reformatting and pain. must the 2 go hand in hand?

[olivertree]

ok...so i reformatted my hard drive and am trying to reinstall windows98. sounds simple right? noooo i am afraid not.
after inserting my startup disc, i soon get this message:
your computer may have a disc-compression program installed on it. Because this system may contain an existing operating system or data, setup cannot continue.
from there, i cannot continue. Thinking that maybe i reformatted incorectly, i tryed to do it again, no luck.
If anyone could offer some help, i would be oh so happy.
thankyou
justin

[kc0arf]

Hello,

I am thinking that the Win 98 setup program is detecting traces of Drivespace (Stacker) on the computer. Even though you formatted it... there is something just triggering a problem.

I would boot up a DOS disk, and go into FDISK, and change the partition slightly. Shave off a couple MB, so that the OS is forced to write a new partition table. Come to think of it, maybe the partition ID is different from what Win 98 is expecting.

Perhaps it is time to move beyond Win 98 too.

Christian

[olivertree]

ahhh.thanks for the suggestion but that doesn't compute if you know what i mean. could you speak my language?

[Thong_Ispector]

There was nothing wrong with your format but you need to go DEEPER into the system
You have the reminents of an old compression program.
Possibly Maxblast or another disk utility...
You need to use a program called Fdisk to reset the partition table...
Do you have a bootable floppy?
Do yo have access to another PC
Do you know HOW to make a bootable floppy?
Once you delete the existing partiton you need to reboot
Go back into Fdisk and create a new partition...
Reboot...
Then you can format it again...
Then reinstall your OS

I know this is still vague because I am exhausted,
but I will be back in the morning to help...

[olivertree]

Hi and thanks. i dont exactly know how to do this. from what i understand, i need to download fdisc. i found a free version here:
http://www.23cc.com/free-fdisk/
tell me if this looks good.
do i burn this program onto a disc or...?
i do not have a bootable floppy. and i dont know how to make one. i imagine that i would have to do this on a friend's PC.
here is a page i found explaining how to make a bootable floppy:

http://www.shuttle.com/share/fae/hq/faq/top10/top10ans/How%20to%20make%20a%20bootable%20disk%20to%20flash%20Bios.htm

do you recommend making the disc under windows or floppy?
truth be told, i dont know a thing about this.
If you have advice or know a website with step by step instructions, please let me know.
Thanks for your help
j

There was nothing wrong with your format but you need to go DEEPER into the system
You have the reminents of an old compression program.
Possibly Maxblast or another disk utility...
You need to use a program called Fdisk to reset the partition table...
Do you have a bootable floppy?
Do yo have access to another PC
Do you know HOW to make a bootable floppy?
Once you delete the existing partiton you need to reboot
Go back into Fdisk and create a new partition...
Reboot...
Then you can format it again...
Then reinstall your OS

I know this is still vague because I am exhausted,
but I will be back in the morning to help...

[Thong_Ispector]

What OS is on the PC you have available?

Attached are the files you need to get started...

I included CD rom drivers just in case you need them later...

Make a bootable floppy if you can and copy fdisk to it...

alt...

Format a floppy and copy io.sys to it first
Then msdos.sys

That makes it bootable...

Then fdisk...
now insert the floppy into your machine and reboot...
at the A: you type fdisk

delete all partitions, if you have logical drives in extended partitions they will have to be deleted before the extended partition which must be deleted before the primary partition...

[olivertree]

ok thanks. i will have to go to my friends house soon and create the disc. as for my OS, i am running win98. outdated i know, but it doesnt seem much better or worse to me than others i have tried. what's your take on it?

What OS is on the PC you have available?

Attached are the files you need to get started...

I included CD rom drivers just in case you need them later...

Make a bootable floppy if you can and copy fdisk to it...

alt...

Format a floppy and copy io.sys to it first
Then msdos.sys

That makes it bootable...

Then fdisk...
now insert the floppy into your machine and reboot...
at the A: you type fdisk

delete all partitions, if you have logical drives in extended partitions they will have to be deleted before the extended partition which must be deleted before the primary partition...

[Thong_Ispector]

If you run into a snag making that boot disc we are here to help...

As far as your choice of OS...
Don't take any BS...

I run 98se and it does everything better than ME,2000 or XP without the cost

My suggestions are simple... Keep it
Download the FREE 98lite and use it to remove Internet Explorer
Install Firefox
Install Zonealarm... Firewall
Install Ad-aware se
Install Spybot
Keep a copy of HijackThis available should you need it...

You will then have the most stable of ANY M$ Windows OS

I would also suggest you check out the up and comming LinuxLive CDs
They boot and run in RAM only, never touching your hard drive (Unless you specifically want it to)
It lets you test drive another OS without having to actually install it.
They are complete systems right down to OpenOffice and CD Burning software... Games and more...

They are handy to have around as they would have allowed you to fix the problem you are having right now because they also include disc partitioning software...

