98 it is basic?) there could be an onboard sound chip?

When on line, don't forget all the MS updates!

[maxell]

If the computer has an onboard soundchip open the case and see if you can get the type number etc off the motherboard and search for drivers for that board
They may solve a few problems you have

Max

[rotorcraig]

Pleased to hear that the download boot disk worked for you :ok:

see if you can get the type number etc off the motherboard I agree with that - finding out what motherboard you have and loading the drivers for that could well fix a lot of the remaining ?'s

RC

[four_two]

To continue the XP OEM theme, did you know that MS state that a particular OEM copy is licenced for one computer? It is not transferable even if you scrap one PC and build another. I've just discovered this the hard way.
The full retail model has no such restriction.

[Conan the Librarian]

I honestly didn't know that one - but who is to decide what is a new machine and what is a comprehensive rebuild?

Conan

[BOAC]

Slightly off BD's topic, but I understand that an OEM copy can be 're-validated' by contacting the 'supplier' of the original computer 'equipment' who will provide the code?

[four_two]

Now I haven't heard that one either!
I did read elsewhere today that if you ring MS instead of trying to revalidate your OEM on line, it's possible to convince them (because they're really are all nice people at heart;) ) that it's just a major upgrade, and they should re licence it.
I'm not speaking from personal experience though, but I have my doubts.

[Brian Dixon]

All sorted.

Thank you all very much.

Kind regards,
Brian :ok: