# Still having computer problems. Boot disc. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 20, 2005, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-having-computer-problems-boot-disc/309125 "2005-06-20T22:10:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2005, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-having-computer-problems-boot-disc/309125/1 "2005-06-20T22:10:08Z")
In another thread, I mentioned that MS-Word crashes my computer, claiming that there are insufficient resources to run it. This began happening a couple of weeks ago. Since my computer has been acting up for quite some time, I’ve decided to replace the hard drive and re-install Win98. I want to re-install Win98 instead of a newer OS because I already have the Win98 discs that came with the computer. I bought an 80gig external hard drive. I have taken the hard drive out of its case, and have put it into the computer. Right now, I’m using the original 20gig hard drive, which is just dangling. I went to [www.bootdisk.com](http://www.bootdisk.com) and downloaded the Win98 OEM boot disc. It will not work in my laptop (which still has Win95 on it), nor on this computer. I get a ‘non-system disc’ error. I’m told that I can boot from a CD. Unfortunately, one of the nagging problems I’m having with the computer is that the CD-ROM drive won’t activate. Now, I’ve used Gateway Go-Back in the past, and it has occasionally gotten the CD-ROM to work. But that option will wipe out some files I need. I tried using the Norton Rescue Disc option, but it’s asking for nine floppies. I can only find one. Any suggestions that will allow me to boot from a single floppy, which presumably would allow me to re-install Win98 from the CD onto the new drive? ---
**Author:** ![Myglaren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Myglaren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myglaren)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2005, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-having-computer-problems-boot-disc/309125/2 "2005-06-20T22:23:16Z")
Don’t you know anyone that uses WIN98 that can make a boot disk for you? Unfortunately I no longer use it so can’t help with that. Your local computer shop might just have one, you never know. Might be worth inquiring. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2005, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-having-computer-problems-boot-disc/309125/3 "2005-06-21T00:08:45Z")
You don’t want to use go-back or anything else. You should be able to boot from the CD without going through the previous operating system. Check your BIOS that it is set to boot from the CD before it boots from the hard drive. Since you’ve got an external drive, one thing you can do is use another computer to put all of the files from your win98 CD onto the external drive, then boot 98 on the laptop and copy the CD files over to the local drive. Then boot the computer in DOS mode (press F8 before windows starts loading) and go to the directory where you copied the 98 CD to and install from there. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2005, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-having-computer-problems-boot-disc/309125/4 "2005-06-21T01:34:35Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > You don’t want to use go-back or anything else. You should be able to boot from the CD without going through the previous operating system. Check your BIOS that it is set to boot from the CD before it boots from the hard drive. It’s set to boot from the CD-ROM first. Can’t open the CD-ROM unless the computer detects it (I’ve tried opening it before Windows starts). So booting from the CD is out. I called the computer shop after I posted. They said that my CD-ROM is probably faulty. I think I may just have them put in a new CD-ROM drive and install Win98 on the hard drive I installed earlier today. If I hadn’t wanted to try it myself, it would be done by now. ---
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2005, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-having-computer-problems-boot-disc/309125/5 "2005-06-21T02:04:56Z")
At this point, I would be checking the connections for the CD drive. Make sure that the ribbon cable is firmly on the mobo as well as the back of the CD drive. Wiggle the connectors a little. Make sure that the power cable is attached firmly to the CD drive as well. Even with a totally blank hard drive with no OS whatsoever, the CD should still open up on command when you hit the button on powerup. One other possibility could be to see if it is somehow disabled in the BIOS. CD drives are so cheap these days; a friend of mine gave me an old one out of an aging PC a few weeks ago and that fixed my own troubles. No fancy work needed – just pop out the old one, pop in the new, fit the cables. Just like the hard drive. It’s worth doing once you have established that the other one is shot. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2005, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-having-computer-problems-boot-disc/309125/6 "2005-06-21T02:11:52Z")
> [@minor7flat5](#): > > At this point, I would be checking the connections for the CD drive. Make sure that the ribbon cable is firmly on the mobo as well as the back of the CD drive. Wiggle the connectors a little. Make sure that the power cable is attached firmly to the CD drive as well. Already have done. No joy. ---
