My first problems - need help please

[Tarmenion]

Ok, what do I do now?

How do I format?

What Is Fdisk?

Its give me 3 choices to choose from now

1. Start computer with CDrom support
2. Start computer without CDrom support
3. View the help file.

I picked 1 by the way by accident

[Tarmenion]

Its states now that

Windows 98 gas detected that drice C does not contain a valid FAT or FAT32 partition. There are several possible causes.

Then it gives me 3 choices of the causes

And it now gives me the option to type something

A:\>_

[Smoke24]

Type fdisk after the prompt. It will give you a menu. If you have the book that goes with Windows, look it up and it should tell you what to choose from the menu and how to do it.

[Tarmenion]

Ok, its asking now if I want to enable large disk support because I have more then 512 MB. Do I hit Y or N

Also I thought my max was 512 and didnt exceed this.

[LawyerRon]

At the "A" prompt type fdisk. Then follow the instructions in the PCMech article for preparing the drive and make sure you make the primary partition "active". Then you will format the drive. Then you will load WIN98. You're doing a good job. You're almost home.

Also, to answer your question, hit Y (yes), to enable large drive support.

[Smoke24]

Yes, then choose create a primary dos partion, then it will ask what size, choose 100% or type it in. Then exit and choose to make it active.

[Tarmenion]

Ok, It counted to 100 percent twice on its own and told me to hit escape and now brought me back to where I can create DOS partisian again among other options DO I want to EXIT FDISK?

Whats next?

Keep in mind I have 2 drives

[Smoke24]

No, you must make it active if not already. There is a choice in the menu to make it active but I can't exactly remember what it says.

[Tarmenion]

Ok, this is what I have now, I selected option 2 to make it active and it states:

Current fixed disk drive: 1

Partition C: 1

Status: A

Type: PRI DOS

MBytes: 39260

System: unknown

Usage: 100 percent

The only startable partition on drive 1 is already active.

Ok, now isnt this only 1 40gig drive? How do I get the other drive going now? Rinse repeat? whats next?

[Smoke24]

Not sure how to do the other one because it is slave to the first one that's master. You might need to shut down and move it to master unless someone knows another way. Your Windows book may tell. Do you have one?

[Smoke24]

You could back out of fdisk and format that drive first. Just type format C: at the A: prompt.

[zione1]

I don't mean to interrupt especially because I haven't read all the posts but, didn't you receive a utilities disk with the hard drive and if you did would it not be easier to use the utilities instead of fdisk.

[Tarmenion]

Hi Zione, no I didnt receive any disk with the HDD's they were Bare

Smoke, I am just going to wing it and follow PC mechanics guide. Stay in touch I will let you know the outcome, plus I will probaly still need help

[Smoke24]

OK, I'm outta here for tonite.

[Tarmenion]

Ok, it just asked if I wanted to make an extended Partition (following guide) and it states I have No space to create a DOS partition

Coould someone explain to me then how does my second drive come into play here?

I have 2 40 gig HDD's, 1 set on master and 1 on slave.

[Tarmenion]

DOH!! Smoke you stink! heheh j/k have a Gnight let you know the outcome tommorow

[zione1]

Tarmenion,

Its sound like you got the first hard disk ready to go, am I correct? If so you could just reboot and load windows. Or if you want to setup the other drive you could type FDISK and you should get 5 choices the 5th being Change current fixed disk drive select this and do what you did before.

[Tarmenion]

I think I got it going now Zione, Thanks!

[Tarmenion]

Oh GOD!!! hehe I am so tired and frustrated, I am having some problems once again.

Here is the problem.

I finally got Drive formated and after reading PC mechanics guide and Zione suggestion I was able to get the other Drive up but they wouldnt let me format it like I did with C and like PC mechanic told me too, so find I skipped it, thinking that maybe once I get windows going it would be fine.

Now I was told to take the disk out and reboot and I should have the C prompt so I can typoe setup and get it going as the guide stated. Now here is the problem, its going back to square 1 (like I bolded way on top) and asking me to load disk in A drive again instead of having the C prompt. I even re did everything again to make sure the drive was active and still nothing.

What am I doing wrong? How can I get this window 98se loaded in my computer already?

Could some explain all the steps to me and tell me what I am doing wrong so I can finally get this done?

Help Please!

[Xayd]

Ok, you got your primary drive partitioned and formatted, so that's done.

Next step, boot again to your floppy disk, be sure to select "Start with CD ROM support". After it boots up, it will tell you when the driver loads what letter it assigns to it.

It's preferable to copy the Win98 CD cab files to your hard drive and install from there, that eliminates the need to have the CD each time you have to install something that requires new system files. Here's the set of commands for doing so, starting from a fresh boot to your floppy, assuming a CD ROM drive letter of E. Change that letter if it assigns a different letter...

>c:
>mkdir WINCD
>cd WINCD
>mkdir WIN98
>e:
>cd WIN98
>copy *.* c:\WINCD\WIN98
>cd ..
>copy setup.exe c:\WINCD

This will take a bit of time to copy all of the files. After it's done, do this...

