Old Laptop Win98 Install

[Machine]

I have an old laptop that I am trying do a fresh install of Windows 98 on. I am able to get to a C prompt with a win98 boot disk, but the floppy and cd-rom drive are not hot-swappable. I also tried to change the BIOS settings so that it boots off of the floppy and just ignores the windows 98 disk.

Do I need to format and then install a DOS, then reboot with the cd-rom drive installed and then install windows 98?

-Machine

[rspassey]

Set up bios so it boots with the cd, then it will ask to which partition you want to install it, delete all current partitons and then install it fresh as the c:/ drive.

[Machine]

I tried to change the BIOS and it will not read the cd-rom drive upon booting up.

-Machine

[glc]

Partition and format the hard drive with the 98 startup disk, and use the /s switch when you format it to make it bootable. (format c: /s)

Copy the following files from the startup disk to the C drive:

himem.sys
oakcdrom.sys
mscdex.exe

(copy a:\filename.ext c:)

From the A prompt:

copy con c:\config.sys
device=himem.sys
dos=high
device=oakcdrom.sys /d:mscd001

Then hit ctrl+Z and enter, wait for the 1 file copied prompt.

copy con c:\autoexec.bat
mscdex /d:mscd001 /l:r

Do the ctrl+Z thing again.

You should now be able to boot to the hard drive with CD support. When it gets to the C prompt, change to the R drive which will be the CD, at the R prompt, type setup.

[Machine]

Worked perfectly! Now I can boot and install Windows. Thank you so much!

-Machine

[Negeva]

gonna have to remember that tip there glc. last time i had an old lappy to reinstall windows on i ended up removing the hdd and copying the cab files over to install from disk.

[Paratrooper]

I have a compaq presario 1655 laptop with a software problem but I dont have the original cd rom windows 98. I do have a quick restore disk for it and a start up floppy disk. The computer will start booting up and promt me to go in safe mode. When I press enter it shows the windows 98 screen but after a series of test it tells me that there is an error in dgi.exe and also that windows need to be re-install.
I also have a original windows 98se cd rom. Will this cd rom work to fix it?

[glc]

If you don't have any data you need to save on the laptop, it would be better to run the restore disk, wipe it out, and get a fresh start.

[Paratrooper]

Thats what I would like to do. I just formated the hdd following the instructions above. What do I do next?

[Paratrooper]

I would like to up-grade to a newer version of windows. Can this be done in this old laptop? This is a P-2 with 64mb of ram.

[Paratrooper]

The cd rom is in the drive and I reboot it but it doesnt recognizes the d drive.
What do I type to make it read it?

Is there a button I have to press and hold to go to the bios page?

[tacoeater]

i think you get into setup (bios) by hitting the f10 key after the compaq screen has appeared and the blinking white thing is blinking at the top right corner of the screen. when it is blinking there in the upper right you don't have but a second or so to hit the f10. after you get into the bios go to the boot section and make cd rom the first boot device. win98se cd should boot. if this does not work then you can boot to the floppy as first device. and if the hard disk is already formatted then you can find the setup files on the cd in the Win98 folder of the cd. change to that directory and type setup and hit enter.

[Paratrooper]

I had followed your advise but with no success. I encounter a password challenge to get into bios and I have no clue what it could be. This laptop was handed down to me recently by a dear friend who sometimes can't remember my name.

Here is the reason I would like to fix this laptop. My fiance want me to return to school to get a BA in computers. After serving 8 years in the military fixing helicopters and trucks, I told her if I am able to fix this one, (which I only know the basics of it) then I will get back to school, but if I can't then is something I wont be good at so I wont go for it.
Im not looking for an excuse, I just want to know if I have what it takes to make it in this business.
Now I need you experts out there to help me out with this one.
Every bit helps and it will be greatly appreciated.

Tito

[tacoeater]

with all due respect,
i hardly think that running into a laptop with a bios password is a valid excuse for not pursuing an education in computing.
even the best of the techs are not always able to break some of the bios passwords on a laptop, especially if that password was meant to lock the hard drive.

[edfair]

Sometimes you have to think about computers a while before you can figure out what approach to take to fix them.
Time for a new thread and some additional information about what model you are dealing with. Different manufacturers do different things and there are several layers of password or theft protection possible. And the answers you are looking for may come from somebody with an identical unit.

[Paratrooper]

Thank you all for your inputs, they are greatly appreciated. Like I mentioned before Im not looking for an excuse, Im just testing myself.

Now, I understand that mother boards have a set of pins I can put a jumper in it to reset the passwords. Do this works for laptops as well?

Or does anyone here have the same model laptop?
Is a compaq presario 1655, P-2, 64 mb ram with windows 98.