Installing Operating System Possible No Optical Drive Drivers

[gamerproject1998]

For anyone that doesn't know I am working an old motherboard from 1999 trying to turn it into a working windows 98 computer and I asked a question earlier. http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-3802095/building-older.html
Now I ran into another problem after finding the Model Number of the motherboard I realized what if I can't install my Disc of windows 98 because there are no drivers for an optical drive. That would make it impossible to install the operating system should I buy a floppy version of Windows 95 or 98 if there is one?

 

[Lutfij]

You should find any and or all drivers off of SiS's support page, here. Unfortunately if your system isn't up and running, this tool is apparently useless.

 

[gamerproject1998]

I have an idea I am not sure if it is possible but what if I were to find a compatible hard drive with an OS already on it with driver's required then could I install it plus considering the motherboard was recovered from the Tech Center it is possible the Hard Drive is still there.

 

[Phillip Corcoran]

As I seem to recall from way back then, the Windows 98 installation CD is not bootable, you have to boot from a system boot floppy, then invoke the Windows 98 Setup from the command line:

Installing Windows 98

1) Use a Win98 Startup disk (with CD support) to boot your computer (*see below).
2) Insert your Win98 CD into the CD Rom drive.
3) At the A: prompt type X:\Win98\Setup.exe where X: is your CD-ROM drive.
4) Proceed with the install. When prompted for the install location, you’ll see C:\Windows.000. Choose Other directory and change this to the drive you wish to install 98 to and name the folder Windows (or something else if you prefer).

5) Complete the Win98 install. Allow the computer to boot into Win98.


Hope this helps - - when I started in computers, Windows 3.11 was the current version -- I have to say it was an excellent tool to learn DOS commands - - young 'uns today have it too easy.


*Source for boot floppies & other bootable media: http://bootdisk.com/

 

[gamerproject1998]

As I seem to recall from way back then, the Windows 98 installation CD is not bootable, you have to boot from a system boot floppy, then invoke the Windows 98 Setup from the command line:

Installing Windows 98

1) Use a Win98 Startup disk (with CD support) to boot your computer (*see below).
2) Insert your Win98 CD into the CD Rom drive.
3) At the A: prompt type X:\Win98\Setup.exe where X: is your CD-ROM drive.
4) Proceed with the install. When prompted for the install location, you’ll see C:\Windows.000. Choose Other directory and change this to the drive you wish to install 98 to and name the folder Windows (or something else if you prefer).

5) Complete the Win98 install. Allow the computer to boot into Win98.


Hope this helps - - when I started in computers, Windows 3.11 was the current version -- I have to say it was an excellent tool to learn DOS commands - - young 'uns today have it too easy.


*Source for boot floppies & other bootable media: http://bootdisk.com/

Well thank you Phillip for your educational input I have always been fascinated by older technology so what your are saying is I need to have a dos operating system pre-installed to even install the operating system or I need the diskette to install it too? Furthermore could you find me this "Boot Diskette". If so any suggestions? Also that doesn't answer weather or not I can obtain the drivers to even use the floppy or disc drive from other means could you answer that too?

 

[BillV39]

I haven't been here in years and am just about to ask some questions related to new monitors on a 98SE system. In the process I've noticed your thread. My notes say to look for the file \win98\setup.txt on the 98 CD and go to Performing a Clean Boot. You don't need to have DOS installed but you do need the startup disc (floppy) to boot from. Come back here if you can't find the file as I haven't looked at it in more than seven years and I've doubtless forgotten things.