removing XP

siggy

Baseband Member
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I have got hold of a cheap Laptop running XP. I wish to remove the Windows XP and install Windows 98se. This is because I have some soft ware that I need to access .....that XP just will not accept even after using program compatability program........... Have tried a million and one ways and It just wont work

So how do I go about formatting the HDD to install 98se..

As trying to format the HDD with XP don't work

MY computer- right click- HDD -format
 
Hmm, are there updated versions of the sotware/patches anywhere?

You won't be able to format the drive while Windows is running since you are running from it. (Make sure also you have everything backed that you want, because formatting will delete everything, leaving the computer therietically blank (only retrievable with special software, so make sure you do back up before this))

Put a floppy disc into the floppy drive, go to my computer and right click the A: drive (the floppy drive) and go to format. Format the disc. (hopefully you have a floppy disc, and if not, try inserting the win 98 disc in at bootup (follow the instructions below to get it to have it as a bootup option before the hard drive, and see if it lets you to format the drive before installing the new windows, which it might do))

Then copy the following files to the floppy. They are hidden on the hard drive (usually C: ) To make them appear if you can't see them. Open the main drive, goto Tools, Folder options, View. Where it says 'hidden files and folders' select to show them.

- boot.ini
- ntdetect.com
- ntldr

Copy these files to the formatted floppy disc that you should now be able to see on the drive.
Use search if you can't find them, making sure that 'find hidden files and folders' is ticked in advanced as there might be alot of files on the drive.

Restart the system, but now you'll have to make sure that it is set to see the floppy drive first

Go into bios (usually by pressing del at bootup). Make sure that in the first menu i think, the first boot device is set to the floppy drive, the second to maybe the cd rom drive, and the 3rd to the hard drive.
Now save and exit

You are now set. It will notice the floppy disc in the drive and start to boot it because those files make it a boot disc. After all the loading you'll be left with this flashing on the screen

C:\ (or something like that, or it might say A:\
in which case just type

cd:\

Now it should create a new line saying C:\ (or your main drive with windows on it)

Type this after it:

format c: (or the drive letter your windows is installed on, most likely C)

it will say, are you sure? you type 'y'

It will now do it, and after it has finished, you'll be able to place the win 98 disc in and install it :)

Hope this works (Sorry about the long post, i'm sure it's worth my time though :) )
 
Kage

thanks for that

I would normally have done it from DOS but IIRC XP doesn't use it!!
 
hehe i dont know... i just sort of collect it in my head

IIRC XP doesn't use it? :S

so none of my information helps then.... doh
I was hoping you'd get it all sorted :|

Dos is the only way i can think of doing it, unless you put the win 98 cd rom in. let it boot from that, and when it starts installing it, it should ask to format it first (as stated up there)

Thats all i know i'm afriad. you've hit the end of my knoledge.... though I don't get why dos shouldnt work. Dos is on every pc if you use the bootdisc from up there...

A failed helper...
Hope you get it working though
 
Yeah...

The 98se cd has all you need to format and install 98se. You really don't need the floppy disk. Just a useless tibit there.
But the reason you can't from xp format the drive is xp is running and it will not let you destroy it. You have to go outside the os to format it.
Good luck finding all the laptop driver files you need. I had a good time finding all the ones for my tecra 520cdt.
 
Yeah I thought it might...

I should have avoided the Floppy thing... :(

If you have to, make the bios see the cd drive first by going into bios, and setting the cd rom drive as the first boot device before the hard drive to boot it.
(Listed up there...somewhere)

Hope you get it working
 
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