MS Command Prompt WithoutFloppy or OS

[Whittakerr]

There is a problem with my WinXP CD, it never allows me to do a fresh
install onto a computer, unless I install Win98 first but I'm using a
laptop, and it has no floppy drive to use a Win98 startup disk, and the
Win98 CD doesn't seem to get recognized as a system CD so I need to get
to the MS Command Prompt to install Win98. Could anyone tell me how to
get to a MS Command Prompt without having a floppy drive or OS
installed? Thanks!

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

The Windows XP CD is bootable and contains all the tools necessary
to partition and format your drive. Follow this procedure and allow
Windows XP to partition and format your drive:

NOTE: It would be best to physically disconnect all your peripheral hardware
devices, except the monitor, mouse and keyboard, before installing XP.

NOTE: If you have an internal Zip Drive installed, physically disconnect the
EIDE and power cable to it before proceeding, otherwise your main
hard drive may not be assigned the customary C: drive letter.
After installing Windows XP, you may then reconnect it.

1. Open your BIOS and set your "CD Drive as the first bootable device".

===> Accessing Motherboard BIOS
===> http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/bios_manufacturer.htm

2. Insert your Windows XP CD in the CD Drive and reboot your computer.

3. You'll see a message to boot to the CD....follow the instructions.

4. The setup menu will appear and you should elect to delete all the existing
Windows partitions, then create a new partition, then format the primary
partition (preferably NTFS) and proceed to install Windows XP.

5. Clean Install Windows XP
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

[Courtesy of Michael Stevens, MS-MVP]

6. ==> Immediately after installing Windows XP, make sure XP's Firewall is enabled:
==> http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/windowsxpsp2/Default.mspx

7. After Windows XP is installed, visit the Windows Update website
and download the available "Critical Updates".

8. After installing the critical updates, be sure and visit the support website
of the manufacturer of the computer to download and install any
available Windows XP compatible drivers, such as video adapter
and audio drivers.

9. If you happen to run into any installation difficulties, use the following resources:

How to Troubleshoot Windows XP Problems During Installation
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;310064

Troubleshooting Windows XP Setup
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_setup.htm


--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User

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

:

| There is a problem with my WinXP CD, it never allows me to do a fresh
| install onto a computer, unless I install Win98 first but I'm using a
| laptop, and it has no floppy drive to use a Win98 startup disk, and the
| Win98 CD doesn't seem to get recognized as a system CD so I need to get
| to the MS Command Prompt to install Win98. Could anyone tell me how to
| get to a MS Command Prompt without having a floppy drive or OS
| installed? Thanks!

 

[Rock]

There is a problem with my WinXP CD, it never allows me to do a fresh
install onto a computer, unless I install Win98 first but I'm using a
laptop, and it has no floppy drive to use a Win98 startup disk, and the
Win98 CD doesn't seem to get recognized as a system CD so I need to get
to the MS Command Prompt to install Win98. Could anyone tell me how to
get to a MS Command Prompt without having a floppy drive or OS
installed? Thanks!

Is it an Upgrade XP CD? If so a qualifying product doesn't need to be
installed. When it asks for it, just insert the win98 CD as proof.

 

[Wesley Vogel]

You do not the 98 CD first, you need it later in the process to prove that
you have qualifying media to install with an XP Upgrade CD.

<quote>
If you are using the upgrade version of XP on a computer without any version
of Windows currently installed, this is where you will replace the XP CD
with your qualifying CD, XP setup will scan the qualifying CD and instruct
you to replace it with the XP CD to continue XP setup; otherwise, you will
not see this screen. Clean install qualifying media can be any of the
following Win NT3.51, 4.0, 2000, Win 95, 98, Me and XP Home when upgrading
to XP Pro.
<quote>
See step 9 here...
Steps to Clean Install XP
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In