Windows 2K Install Help...newbie question.

[ArvinC]

Hello everyone!

My roommate is TRYING to install Windows 2K on his buggy, beat-up but very much loved machine. He had Windows 98 in it (the "original" one, not the 2nd or SE versions) and it got so corrupted that he had to make a change. Suggested 2K since it's far more stable (right?) and has a similar interface to 98, which he's comfortable with.

Anywho, finally re-formatted the h/d, so it's blank. However, now he can't get the damn machine to read/install the 2K cd! It asks him to insert the boot disk with the CD-ROM drivers. What should he do? I was thinking that he could put the CD-ROM drivers onto a floppy and load them that way, right? Or perhaps he needs to make a boot-disk on another machine?

Although I don't know everything system-wise, I know he's running an AMD K-6II 300 with 192K RAM. I don't know what model or manufacturer his m/b is, but it does use some sort of ALI chip-set. Maybe he's machine isn't up to snuff to even run Windows 2K?

Any help or suggestions would be great!

ArvinC

 

[NogginBoink]

Hmm... the message you're talking about isn't familiar to me. (And I'm familiar with most of 'em.)

Could you please post the EXACT error message you're getting?

 

[elgeorge]

Hi,

If you can't get the computer to boot from the CD then try this:

- Go to another working computer, insert the Win2K CD and locate a folder in it called "Makeboot"

- Execute the Makeboot32.exe (or makeboot.exe if running on DOS), you will need 4 blank flooppy disks

That will put the necessary files into those 4 disks so you can boot up from the floppy drive and execute setup, which itself will recognize the CD.

Hope that helps.

George

 

[ArvinC]

Thanks for the reply!

Anyway, the exact message is as follows:

"If you are going to install for a CD-ROM then you will need to set the BIOS to boot to the CD-ROM or you can boot to a floppy with the CD-ROM drivers on it and then start the insatll from the CD."

Now, I did go into the BIOS and confirmed that the first place it should look to boot from is the CD-ROM drive, but the machine still gives this message. I have no clue what to try...not even sure I have CD-ROM drivers available to put onto a boot disk!

Told him he should just give in and build a new machine!! That's what I did...loving life, feeling FINE!!

ArvinC

 

[NogginBoink]

Okay, THAT is a new one for me. Never heard of any message like that before.

Anyone?

 

[ArvinC]

Hello again!

Okay, followed elgeorge's advice and made the boot discs. Everything went well on that end. But, after the fourth boot disk was done "installing," the machine again refuses to read from the CD-ROM drive. It says:

"Windows could not detect a CD_ROM drive insatlled on your machine. Windows will terminate the installation." Or something to that effect...

Anyone with any suggestions on why this is and what to try, please chime right on in. This should not be this hard. Perhaps his BIOS is now corrupt? I even tried using another CD-ROM drive I had laying around...still got the same message. Very puzzling and frustrating...glad it's not happening on my machine!

ArvinC

 

[Epyon9283]

Does the BIOS detect the cd-rom with the other IDE devices during startup?

 

[ArvinC]

Epyron,

I'm not positive on how to tell for sure, but it does spin the drive up...can not tell if it's just because the drive's getting power or if it's because it's actually trying to read the thing. He does have the BIOS setup to read the CD drive after reading the A drive for a boot disc, but still does not want to read off of it. Ever hear of anything like this before?

ArvinC