If you get a chance, pick up a copy...
I would suggest you try Mepis or Knoppix.
They are included with several books you will find at the bookstore or if you have broadband you can download it for free.

I'll keep checking in to see if you hit any snags...

[kc0arf]

Thong,

Thanks for picking up the ball and running with it. Oliver, you are in good hands.

Christian

[caperjack]

If you run into a snag making that boot disc we are here to help...

As far as your choice of OS...
Don't take any BS...

I run 98se and it does everything better than ME,2000 or XP without the cost

My suggestions are simple... Keep it
Download the FREE 98lite and use it to remove Internet Explorer
Install Firefox
Install Zonealarm... Firewall
Install Ad-aware se
Install Spybot
Keep a copy of HijackThis available should you need it...

You will then have the most stable of ANY M$ Windows OS

I would also suggest you check out the up and comming LinuxLive CDs
They boot and run in RAM only, never touching your hard drive (Unless you specifically want it to)
It lets you test drive another OS without having to actually install it.
They are complete systems right down to OpenOffice and CD Burning software... Games and more...

They are handy to have around as they would have allowed you to fix the problem you are having right now because they also include disc partitioning software...

If you get a chance, pick up a copy...
I would suggest you try Mepis or Knoppix.
They are included with several books you will find at the bookstore or if you have broadband you can download it for free.

I'll keep checking in to see if you hit any snags...

i would like to give lite98 a try ,
Would you happen to have a link to 98lite that is not the pro version or one that doesen want me to first install a download manager program to downlload 98 lite. thanks

[Thong_Ispector]

I will look for that link but:
Since it is freeware,
And very small...

I will post it here...

If you have any questions about it just ask...

[mmiikkee12]

Here's what you do. First, find a PC with a floppy drive and Win98. Then do the following in this order.

1. Click start>run and type explorer
2. Put your floppy disk into the floppy drive.
3. Right click "3 1/2 Floppy(A:)" and click format.
4. Select "Full" in the format dialog.
5. Click "Start"(in the dialog, not on the taskbar) and please wait...
6. Once it gets done formatting, click close
7. With the Explorer window still open, go to C:/Windows/Command/Ebd
8. Copy all the files in the Ebd folder to the A: drive
9. Remove the floppy and you now have your boot disk with Fdisk already on it! And its not some half finished free version either, its the real fdisk.

Legal notice: I am not responsible for anything if something happens to go wrong with this disk. It shouldnt though...

[olivertree]

hello once again
so...i copied these files onto a floppy disc, popped it in my computer and under the a drive, i typed 'fdisc'..."BAD COMMAND OR FILE NAME" i then typed 'dir' and it shows fdisc in the directory...so? i dont understand why it wont run. do you?

What OS is on the PC you have available?

Attached are the files you need to get started...

I included CD rom drivers just in case you need them later...

Make a bootable floppy if you can and copy fdisk to it...

alt...

Format a floppy and copy io.sys to it first
Then msdos.sys

That makes it bootable...

Then fdisk...
now insert the floppy into your machine and reboot...
at the A: you type fdisk

delete all partitions, if you have logical drives in extended partitions they will have to be deleted before the extended partition which must be deleted before the primary partition...

[caperjack]

not having read all the post above and im not going to either lol.
unless you are doing something different it should be FDISK ,not FDISC

[olivertree]

eeeeee ooooo ahhhhh. it's nice to have my computer back. thankyou everyone for your help. now that i have done this, it doesnt seem so alien.
et encore, merci beaucoup
j

[Thong_Ispector]

Thanks Caperjack...
I tried to make it simple....

[caperjack]

Thanks Caperjack...
I tried to make it simple....

Your Welcome :)

[blazseidr]

Dear Thong,

I read your suggestions for win98 formatting, I am wondering wether you could help me on XP formatting.

I bought a PC in Geneva, Switzerland, I had a choice too choose between the 3 languages (DE, FR, IT), I had the french one (XP home edition). As I am a Hungarian by nationality later I decided to install the Hungarian version of the XP pro. The computer (ACER Aspire RC500) has a Realtec97 sound device which started to make trouble. First with the MSmessenger I could not use the microphone and the speakers properly, nor with the Skype. Later I lost all the sound. Now I cannot listen to anything nor games, nor radio, messenger, mp3, not the windows sounds etc. For example the windows media player plays the equalizer displays the sound but I can't hear anything. Changed the spaker to headphones etc, played with the volume, searched for drivers, reinstalled the XP, nothing helped.
Now I came up with the idea to delete everything and reinstall the original windows and drivers all in french. But the XP doesn't allow me to format the drive where the system is situated. I made a bootdisk, no solution, maybe because of FAT/NTSF stuff, I don't know.
Today I read your advice about the FDISK, so I downloaded, hope it helps. If you have any idea what would be the best solution for me, please drop me a line.
MAny thanks,

Blazseidr