[DjFonti]

Hi all, I'm new to this website and would welcome and appreciate your help on this complex (at least to me) problem. Basically, I bought a PC a while back and it had XP home on it. After a few months it became virus/spyware ridden etc. So, as I was told by the salesman, it was easy to repair the system without having to format it like before (a costly procedure), so off I went in my attempt. Anyway, all was going well, until I was asked for my product key, which after frantic searching, I realised had been binned by my thick sister, who needless to say I was very angry with - her response, 'chill, out, it looked like rubbish,' .

Anyway, I'm having to use my ancient old computer (350mhz processor) and this can't go on much longer. So, I have decided to use my old Windows 98 SE cds and install them on my new computer. When I start my new computer it goes through the boot and ends up on a black screen with an oversized arrow in the middle and stays like that, so I end up having to push reset. What I want to know is how I would go about formatting the hard-drive completely in preparation for a clean install of Windows 98 Se?

It is likely I will need a fair bit of help on this as I'm fairly incompetent at the best of times but again, if someone could start me off it'll be warmly appreciated.....

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Hi DjFonti...

Does the "new" machine start at all?

What operating system is on the machine you are using now?

Are the Win98se disks you speak of a recovery set from another machine?

Sorry about all the questions, but the answers will help me determine how to best help you.

wannabe1

[wannabe1]

Hi DjFonti...

Does the "new" machine start at all?

What operating system is on the machine you are using now?

Are the Win98se disks you speak of a recovery set from another machine?

Sorry about all the questions, but the answers will help me determine how to best help you.

wannabe1

[DjFonti]

Hi wannabe1, the new machine does start. If I start it without the xp disk inside, it just sits there on the initial start up screen, where it scrolls through all the numbers but it doesn't actually bother to go through all of them, instead just sitting there on the 'athlon processor' bit. If I put the disc in, it start up normally, goes through the aforementioned screen and appears to start as normal, however, it ends up on a black screen with a big mouse arrow in the middle and does nothing else.

The machine I'm using now uses Windows 98 SE as far as I'm aware.

The discs, are as far as I'm aware just the normal Windows discs, I have two, one legit and one copy and they both say 'Windows 98 second edition'.

I think one of these were used to install the OS on the older machine I'm using now.

[wannabe1]

If the XP machine will start and actually get to windows, we can recover the product key from the registry using Magical Jelly Bean. If you have an OEM machine like HP or Dell...the product key may be on a sticker on the back of the machine.

Have you tried booting into Safe Mode?

If we do end up installing Win98 on the new machine, you will need to create a startup disk using your old machine. Do you know how to do that?

[DjFonti]

Yep, I've created a win98 startup disk, I downloaded a program off the net which automatically installs it onto the floppy because I was having trouble the traditional way. So I'm OK there as far as I know. I'm pretty sure the xp machine is gone, because I can't get to windows proper i.e. the desktop. I've heard about these programs that give you the key but they aren't useful to me as I can't get far enough to download them let alone install them. When the XP disk is in it appears to start as normal but then just seems to fizzle out towards the end (this might have something to do with my failed attempt at repairing it previously when I didn't have the key).

[wannabe1]

Do you have the product key for the Win98 cd?

[DjFonti]

Well, I've managed to get the one that is on the old PC I'm using now, I assume this is the key for one of the CDs I have now, (I'm not sure which, which I know is pretty shoddy), but I'm pretty sure it is for one of them. If not, then well I guess I'm in a whole new world of trouble.

[wannabe1]

Use the legit Win98 installation cd. I can't help you using the copy. We'll just have to hope the key you have matches the cd. If it doesn't, after what we're going to do, you'll have no operating system and a brand new paperweight...you know that, right?

[DjFonti]

Yep I know that, I'm fine with that. Coincidentally I've been shopping for a subtle, understated paperweight so all will not be lost. Just in case it isn't, is it possible to start over (as in just format the what I've just done and try over again with the copied cd?)

[wannabe1]

You could do that, but I won't be able to help you should you run into problems.

Start the machine you want to format with the Win98se Startup disk (floppy) in the drive...it should boot to the floppy. At the first options screen, press Shift + F5 to go to a command prompt (A:\). Let me know when you are at the command prompt.

[DjFonti]

Yep, I'm at the command prompt.

[wannabe1]

Type fdisk and press "Enter".

At the fdisk options, choose the option to show partition information and tell me what you have for partitions on that drive.

[DjFonti]

It has the blurb about 'your computer has a disk larger than 512 mb etc' shall I push yes. Sorry, but like I said I'm pretty incompetent.

[wannabe1]

Yes

It's been a bit since I've run this...

[DjFonti]

Well this is what it says:

Current fixed drive: 1

Partition 1: Status= A, Type= NTFS, Volume= , Label=, Mbytes 9546, System=, Usage= 50%

Partition 2: Status=, Type= EXT DOS, Volume=, Label=, Mbytes= 9546, System=, Usage= 50%.

The extended dos partition contains logical dos drives.
Do you want to display the logical drive information?