so many problems installing win98 se...

[HotKetchup]

I finally got Win98 SE to start installing. I had it install to the slave drive D: and after it finished copying files to the hard disk, it prompted me to remove any disks and restart for the first time. I did. Then it says: "BOOT DISK FAILURE, INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER." Why is it asking me to do this? Shouldn't it just continue on to more setup procedures?

I tried changing the boot device in bios from HDD-1 to HDD-2 which is where I installed 98, but it didn't work. It still wants a boot disk. It's like I never installed anything.

 

[timswim78]

Originally posted by: HotKetchup
I finally got Win98 SE to start installing. I had it install to the slave drive D: and after it finished copying files to the hard disk, it prompted me to remove any disks and restart for the first time. I did. Then it says: "BOOT DISK FAILURE, INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER." Why is it asking me to do this? Shouldn't it just continue on to more setup procedures?

I tried changing the boot device in bios from HDD-1 to HDD-2 which is where I installed 98, but it didn't work. It still wants a boot disk. It's like I never installed anything.

Try switching the slave drive and the master drive.

 

[HotKetchup]

I just tried taking the master drive off and setting up the slave as the master. It does the same thing. And there's just one HDD in my system now.

 

[GonzoDaGr8]

Fdisk and format one master drive as C:. Then try installing again. From my experiences, Win95,98,ME only like to be on C: drive.

 

[HotKetchup]

I did that. I had only one HDD in there at the time that I created a primary DOS partition on and called C:, then reformatted it. It didn't work. However, the wierdest thing just happened... I said "screw it I'll just install 98 later" so I set up the drives as I had them earlier with the one I just installed 98 on as the slave. I put the WinXP pro disk in and when I booted it went directly to the next phase of 98 setup... this is seriously odd.

UPDATE: I took the XP disk out and rebooted after I got 98 all set up and it asked for the system disk again. But when I put the XP disk back in and rebooted, it booted right into 98. Why is it relying on the XP disk?

 

[GonzoDaGr8]

Sounds like the MBR is butt-hammered. Boot to your Win98 boot floppy, and at the A:\ prompt, type (witout quotes) "fdisk /mbr" and then hit enter. See if that fixes it.
EDIT: I have got to ask...What brand of HDD are you using? If it is a WD, and on it's own on the channel, for sh!ts a giggles, set the jumper to cable select.

 

[HotKetchup]

What is the MBR? I'm using an 80gb WD SE as my primary and a few-year-old 20gb Seagate as the slave.

The current situation is: I have both OS's installed on their corresponding drives. And when I have the WinXP disk in, it boots into XP. When it's not in, it boots into 98. And I was never prompted during installation or any time afterward to chose which OS to boot into.

I'm tired of this. It's been three days with my new comp and I haven't played a single game. I'm just going to forget about the slave right now and install XP until my friend can take a look at it. I'm only installing 98 so I can try Fallout. I wonder if it's really worth the trouble.

 

[GonzoDaGr8]

MBR..Master Boot Record. Your other option would be to create two partitions on the 80GB drive and do a dual-boot with Win98/XP Which is exactly what I do. Some way, some how, your attempts at installing Win98 on a slave drive then trying to switch it to master is just not working. There is no reason that after fdisking and formatting a master drive that it shouldn't work. Look up in the FAQ's on how to do a dual-boot setup.

 

[GonzoDaGr8]

I finally got Win98 SE to start installing. I had it install to the slave drive D:

I did that. I had only one HDD in there at the time that I created a primary DOS partition on and called C:

Your sort of contradicting yourself there..Did you at one time set it up as slave drive d:\ and then later reformat and try to set it up on C:\? Also, does the HDD show up properly in the BIOS?

 

[HotKetchup]

Yes, that is what I did with the drive. And yes, it shows up properly in the bios.

I think I might have found part of the problem, though. I disconnected the slave and reformatted the primary (the WD) in NTFS then installed XP. It installed fine but it won't boot into windows unless I have the CD in the drive. What in the world is up with this?

