now how do i format a hard drive with no msdos?
Do you have an operating system cd like windows 98/2000/or XP?
If not if you still have the old HD with an OS on it you can slave the drive and use the OS itself to format it.
ok how the hell can u slave a hard drive on a laptop? and i have windows xp pro for an os
Stick in the CD and make sure your BIOS boots from it. You should be able to format and install XP then.
ive tryed that and it still comes up no operating system. also i have only 2 choices when i go into set up. disskette only and boot from drive. i tryed the boot from drive and it tells me no operating system and doesn't load at all. cd rom i use.
Well, lets get to the basics... what type of computer? i.e. brand, processor, floppy drive or not... yada yada.
it is a dell latitude lm 133mghz processor new 20 gig hard drive 84 meg ram i do beive interchangabul drive cd rom is in it now but i can change it to a floppy if neccisary.
Well, that poses a dilema now doesn't it, hmmm. Well my suggestion would be to put the floppy drive in, find a bootable floppy (preferably windows 98). Boot the computer with it and fdisk and format the drive. Once that's done do a sys command from the floppy to the hard drive. This will make the hard drive bootable, then copy the files from the 98 boot disk onto the hard drive. Once that's done swap the cd drive back in and use the hard drive to load the cd-rom and run it. Should work, it's been a while so i'm a bit rusty on dos.
ok heres the one major prob. i have no boot disk at all. now how do i make one?
What OS are you running on the PC you're using right now? If it's 98 or you have access to a 98 machine, use it to make a bootable floppy. That floppy will contain the FDISK tool as well as Generic CD-Rom drivers to get you started. Do exactly as nirvanagod says after that.
windows xp home on this one on the old hard driv on the laptop windows 98 second edition
Well, 'nother dillema. Do you have any machines that are windows 98 or know of anyone that does?
Use the old drive for a bit, and don't format it for a while after. It'll come in handy. And if you need help figuring the boot disk thing let us know.
the old one is in there now now where do i find the program to make the bootabul floppy? on 98 and xp
In 98 you need to go under Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs and it's in there under one of the tabs.
the same on xp?
Windows 98 : Control Panel, Add remove Programs, should be under one of the tabs, Third one I think .
*edit* I can't seem to type fast enough, but you want 98 not xp, xp won't make a properly usable disk.
ok another huge prob it won't recognize the windows 98 second edition cd to make the boot disk so now what?
http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm <-Will make you a nice down and dirty boot disk. Then you should be set.
thanx for the info
It's Looking for the cab files from the 98 cd, put the cd drive in copy the cabs folder off the cd to the hd (if you have room). Then put the floppy drive back in and make the disk again, this time when it asks for the windows 98 cd, point it to where you put the cab files.
ok i downloaded the program to make a boot disk i fixed the hd now it just reads the disk i made and does nothing is this normal or is this fixing the hd?
ok now nother prob i got dos 6.22 it says starting msdos then it quits what now?
Honestly if you still can try the method i described with copying the cab files off the 98 cd to the hard drive if you can. It'll give you the right type of boot disk. If not do you have a network set-up at home?
im working on a wireless set up but i need the laptop up and running to do so and i whanted to work on the new hard drive so i could acheve it.