Windows 98 setup not working in DOS

[BillV63]

I just got a new hard drive. I'm trying to install windows 98. I have formatted the HD per the manuf. instructions. I have booted up the HD with a 98 startup disk and have selected CD ROM support. I've switched to the CD rom drive and typed setup, the windows 98 CD will not install. The message basically says this program will not run in dos. What could be the problem?

[DragonNOA1]

Go into the BIOS and set the first boot device as your CD-ROM. Make sure you have the Win98 CD in the drive and save your settings. Upon reboot the computer will see the CD and run the install program, considering that your computer isn't too old.

[BillV63]

I've looked, but I'm not sure how to do this. Wouldn't I have to set my CD-ROM as the primary master? Wouldn't this involve changing some jumper settings?

[DragonNOA1]

It doesn't invovle you changing any jumper settings at all. Go into your BIOS -> then Advanced BIOS Features -> and look for an option called First Boot Device. It may look something like in this pic here. After changing, make sure the the Win CD is in the drive, save settings, and it should reboot and boot to your CD automatically. You may have to confirm your computer is booting to the CD-ROM by pressing the "any" key but after doing so you're off and running.
Good Luck!

[BillV63]

Ok, I got this done but it failed to boot up and defaulted to the C drive.

[BillV63]

This doesn't make any sense. The Windows 98 manual and the HD manufacture manual agree on the installation instructions that I described above.

[Panama Red]

When you startup with a boot disk your drive letters will change. Your CD rom drive will become E: instead of D: because the D: designation is used for the system running in dos. Once you are fully up with the boot disk (or setup disk, if you prefer) type E:\setup with the 98 CD in the drive, it should begin the install process.

[caveman]

Make sure the drive your installing win 98 is your primary
master.Go into bios and set boot priorty to floppy first. Use your bootdisk or go to http://www.bootdisk.com/
Make sure when booting with foppy you choose boot with cdrom support.

[caveman]

If that does not work. Use your boot disk. When done booting
At the a: prompt type fdisk choose delete primary partition.
After that create primary partition. When that is done reboot
computer with boot disk and at a: prompt type format c: Then when thats done reboot computer with floopy and select boot withcdrom support . Make sure you select your cdrom letter dr e: and type setup.

[GaryRouth]

. . . one "just to make sure" question: is your Windows 98 CD a full version installation CD, or a Recovery Disk?

. . . and are there other hard drives in the system? . . . and any other Operating Systems?

. . . Gary

[BillV63]

I'll get back on this tonight.

Yes, I noticed the CD ROM drive letter changed. In fact, I've done a Eir/P to verify the setup.exe file is on the Win 98 CD and that I am looking at the correct drive. This is a full 98 install CD that came with the computer, its second edition. There are no other HD installed, this is the primary master.

I verifed that the setup will work on another computer with windows 98 installed and working. I verified it by using the dos prompt, but the setup will not work if I boot up in dos.

I've made a new windows 98 startup disk and the setup still doesn't work. The message says "This program will not run in DOS".

[yellohut]

try copying the data over to the hard drive..
in dos type "mkdir c:\win98"
then type "copy e:\win98\*.* c:\win98"
after that is finished go to the c:\win98 directory on the hard drive and type "setup.exe"
it will then install from the hard drive instead of the cd... that might work.

[GaryRouth]

Can't hurt to try yellowhut's idea about copying the files over to the hard drive & trying it from there. That helps with balky optical drives.

You mentioned that the Win98se came with the computer. What company built it - major OEM or neighborhood shop? Are you sure the setup files aren't managed by a front-end third-party installer? The regular Win98se setup runs in DOS: it's designed to do so. If setup doesn't run from the hard drive, and you're positive your Win98se disk in a regular version, try using a bootdisk from bootdisk.com to get things started. I recommend using one without the RamDrive. The CD-Rom drive for most bootdisk.com disks is usually drive letter R, I think. Might want to check your partitions in fdisk, too, just to make sure everything looks OK. Seems like either your hard drive isn't setup right, your bootdisk is problematic, or your installation disk isn't right.
. . . Gary

[BillV63]

I copied the setup from the CD to the HD and I'm getting the same "This program cannot run from dos mode" message. I'm beginning to wonder about this CD. How do I verify this to be a regular Win98se disk? Hell, I've followed the instruction manual to the letter and have even got some how to instructions off the Microsoft help page.

[BillV63]

Some additional information...I did a check using another windows 98 system. The setup mode on this win98 CD that I have will not start in the dos mode, but it will start at the msdos prompt.

[GaryRouth]

If you boot with a bootdisk.com floppy, you should be booting into pure DOS, not DOS mode, and it should work from there. [Download the floppy that matches the version of Windows you wish to install - in this case, the Win98se disk - it starts the computer in DOS 7].

The same should be true if you boot from a Win98se installation CD. ("boot from CD - Start computer with CD-Rom support").

Try it again with just a floppy boot, since that's a known quantity. If the setup won't run from the prompt of the optical drive, there's something not right with the disk (or it's not your regular Win98se installation disk)

The regular Win98se installation disks are rather plainly marked, if the retail version. Just "Microsoft" in the upper right hand corner, and "Microsoft Windows98" near the center [plus a subtitle for the version - whether "for PCs without Windows" (full version) or the upgrade version]. If your disk came with the system, it might say "For distribution with a new PC only. For product support, contact the manufacturer of your PC" --> this is on the "OEM" version disks, where Dell, HP, Compaq, IBM, etc. ..-whoever made the system- maintains the support. In the past few years, "Recovery Disks" using the disk-image approach have become popular. These are not installation disks such as the MS Windows CDs are; Recovery Disks of this sort (much like Norton Ghost disks) contain an exact image copy, and oftem simply reformat the hard drive and copy the image to the drive.

If your Win98se disk is a regular MS Windows98se installation disk, it should also have come in a package with a COA [certificate of authenticity] on it. This is the nice-looking sticker with the rainbow-ish hologram on it & the product key printed out along the bottom.

Hope that helps
. . . Gary

[BillV63]

This one says "For Distribution with a new PC only. For product support, contact the manufacturer of your PC". But the install instructions never mention needing anything other than a windows 98 startup disk. My owners manual has a certificate of authenticity label for the CD.

I thought I would give this a shot, I've never done this before.

I bought this from a "neighberhood computer store". I'll take it back to them and let them finish this for me.

Thanks for all of the help!

[GaryRouth]

The description you give of the disk sounds like it's authentic. It might be something as simple as how the new hard drive was setup. If the shop gets it going OK, and they explain things clearly enough --> I'd be interested to hear what the snag was that was holding up the installation. (. . . other forum readers who find themselves in the same predicament might be able to learn from your experience)

Hope it's working again for you soon so you can get back to enjoying the computer.
. . . Gary

[rambler]

Run setup.exe in the Win98 folder on the CD.