Can't install Win98SE on a computer "Designed for Windows XP" ?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Evan Reidell
  • Start date Start date
E

Evan Reidell

Can't install Win98SE on a computer "Designed for Windows XP" ?

My tried-and-true trick of

(a) booting from Win98 SE CDROM
(b) fdisk
(c) delete all partitions
(d) make one big Primary partition
(e) reboot from Win98 SE CDROM
(f) run Windows Setup
(g) have the drive formatted [recommended!]

has failed, on a computer "Designed for Windows XP".
I also bought a brand new out-the-shrinkwrap hard drive;
it's not the drive.

Error is "Win98 cannot format this hard drive; please exit Setup".

Is there something about "Designed for Windows XP" machines and hard
disk controllers that will not allow older OS installs?

That sucks!!

-- evan
 
You cannot install both Windows 98 and Windows XP
on "one big primary partition". Each operating system
must be installed on separate partitions. Windows 98
can only be installed on a partition formatted FAT32.

How to Multiple Boot Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows NT,
Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me, and MS-DOS
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q217210


--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------


| Can't install Win98SE on a computer "Designed for Windows XP" ?
|
| My tried-and-true trick of
|
| (a) booting from Win98 SE CDROM
| (b) fdisk
| (c) delete all partitions
| (d) make one big Primary partition
| (e) reboot from Win98 SE CDROM
| (f) run Windows Setup
| (g) have the drive formatted [recommended!]
|
| has failed, on a computer "Designed for Windows XP".
| I also bought a brand new out-the-shrinkwrap hard drive;
| it's not the drive.
|
| Error is "Win98 cannot format this hard drive; please exit Setup".
|
| Is there something about "Designed for Windows XP" machines and hard
| disk controllers that will not allow older OS installs?
|
| That sucks!!
|
| -- evan
 
If the computer is a factory made name brand designed for
XP and you are trying to install 98se, no, it won't work
right if it works at all unless you have the INF file for
the motherboard.
If you bought a new motherboard say, Asus, Intel, MSI,
you would get a setup disk with the INF file for the
chipset on the board as well as drivers and some neat 3rd
party software. You can reinstall XP from the OEM's setup
disks for that particular computer only.

Actually, with a new hd you need to create a primary
partition and make it active, reboot, then format it
(drive c:) and reboot. Then in the bios you need to set
the computer to boot from the CD drive, add the 98se CD,
reboot and install the OS. However without the INF file
for the MOBO 98se may be unstable to say the least.

You can try it and see what happens?

-David
 
Evan Reidell said:
Can't install Win98SE on a computer "Designed for Windows XP" ?

My tried-and-true trick of

(a) booting from Win98 SE CDROM
(b) fdisk
(c) delete all partitions
(d) make one big Primary partition
(e) reboot from Win98 SE CDROM
(f) run Windows Setup
(g) have the drive formatted [recommended!]

has failed, on a computer "Designed for Windows XP".
I also bought a brand new out-the-shrinkwrap hard drive;
it's not the drive.

Error is "Win98 cannot format this hard drive; please exit Setup".

Is there something about "Designed for Windows XP" machines and hard
disk controllers that will not allow older OS installs?

That sucks!!

-- evan
Click to expand...

Just because the drive is new, it doesn't mean it's guaranteed to be good.
Were you able to create a partition? Can you format it from a boot floppy?

If you installed ez-bios or anything like that, you won't be able to start
your install by booting from the CD, so that could be the problem.

Is everything set properly in the bios for your new drive?
 
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