**Author:** ![pace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c2a13f/32.png) [@pace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pace)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2005, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-having-computer-problems-boot-disc/309125/7 "2005-06-21T03:52:16Z")
You may want to try this first and see how it goes…this website has downloadable copies of boot disks for common operating systems. See if this helps. [www.bootdisk.com](http://www.bootdisk.com) Cheerios! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2005, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-having-computer-problems-boot-disc/309125/8 "2005-06-21T04:06:14Z")
> [@pace](#): > > You may want to try this first and see how it goes…this website has downloadable copies of boot disks for common operating systems. See if this helps. > > [www.bootdisk.com](http://www.bootdisk.com) > > Cheerios! 🙂 I already tried [bootdisk.com](http://bootdisk.com). When I tried to boot from the disc, it said I was trying to boot from a non-system disc. I talked to my friend and future business partner. I told him my plan to take the computer to the shop, and then go to the studio to get started on my Final Cut Pro lessons. He said I should let him look at my PC. Apparently, he wanted to come over and give it a try. But if he comes over, then that will push the editing back again. So the new plan is this: I’ll take my computer to the studio. He’ll find one of his disused CD-ROM drives and try to install Win98 onto the new hard drive using the OEM CD that came with the PC. I’ll get on the Mac and get started editing the last wedding. If all else fails, then I’ll be in town where the computer shop is. ---
**Author:** ![sewalk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@sewalk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sewalk)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2005, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-having-computer-problems-boot-disc/309125/9 "2005-06-21T04:16:04Z")
It sounds like your drive is not configured properly. Check the Master/Slave settings on your drive. Many system builders are lazy and install the CDROM drive as the secondary slave with no master present on that channel. Some BIOS will boot from a drive configured this way, some won’t. If it is the sole drive on the cable, it needs to be set as Master. ---
**Author:** ![sewalk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@sewalk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sewalk)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2005, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-having-computer-problems-boot-disc/309125/10 "2005-06-21T04:22:31Z")
I meant to include that Windows9x will have no problem seeing a CDROM drive regardless of the setting. That would explain why it works fine in Windows but won’t boot. ---
**Author:** ![pace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c2a13f/32.png) [@pace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pace)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2005, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-having-computer-problems-boot-disc/309125/11 "2005-06-21T04:25:51Z")
[QUOTE=Johnny L.A.] I already tried [bootdisk.com](http://bootdisk.com). When I tried to boot from the disc, it said I was trying to boot from a non-system disc. [QUOTE] check the files from the boot disk and check if you have a file called “[COMMAND.COM](http://COMMAND.COM)” … if you don’t have it, the system will not recognize your disk as a system reusable disk. ---
**Author:** ![sewalk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@sewalk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sewalk)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2005, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-having-computer-problems-boot-disc/309125/12 "2005-06-21T05:36:41Z")
A missing [COMMAND.COM](http://COMMAND.COM) will not generate a no system disk error. Without it, DOS says something to the effect of “Missing command interpreter. Type the path to [COMMAND.COM](http://COMMAND.COM) \>” IO.SYS is the needed file and it must reside in a specific location on the disk to boot. ---
**Author:** ![pace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c2a13f/32.png) [@pace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pace)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2005, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-having-computer-problems-boot-disc/309125/13 "2005-06-21T05:43:51Z")
Sewalk, you’re right. One more thing, if I remember correctly…these system files are different for different version of Windows. It even differs in the different releases of Win98. ---
**Author:** ![Daizy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/46a35a/32.png) [@Daizy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daizy)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2005, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-having-computer-problems-boot-disc/309125/14 "2005-06-21T05:46:50Z")
Hi \*\*Johnny L.A \*\* When you downloaded that bootdisk from [bootdisk.com](http://bootdisk.com), did you dowload it to somewhere on your computer…double click it…and allow it to make a floppy for you? Or did you simply copy the file to a floppy? ---
