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install win98 on linux laptop, no cdrom

P

pilla

Junior Member
I have an old dell laptop, has linux installed, does not have a cdrom. Don't need the linux anymore, planning to remove linux and install win98 or nt or win2000.... how do I install any of these without a CDROM?
Thanks in advance
 
Hi pilla and Welcome to the Forums!

Don't know the answer, so here's a free bump for ya.

If you don't get a good response here soon, try over in the "Operating Systems" section of the forums.

Fern
 
Originally posted by: pilla
I have an old dell laptop, has linux installed, does not have a cdrom. Don't need the linux anymore, planning to remove linux and install win98 or nt or win2000.... how do I install any of these without a CDROM?
Thanks in advance
Click to expand...

- Find a boot disk that will allow you to access a USB hard drive

or

- Build a boot disk that will go over your NIC to your LAN and install over the network

or

- Pop the HDD out, put it into a desktop machine, and copy the appropriate setup files onto the disk on the desktop
 
Thanks for the reply dclive.

Linux laptop does not have a floppy drive (but I have an ext usb floppy drive though).
Could you please expand a little bit on the second bullet?

Fern,
I am actually not new to AT, I was a member back in 02-03 was a big fan of the hot deals section... most of the posters used to be really rude so moved onto FW.


 
Sure -- Ghost, among other products, will build a boot disk that will let your machine hit the network. Bootdisk.com might also have something similar.
 
I thought about the second option but the linux laptop does not have a floppy drive too. It has one usb port though....
I have an external usb floppy drive, will it help?

If I can find an External USB CDROM and a boot disk that'll allow access to USB Drive, will it help?

Option 3 - I don't have the technical skills.

DCLIVE: BTW are you in Wash D.C?

 
If you have an external BOOTABLE CDROM, then you're all set - just put a bootable OS disk in there (2000?) and away you go.
If the external USB floppy is bootable, do the above suggestions using that floppy and you're all set.

Option 3 is by far the easiest, though. Just run to CompUSA and get a 2.5" to 3.5" converter and you're set.

No.
 
dclive thanks for your help...

I got the HD adapter.
Here is what I am going to do let me know if I am missing anthing or if any of the steps are wrong
1. Connect the laptop HD to my desktop
2. Remove all partitions (will this delete the existing linux OS?)
3. Create new partition
4. Copy the full windows2000 cd onto the new parttion
5. Put the HD back into the laptop
6. Reboot the laptop and it should install windows 2000, right?
 
Format the disk as FAT32.

Copy the contents of a 3.5" bootdisk (from bootdisk.com) onto the hard drive (\dos, root directory) and run SYS so it boots and test that you can run smartdrv when booted from the hard drive.

Copy the i386 folder from the Win2k CD onto the drive.

That should let you do all that you need.
 
Originally posted by: dclive
If you have an external BOOTABLE CDROM, then you're all set - just put a bootable OS disk in there (2000?) and away you go.
If the external USB floppy is bootable, do the above suggestions using that floppy and you're all set.

Option 3 is by far the easiest, though. Just run to CompUSA and get a 2.5" to 3.5" converter and you're set.

No.
Click to expand...



You can buy the converter (less than $10.00) or use a 2.5" USB enclosure (if you already have one) to copy the windows install files to the bare but formatted laptop drive. I've done this many times myself. I assume your usb floppy can be set to be the first boot device.

There's nothing fancy about this ... just when prompted to type "setup," type the new path to your install files EX: C:\Win98\setup ...

Either way, you'll have to remove the drive from the laptop. Pretty simple .... unless you have one of those that has hidden screws or places the drive under the keyboard.
 
Bought a usb enclosure, connected it to my desptop. removed existing partitions and created 2 new partitions. First partition (FAT32 FORMAT) is primary and active, size is about 3.5gb. second is about 500mb
Primary partiton drive letter is H.
Copied the i386 drive on to the primary partition
From bootdisk.com d/l Windows 2000 And NT Setup Disk Sets (4 disks) copied them to the primary partition.
Put the hd back in the laptop, booted it and it says
GRUB LOADING STAGE1.5
Grub Loading, please wait....
Error 17
It is stuck there and nothing happens.
Any clues?
 
See previous message about bootdisk from bootdisk.com and running SYS. You don't need the NT/2000 setup disks at all; remove them. You just need the i386 folder, as I said.

 
I know I am asking too many questions... I can't find the file you are referring on bootdisk.com

WINDOWS AND DOS BOOT DISKS
DOS/Windows9X/Me/NT/2K/XP Excellent Bootdisks

Is this where I should be looking for?
Thanks for all your help.
P
 
Yes - a Win98 boot disk would be perfect; Microsoft's "normal" Win98 boot disk would have all the stuff you need. (It was a floppy that, IIRC, was included with Win95/Win98 CDs.) You need to be able to SYS the hard drive so that it will boot DOS rather than Linux.
 
downloaded windows98 oem bootdik, ran the program and it generated a bootdisk, copied those files onto the laptop hd. Put back the hd in the laptop but the same error

GRUB LOADING STAGE1.5
Grub Loading, please wait....
Error 17
It is stuck there and nothing happens
 
Partitioned the HD 1st partition was 3.5gb H Drive
2nd parttion was 500mb I drive
downloaded windows98 oem bootdik, ran the program and it generated a bootdisk, copied those files onto the laptop hd (H drive).
When drive H is selected in Windows Explore all the files created from bootdisk are displayed.
Opened DOS prompt changed directory to H

Typed SYS at the prompt
H:\>SYS
'SYS' is not recognized as an inoperable program or batch file.

Next I tried this
Connected the floopy drive that has all the bootdisk files.
I:\>B:
B:\>SYS H:
'SYS' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.

PS: I am trying these on an XP Home machine.
 
You aren't booting from the floppy. You must do so.

SYS is found on the Win98 OEM boot disk. It is used to make a disk bootable. You need it so the hard disk will boot DOS. Boot the machine from the floppy with the 2.5" disk installed, and SYS the 2.5" hard disk.

http://www.computerhope.com/syshlp.htm

 
dclive thanks for your help... hope I am understanding you correctly.
This laptop does not have a builtin floppy drive, I am using an external usb floppy (B drive) and the BIOS does not have an option to boot from external device (floppy).
 
I am not able to SYS the 2.5" HDD

changed the BIOS to boot from floppy
It starts to boot from floppy and gives the following options
1.start computer with cdrom support
2.start computer without cdrom support
3. view help files

Tried all three options but it says

Please insert Windows 98 Startup Disk 2
Press any key to continue....

(The desktop does not have an internal floppy so I tried this on another windows 2000 laptop. When I open Windows explore on the 2000 laptop I see the 2.5" usb enclosure and the files....)
Any other ideas???
 
Downloaded the file and made a bootdisk.
The laptop boots from floppy and goes to A:\>
I do a A:\>SYS E:
says Invalid Drive Specification. I am pretty sure it is Drive E
Just for the heck of it I tried SYS C: it gave the same message.
Thanks
P
 
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