>c:
>cd WINCD
>setup

The Win98 setup process will then start up, beginning with a scandisk. If you want to eliminate the addon advertising and isp software crap that comes with a standard install, select "custom" and check off each utility under each set of categories that you want. Computer and workgroup names don't matter since this machine isn't on a network yet.

When it's finished, it'll bring you into Windows and start detecting plug and play hardware. Have your driver CD's ready at this point. Reboot when prompted, and after everything is installed that was detected, install the Via 4 in 1 drivers that came with your motherboard CD. After that's done go to control panel and check in device manager for any devices with question marks or exclamation points, you may have to install another driver or two.

Don't worry about the second hard drive for now. You can fdisk and format it after windows is installed.

Xayd

[Tarmenion]

Ok Xayd this is what I did.

Before I even did what you told me to do I hit C: then C> came up then I hit set up and I got in windows but now I get this message under the first step preparing to run window98 setup

The window states "Setup detection message"

Message SU0013

Setup can not create files on your startup drives and cannot set up windows 98.

If you have HFFS(? mouse icon in the way) or NTFS, you must create an MS-DOS boot Partition. If you have LANtastic server or superstar compression, disable it before running setup. See setup.txt on setup disk 1 or windows 98 compact disk

Now am I in? or I still have to go the way you suggested?

I will find out tommorow though, time for bed

P.S. Anyone know why my mouse isnt working? Its logitec, batteries are in and the keyboard is fine but not the mouse, any reason? do I have to do something or click something?

[Xayd]

It doesn't like something about your drives. Did you set up a RAID array before starting setup? If so you're gonna have to have the RAID controller's driver loaded before starting the OS install. Did you copy the files as I posted before, prior to starting setup? Either it can't write to your disk(s) due to not getting along with the RAID controller, or the CAB files aren't there where it expects them to be. Unless I'm mistaken the CAB files must be in a directory named WIN98 and the setup.exe file must be one directory 'up' from the WIN98 directory.

I highly recommend not going with a RAID array at this point. You haven't done this before, and if you have disk problems it'll just compound any other issues if they exist at some point. Install the OS and make sure all the hardware works properly first, then you can play with RAID later.

As far as the mouse, you said batteries? If you have an infrared mouse, there'll have to be infrared drivers installed before that mouse will work. You might want to use a PS/2 mouse from another machine until you get Windows fully installed and running. You can hot swap meeces if you want . Just plug/unplug the one you're using on this other machine to post with while the machines are running. It won't hurt them.

Xayd

[Tarmenion]

Ok, I started up again and I will be on this damn thing all day to I get it running hehehe oh the headaches.

Anyways Xayd I did what you said and when I got to

>copy *.* c:\WINCD\WIN98

It says

]b]Base4.cab
access denied - e:\wincd\wiind98
0 file(s) copied[/b]


Hmmm not sure about why its not detecting my HDD, I am not using RAID, Also I notice everytime I start my PC its says no array is defined and this is right after its scans for IDE drives.

Could this be the problem? if not I have no idea what to do, I think I am going to have to spend money to get a professional in here if I cant figure it out

[Tarmenion]

Ok, anothing thing is when I type SETUP after c> it starts wind98 and scans everything and then it states

Scandisk checked the following drives:

Drive C had no errors.
Drive D had no errors.

I hope this helps on to trying to figure this problem out

[Xayd]

Ok, getting warmer here.

It's having trouble writing to your hard drive for some reason. The 'access denied' when trying to copy files is proof positive of that.

First of all, am I correct in assuming that your mobo has four IDE channels, two for the RAID controller and two otherwise? If so, and your hard drives are on the RAID channels, move them to the other two channels, and preferably go into your BIOS and look for an option to disable the RAID controller, for now.

The two RAID channels are, as I thought before, probably gonna need a driver installed before they'll work. Therefore you need to swap to the standard IDE controller to install the OS from, then after installing the driver you can switch them back.

After switching the drives to the other two channels, try copying the files from the CD again, see if it works.

Xayd

[Tarmenion]

I ok I partition the HDD's again and I rebooted the PC and I am now on the C prompt so where getting closer.

Now what do I type on the C:\>_ ?

I tried typing setup but then it says bad command or file name

[Smoke24]

To get your mouse working you must press a little connect button that is on the bottom. You may need to press it a few times to get it to work. Also make sure both connections for the receiver are connected to the computer.
Like X man is saying, check the mobo manual and be sure the hard drives are on the standard IDE connector and not RAID.

[Smoke24]

It won't run setup from C: unless you did exactly what X man listed above. Try to run setup from A: using the startup disk you made. It may be easier for you.

[Tarmenion]

IAM IN!!!!!

Accept now I cant HIT the I ACCEPT ICON because my mouse dont work, I even took out the mouse on this PC and still dont work, whats wrong?

[Smoke24]

Don't know. To accept just hit enter. Did you try the connect button on bottom of the cordless? Are you sure you have it plugged in at the mouse port? You may need to reboot to have it detected by the bios. Just reboot with the floppy and select start with cdrom support. Then at A: type setup.