**Author:** ![Myglaren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Myglaren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myglaren)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2005, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-having-computer-problems-boot-disc/309125/15 "2005-06-21T06:01:10Z")
> [@pace](#): > > Sewalk, you’re right. One more thing, if I remember correctly…these system files are different for different version of Windows. It even differs in the different releases of Win98. Should work though, I always used an ME boot disc to load 98, as the 98 boot discs version of FDISC couldn’t deal with large hard drives. I’m wondering if the boot disc from [bootdisc.com](http://bootdisc.com) doesn’t have the system files in the boot sector. You might try going into DOS on another machine, putting in a blank floppy, running the SYS a: command and then copying the files from [bootdisk.com](http://bootdisk.com) onto it. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2005, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-having-computer-problems-boot-disc/309125/16 "2005-06-21T14:22:01Z")
> [@Daizy](#): > > Hi \*\*Johnny L.A \*\* > When you downloaded that bootdisk from [bootdisk.com](http://bootdisk.com), did you dowload it to somewhere on your computer…double click it…and allow it to make a floppy for you? Or did you simply copy the file to a floppy? I copied them onto the floppy. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2005, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-having-computer-problems-boot-disc/309125/17 "2005-06-21T14:53:52Z")
Try what Daizy said, then. Run the file you downloaded and let it make a boot disk for you. What you need is a bunch of files, extracted from the file you downloaded, on a bootable disk. Not just the file you downloaded. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2005, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-having-computer-problems-boot-disc/309125/18 "2005-06-21T16:26:11Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > Try what Daizy said, then. Run the file you downloaded and let it make a boot disk for you. What you need is a bunch of files, extracted from the file you downloaded, on a bootable disk. Not just the file you downloaded. I’ve done that now, and it seems to work on my Win95 laptop. I got to a point where I didn’t know how to proceed, and I’m short on time anyway. I have a link from another thread bookmarked on my PowerBook with instructions about how to reformat the hard drive and install Win98. (I was unable to proceed because I didn’t know I had to run the .exe file in order to make the disc.) I’m committed to taking the PC to the studio, since that’s where my friend has the extra CD-ROM. But I’m sure the floppy will be an asset. Thanks for the advice. I’ll try to do the PC laptop later. ---
**Author:** ![Daizy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/46a35a/32.png) [@Daizy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daizy)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2005, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-having-computer-problems-boot-disc/309125/19 "2005-06-21T21:39:47Z")
I thought it might have been that the start up disk wasn’t properly made. They don’t make that set of instructions clear do they? Anyhow… Once you’ve made the boot disk, test it to see if you can get to your CD-ROM drive. To do this reboot the machine with the floppy disk in the floppy drive and when the machine restarts choose “Start with CD-ROM support”. At the prompt type d: (and hit ENTER). If the machine responds with D:> you’re good to go. Next type “format c:” No quotes (and hit ENTER). The C: drive (main hard drive) will then be wiped clean. Once the reformat is finished put your Windows CD-ROM disk in the CD-ROM drive, and type “D:\setup” at the prompt. ---
**Author:** ![Myglaren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Myglaren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myglaren)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2005, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-having-computer-problems-boot-disc/309125/20 "2005-06-21T22:03:33Z")
> [@Daizy](#): > > I thought it might have been that the start up disk wasn’t properly made. They don’t make that set of instructions clear do they? > > Anyhow… > Once you’ve made the boot disk, test it to see if you can get to your CD-ROM drive. To do this reboot the machine with the floppy disk in the floppy drive and when the machine restarts choose “Start with CD-ROM support”. > > At the prompt type d: (and hit ENTER). If the machine responds with D:> you’re good to go. > > Next type “format c:” No quotes (and hit ENTER). > > The C: drive (main hard drive) will then be wiped clean. > > Once the reformat is finished put your Windows CD-ROM disk in the CD-ROM drive, and type “D:\setup” at the prompt. Are you sure about this, **Daizy**. When I have done this, c: was the ramdrive the floppy created and loaded into, d: was the hard drive and e: the CD-ROM, or variants of this depending on how many drives and partitions were there, but c: was always the ramdrive. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-having-computer-problems-boot-disc/309125.md?page=2)