formatting problems

[RON]

i formatted my c drive. when i turn on my computer i tried to install a driver for my cdrom. it says cannot open config.sys. i think i forgot to add the \s symbol to save my system files. now, everytime i go into dos and hit e:> it says not ready reading e:> . how do i get my system files back to my computer so i can load a driver for my cdrom????

[ziba-june]

Boot from a: with you floopy and issue the SYS command; Sys A: C:. That will transfer the system files to your c: drive.

[RON]

forgive me, but i forgot to add one small detail. i`m a computer retard. i basically need step by step help. thanks for the help http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

[Randy_tx]

Lets start at the beginning! You have a formatted hard drive and i assume you want to put an operating system on it [Win98 or Me I would guess] and you need to know how to do it?? Bout sum it up.........If so, Obtain a Win98 or Me Startup disk from a computer that already has an operating system you will be using, on it, and START the computer with that floppy disk in it.......WHEN IT STARTS UP IT WILL ASK IF YOU WANT CD ROM SUPPORT..say YES! Now you have a generic CD driver already installed on your computer [ususally it's D: or E:] ...so you type cd [space]D http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/frown.gifor E as the case may be)....then hit ENTER........now type "Setup" [dont put any quotes by setup...just type the word!] with the Operating System CD in your CD and it will start loading the Operating System.

------------------
Will XP save Me ?

[RON]

i tried that and when i press enter after i type in setup, it reads "not ready reading drive E: abort,retry,fail"
i took a floppy from work and created a disk from windows 98 (that`s what i`m installing) and tried to boot up from that. i also tried to use a floppy that has the atapi cd driver on it but it says cannot open config.sys,read only file. every time i put in a disk into my cdrom i spins a million rps. should i be worried about my cdrom spinning so fast??

[danleff]

Hi;

It may sound simple, but did you have your win cd in the drive when you tried the above steps?

Do you have just one hard drive on your system? Any other hardware, like a zip drive?

Do you get a message when you boot that allows you choose "with cd rom support"?

If you do, and choose it,

Once you boot from the boot disk and get the A: or c: prompt, try typing the following, AFTER inserting the win cd;

d:

Then hit enter. See if you get a "D" prompt. If so, type

dir

Then hit enter.

If the cd rom spins and you get a list of files from the win cd, then your cd rom is being read from the D drive.

If the files displayed are not the win 98 cd rom files

Type

e:
then hit enter.

If you get the error message described in your last message, then I wonder if the boot disk has CD rom support. Make sure the win cd is in your drive.

If after typing in "d:" or "e:" your cd spins and you get a display of files (after typing "dir" and hitting enter) what seems like the win files from the cd rom, then type

setup

Hit enter

See if windows starts to load.

If none of this works, you can get a boot disk off the web that should work - I can tell you a site that I used.

[This message has been edited by danleff (edited 08-09-2001).]

[RON]

it`s amazing, after 2 weeks without my computer, it works again. a friend told me to load the win 98 startup disk. then i chose without cdrom support. then i typed in a:/>sys c:. then rebooted.then i chose withcdromsupport.then i typed e:/>setup.exe. it started to load but then after only 27% of win installed, i lost my cdrom again. so i just used an older cdrom that i had and repeated the process. ta da! windows was installed. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif thank you for all the help. i couldn`t have done it without your help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

[danleff]

hi;

Cool! Do you realize that you solved the problem with just a little prompting?

I love it when a plan comes together!

Good work!