New Computer Woes Help!!!!!! Still need help!

[Charley]

I was wondering if someone could help me. I recieved my computer today off ebay. I opted not to have an operating system installed because i have a windows 98 boot disc.

So anyways i fdisked and dropped the partitions and formatted the drive, and fdisked again and put new partitions in, i then proceeded to install windows 98.

When i installed windows 98, and when it was booting up for the first time, it came up with an error saying that i did not have enough memory to initialise 98, when i have 2gb memory which the bios is recognising.

The computer then resets itself, i have tried formmatting it again and installing again and this hasn't worked.

My system is 64-Bit which i'm not sure if this makes a difference.

6ghz processor (64-Bit dual core)
2gb Ram
160gb SATA hard drive

If you need any more info just say because i dunno what you  need!!

Char
xxx

[caffeinated.joy]

If I remember correctly, Windows 98 is a hybrid 16/32-bit OS right? That could be your problem. I have a 64-bit dual core and it runs XP 32-bit fine. Hopefully, Yakov, the Resident Guru of Computers, will be able to step in here and correct me if I'm wrong, or add other pertinent details.

[Charley]

I thought it might be! Don't have an XP boot disc, might see if i can make one. This new computer about 10 times as good as mine so i want it workin! lol Other wise i'm gonna have to put Vista on it which i will be borrowing off my mate tomorrow!

Char
xxx

[caffeinated.joy]

Vista...blech. I have it on my laptop and I hate it. XP is your best bet still, in my opinion.

Caveat: If you ever want to upgrade your ram and have it recognized by your OS, you'll to upgrade to a 64-bit OS...XP or Vista.

[Charley]

I wish it would just except 98, cos i would just install it then put XP straight on top!

My bro has Vista on his laptop, and i think it runs a bit slow, also with Vista for some reason there is a flaw when you put 4gb of ram in, which i was going to upgrade to.

I don't really wanna pay for Windows XP though, cos its just too overpriced!

I thought i was being clever installing the operating system myself and saving 50 quid for paying someone else to do it. But i guess not!

Char
xxx

[caffeinated.joy]

Vista is a huge resource hog. *insert piggy face here*. Now Vista comes in both 32-bit and 64-bit (same as XP), so the flaw could be in trying to install 4 gb of ram of a 32-bit system.

[Wednesday17]

Did I understand it right that your only problem is, that you XP cd isn't bootable? If I got that wrong, just forget it and don't read on.

But if it is... I dimly recall having a similar problem once. I think I started up with the floppy with cd support and then navigated to the cd drive and executed the setup from there. You sound like you know your way around some DOS commands, so... might this solve your problem?

[Charley]

Well, 98 won't run at all on my computer, and because my XP cd isn't bootable, can't just straight install it, it has to go over 98. The computer won't read it at all because its not bootable.

I think i'm gonna have to put vista on for the time being before i can buy XP, If i put a 32-bit OS on a 64- Bit machine, what difference does it make?

Char
xxx

[caffeinated.joy]

The only difference with putting a 32-bit OS on a 64-bit machine is that it won't recognize any more ram than what you have. I have XP-32 on mine and it's fine.

[Charley]

So it won't run slower or anything? Gonna open it up tomo to see how much memory it can take cos i have a 2gb stick spare!

Thanks for the info, but i don't have a floppy drive on either this crappy computer or my bro's laptop!

Char
xxx

[Wednesday17]

How did you use the Win98 boot disk if you have no floppy?
And how did you get the SATA drive to work without a disc (I didn't, I had to cannibalize my old pc for the damn floppy)?
And why doesn't the computer read a cd at all, when it's not bootable?

I didn't mean for you to install 98, but you can use the 98 disc to boot the pc and enable cd support and then it should read the not-bootable XP cd, if you go to the cd drive (I guess, it's D, unless you already gave that letter to a hd partition).

I am sorry if I didn't express myself properly in my second language...


Edit: Duh! With 'disc' you meant cd, right? Language problem. When we say 'disc', we mostly mean floppy disc and cd is cd.
So, you were able to use the 98 cd to format and partition, but not to install, right? Ok, now I'm getting it. I still wonder about the SATA hd, though...

[FisherX]

Charlotte .. You can install XP from a CD that isnt bootable as long as you have a 98 boot-diskette to start your machine.. the only prob is that you have to have a FAT-32 file system on your C-drive...
 Start your PC with 98 boot diskette... when u are on an A: prompt go to your CD-drive to folder i386 and write "winnt" (without the "") the press enter ... it will start your install....

[Wednesday17]

That's exactely what I was saying.
But without a floppy drive that just might be a bit... complicated.

[Charley]

I have now made an xp bootable CD using nero 6, but i'm still have problems with my computer, it doesn't recognise USB's and stuff like that and resets itself!

Char
xxx

[Charley]

I have now bought a Vista disc, and i'm still having problems, it won't install and i am now getting a BSOD! Why don't computers work they were supposed to?

Char
xxx