Formatting

[SoaringUSAEagle]

Well, I am trying to format my computer.  I am currently running XP Pro.  I used to do this just fine when running XP Home... Insert my 98 boot disk, and fdisk, then format c: and all that.  Well, now with Pro, when I reboot with the boot disk in the drive, it wont work -- as in, it's not reading the disk.

Any ideas?

Thanks.

[I R 1337]

OK, Here is what i do make sure you have a early version of windows such as 98 o r the FULL version of pro, then when you have both, insert the pro then before the format it will list alto of other versions, you then insert the 98 or or earlier version then hit enter then it'll ask for your pro disk. and you pretty much done  8) i do this all the time

[SoaringUSAEagle]

OK, Here is what i do make sure you have a early version of windows such as 98 o r the FULL version of pro, then when you have both, insert the pro then before the format it will list alto of other versions, you then insert the 98 or or earlier version then hit enter then it'll ask for your pro disk. and you pretty much done  8) i do this all the time

I have windows 98 SE, the actual CD and boot disk (floppy)...  I have the full version of XP Pro. 

I dont understand anything else that you are saying but thats because I am dumb

[fatkid]

Ummmm... Which disk isn't it reading after you format?  The floppy or the cd?  With a full copy of XP Home/Pro, or any of their OS disk you really don't need a 98 boot disk anyways... Just boot to the cd and you can unpartition everything and format it all...  Be sure to check though to make sure your boot order is done correctly, so the computer will read to the a:\ first, then the cd drive, and then to the hdd... No need for crazy disk swapping and voodoo magic on your computer...  :-\

[SoaringUSAEagle]

Ummmm... Which disk isn't it reading after you format?  The floppy or the cd?  With a full copy of XP Home/Pro, or any of their OS disk you really don't need a 98 boot disk anyways... Just boot to the cd and you can unpartition everything and format it all...  Be sure to check though to make sure your boot order is done correctly, so the computer will read to the a:\ first, then the cd drive, and then to the hdd... No need for crazy disk swapping and voodoo magic on your computer...  :-\

I can't even get it to format.  I insert the wndows 98 boot disk that I made on my moms computer when she ran windows 98.  When I reboot, it is supposed to read that disk and then I can fdisk and delete and create my new partitions. 

I don't know.  I am so fricking sick of this POS Compaq that it is about to go out to the damn dumpster.  I can't stand this hunk of shit anymore.

[SoaringUSAEagle]

I think my BIOS are jacked.... what do I need to push when rebooting to fix this stuff? 

My "friends" at the last LAN party I went to got in there and jacked with my computer thinking it would be fun to do because I am retarded in some areas of computers... and I dont even talk to the bastards anymore.  They started drinking and all that, and its just not stuff I like, so they can just have fun.

[fatkid]

Most of the time you should just be able to hit f1 to get into your BIOS options... On some PCs I think it might be the delete key... On others you can hit the f12 key and it will bring up your boot order (that's how our Compaq/HP machines work at my office)
Flash the BIOS then... Go onto Compaq's website and find the proper download for your BIOS to have it flashed... It will upgrade the BIOS to the latest version... Though dangerous for your computer, if you screw up during the BIOS flash, it's really really easy to do... Just follow the instructions to the letter...  Only other way to fix the BIOS would be to buy a new motherboard and install it...
BTW have you tried booting to your Windows XP Pro cd?  It's much easier to format and install from that CD than the Win98 boot disk... Final words of advice for this post... BIOS Password... nuff said... Good luck...

[SoaringUSAEagle]

BTW have you tried booting to your Windows XP Pro cd?

Yep, didnt work.  Just booted up like it normally does.

I am just not going to worry about it.

[fatkid]

Do a full install with the CD from Windows and then it will force the computer to restart and boot from the cd...

[SoaringUSAEagle]

Do a full install with the CD from Windows and then it will force the computer to restart and boot from the cd...

That worked.  I just told it to do the advanced installation or whatever it said exactly.  It got rid of what I needed it to, but now I am not able to install Norton Internet Security 2004.  It gets so far, then says it cant continue, then I have to press cancel, and it goes a bit further in the installation and then shuts it down and gives me another error and thats all it says.

I can get the exact works off it if one of you thinks you can help me.  I just dont feel like calling Norton and having them charge me $30.

Thanks fatkid for your assistance... I still am not able to press f1 or f12 for my bios lol... this computer is fricking weird.

ah well.

[fatkid]

Look into flashing your bios... As for Norton, why not take a screen cap and post it up so we can see what kind of error you're dealing with...

[Raine]

I read somewhere that on some Compaq's you need to press F10 to access BIOS. I got a 3 mo trial of Norton Security with this computer I received a couple weeks ago, was a pain in the rear for me. Couldn't even get into any games on pogo .  :'(

[SoaringUSAEagle]

The error I get is when it tries to install the Privacy Control

C:\Config.Msi.1ae08.rbf

I guess that file is missing or something because it isnt in that folder.

[I R 1337]

when bootin keep hitting ALL of the F# buttons i had to ion my friends computer to get i not the bios, i have a Compaq and i have to press F8

[fatkid]

Wow... That's terrible, because f8 had always been, and still is, the standardized key to enter safe mode... Stupid computer makers... :-\

[Raine]

I was looking up the  MSI  error on the Symantec site, and found this concerning it. Hope it helps.


http://makeashorterlink.com/?U45452248

Found this explanation also

Config.Msi is a hidden temp folder that your computer needs to have in order to install some programs.sometimes when
you run an anti spyware program or anything else that deletes your temp folders for you,the Config.Msi folder  get's deleted with the rest of the temp folders.so all you'd have to do is just create a folder called Config.Msi and give yourself full privilages  to modefy it's contents   and you're good,that simple.

[Maelstrom]

Before you do any of this, you might want to get the Win98 drivers for all your hardware. Video card, sound card, modem, etc..
If you have none of these, installing 98 will be VERY limited.

If your upgrading to XP then you'll need to rename the windows folder before running the install otherwise XP will try overwrite the Windows folder with existing 98 files(very bad).

If your downgrading to 98, you'll need to have a 98 boot disk and the CD. If your pc does not recognize the floppy, you will need to enter your bios setup to change this. For most pc's, the main buttons are usually F1, F2, or the Delete key. Press the button as soon as you get a picture from the monitor.
I am not certain what BIOS you have, but once your in find the option that has the Boot First, Boot Second, and Boot Third device options.
The first device should be 3 1/2 inch floppy, the second your Cd-rom/Cd-rw drive, and the third your Harddrive. If these aren't the way they look change them. If you can exit out, save the changes first.
Your floppy should be recognized when the pc reboots/restarts. If it does, you'll notice it trying to load windows with 98 drivers.

You'll have to fdisk anyway, because 98 cannot be installed on an NTFS file system. A logical DOS partition is what you want, but you'll need to remove the NTFS parition first and then add the DOS one, and type Y for large disk support( which is FAT32).
When fdisk is done, reboot and choose to have Cd-rom support and then type in format C:
When format is complete, put in your 98 disc and type in E:\setup   and you should be ready to go. If E: is not your cd-rom drive, try D: or F: