Need help getting cd-rom in safe mode!!!

[xchangx]

A friend of mine accidently deleted a few files needed to run wondows 98. I can get into Safe Mode, but it won't recognise the Cd-Rom. How can I get the cd-rom into safe mode? All I need to do is reinstall windows...

Chang

 

[TheVrolok]

You have your startup disks and the like? Hope so, because they probably have the CD-ROM drivers you need to install to find it. How old is your comp? I had a very similar problem a few years back when my computer couldn't find my CD-ROM in safe mode, how annoying that was, had to dig up a startup disk and reinstall the drivers in DOS. If you wanna reinstall 98 I would suggest reformatting the HD and installing clean, works much nicer. That is if you can spare your data.

 

[Pederv]

Can't, safe mode loads without drivers and that includes the cdrom drivers. I've even tried it with the dos drivers, still a no-go. Sometimes windows will copy the cab files into C:\windows\options\cabs you can try installing from there but you may have to use the boot disk and the win98 cd.

 

[xchangx]

All I have is a boot disk. It's not my computer and I know he doesn't want to do a clean install, so, I just need to cdrom. Could you copy the cd to a temp directory? How do you work with cab files?

Chang

 

[TheVrolok]

Pederv, really? It worked for my by installing the DOS drivers off an old Gateway boot disk

xchangx, I guess you could copy the CD to a dir(take his drive to your house, slave it, copy, put it back) and then install. But I've never done it so I'm not sure, don't know if it would screw up the CD-ROM configuration or mess anything up.

 

[Pederv]

It's been a while, my mind may be going, but I'm pretty sure. Yes you can copy the \Win98 directory off the cd into another directory and install from there. Do it all the time with laptops that can only have iether the floppy or the cdrom connected(but not both).

 

[rbV5]

Just go here bootdisk.com download the win98 bootdisk, it has cd rom support.

 

[TheVrolok]

yeah.. try what rbV5 said.. man, where would the world be without Bootdisk.com

 

[xchangx]

I have a boot disk. That'll only get you into DOS. I need to get into Windows to reinstall so I can keep all my settings.

Chang

 

[Slikkster]

xchangx, it appears you don't understand some of what's been told you so far. A bootdisk with cdrom support will get you into dos, yes, but, it will allow the cdrom to run. The windows 98 CD will run from Dos. In other words, you certainly can reinstall from DOS. That's how the majority of Windows 98 installations are done in the first place. Comprendo?

If you go to bootdisk.com, download the file for Win98SE. Have a clean, formatted floppy ready. Run the file you downloaded, and it will create a bootdisk with cdrom drivers on it so that when you boot to Dos, you'll be able to switch to your cdrom drive and run setup.exe to reinstall windows. Make sure you reinstall it in the same directory it's in now (c:\windows) so it will keep all your current settings. Reinstalling that way will not lose your settings.

If you can get into safe mode, it doesn't sound like a total reinstall is actually necessary, although it wouldn't hurt anything. Exactly what version of Windows 98 are you using (first edition, or Windows 98 SE (second edition), AND, what files does it say it's missing? It sounds to me that you're really trying to say that you simply need to extract some missing files off the cd vs. completely reinstalling. If that's the case, what files does Windows say it's missing? Again, be specific about which version of Windows 98 you are using.

 

[browndogsarebest]

As far as I can remember the command for getting into Windows safe mode with the CDRom loaded is
C:\win /d:m

 

[Lvis]

There is a pretty good chance that by installing win 98 over itself, without formating, that it will be fixed. Just use the boot disk and reinstall. It will replace missing files and more or less return it to the way it was when originally installed, but won't erase your data.

 

[xchangx]

Slikkster, I completely understand what you're saying, but, what I'm saying is that if you install 98 from dos, it won't keep your settings. I've done that before, and had to make shortcuts for all the programs. If you reinstall from windows, it'll keep all your settings.

 

[KGB]

Try this:

Using a boot disk (w/CDROM support), copy the cab files to your HD.
Re-boot to safe mode and run SFC. This will replace the missing files without having to re-install.