 

[ISAslot]

Originally posted by: HotKetchup
Yes, that is what I did with the drive. And yes, it shows up properly in the bios.

I think I might have found part of the problem, though. I disconnected the slave and reformatted the primary (the WD) in NTFS then installed XP. It installed fine but it won't boot into windows unless I have the CD in the drive. What in the world is up with this?

Originally posted by: GonzoDaGr8
...What brand of HDD are you using? If it is a WD, and on it's own on the channel, for sh!ts a giggles, set the jumper to cable select.

 

[HotKetchup]

I'm leaving town for the weekend in an hour so I'll have to try the jumper thing when I get back. Thanks for all your help people.

UPDATE: What is "cable select" by the way?

 

[SpeedFreak03]

In FDISK, is the Win98 Partion set as active? If I remember correctly, pressing 2 at the FDISK main screen takes you to the screen that lets you set which partiton is active.

 

[farscape]

I guess that this is a new/updated system.

Your WD will most likely be faster than your old Seagate. Use it as your Primary (Master) drive, and run Fdisk to partition it, (make the other partitions bootable) then format the "C" partition in fat32. Install 98 on this drive. 98 has to be installed first - it wants to use C, and it will make your life miserable if it is anywhere else. 98 creates the MBR (Master Boot Record). If you install XP on the "C" drive first, then when you attempt to install 98 later, it (98) will rewrite the MBR that XP just created and will futz up the whole works. This is what I guess you tried to do originally, and that's why it's giving you the trouble that you are having.

Install XP on your "D" drive. It will recognize that there is an opsys already on the system and will prompt you on whether to over write the "C", or to set up on another drive/partition and apply for a multi-boot option.

For better security, the "D" drive should be in NTFS. XP will be able to read the contents on "C", but 98 will not be able to access info/files on "D".

If you only use your WD, (there should be a small diagram on the drive that tells you how the jumper needs to be set) it needs to be set for cable select. WDs for some reason do not like being set as Master if they are all alone by themselves. If you use both drives then set the WD as Master and the Seagate as Slave.

 

[GonzoDaGr8]

If you only use your WD, (there should be a small diagram on the drive that tells you how the jumper needs to be set) it needs to be set for cable select. WDs for some reason do not like being set as Master if they are all alone by themselves. If you use both drives then set the WD as Master and the Seagate as Slave.

Yes, For some damn reason, WD drives are very picky about being alone. If you set it to master, It WILL show up in the BIOS correctly, But there is a short lag like it is trying to find the drive and then eventually does. This will cause the "insert boot disk" thing. Only way I know to get a WD drive to work on its' own is to pull ALL the jumpers off. If you use the WD as master and the Seagate as slave, Set the jumpers to "master with slave present". I still suggest trying at "cable select" though.

 

[HotKetchup]

Originally posted by: farscape
I guess that this is a new/updated system.

Your WD will most likely be faster than your old Seagate. Use it as your Primary (Master) drive, and run Fdisk to partition it, (make the other partitions bootable) then format the "C" partition in fat32. Install 98 on this drive. 98 has to be installed first - it wants to use C, and it will make your life miserable if it is anywhere else. 98 creates the MBR (Master Boot Record). If you install XP on the "C" drive first, then when you attempt to install 98 later, it (98) will rewrite the MBR that XP just created and will futz up the whole works. This is what I guess you tried to do originally, and that's why it's giving you the trouble that you are having.

Install XP on your "D" drive. It will recognize that there is an opsys already on the system and will prompt you on whether to over write the "C", or to set up on another drive/partition and apply for a multi-boot option.

For better security, the "D" drive should be in NTFS. XP will be able to read the contents on "C", but 98 will not be able to access info/files on "D".

If you only use your WD, (there should be a small diagram on the drive that tells you how the jumper needs to be set) it needs to be set for cable select. WDs for some reason do not like being set as Master if they are all alone by themselves. If you use both drives then set the WD as Master and the Seagate as Slave.

I think I get what you're saying. But I want to install 98 on the Seagate and XP on the WD, not both on one drive. I'll see if I can transfer what you said to how I would like it set up.