-=PCTechTalk=- Re: freezing
- From: "sylviavandewall" <pvdwall@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: <pctechtalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 15 Jan 2004 22:35:14 +0100
Mike, thank you for this tutorial. I would love to use it but this looks =
so very complicated for me. I always thought when I want to reformat I =
only put the start-up floppy in the drive and it will tell me from there =
on. But when I read all this I don't know what to do anymore.
Sylvia.
Hi Sylvia,
here is a tutorial that Ron Allen wrote for my newsletter a couple of =
years
back but it is still valid info.;
Reinstalling Windows, Clean Install
By Ron Allen <chizotz@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Here's a step-by-step, or as close to one as I can manage, for you :)
Under Windows9x, you create a boot floppy disk by formatting a floppy =
from=20
within Windows Explorer and ticking the "Copy system files" option.=20
Alternately, from a DOS prompt you can put a floppy in your a: drive and =
then use
format a: /s {enter}
which formats the disk and copies the system files to the floppy and =
makes=20
it bootable.
Then you need to copy several DOS utilities from your c:\windows\command =
folder over to the floppy. You have to have:
format.com
mscdex.exe
which is the DOS program that formats disks and the DOS CD-ROM support=20
file, respectively. I also like to have:
fdisk.exe
edit.com
on the boot floppy. FDisk is the hard drive partitioning utility, and=20
edit.com is the DOS text editor, handy for reading files and for making=20
changes to autoexec.bat and config.sys files if needed.
Now you will be installing Windows from your CD-ROM drive, so you also =
have=20
to copy your DOS CD-ROM drivers to the floppy and set up the =
autoexec.bat=20
and config.sys files on the floppy to load your CD-ROM drivers. You just =
have to know what the DOS driver for your CD-ROM is, there is no way for =
me=20
to tell you since it may be named almost anything. You might get a hint=20
from loading your config.sys file from c:\ into notepad and looking for =
a=20
line, possibly REM'd out by Windows setup, that includes the path to a =
file=20
ending in the .sys extension and followed by something like /D:x where x =
is=20
a string of characters and/or numbers, i.e. /D:CD001 or /D:MSCD01 or=20
similar. Your CD-ROM drive should have come with a floppy disk with the =
DOS=20
driver on it, and some kind of documentation to tell you what the file =
is=20
called. That may be a better place to look... if you still have that =
floppy=20
and documentation.
At any rate, you need to create an autoexec.bat file on the floppy that=20
looks something like this:
MSCDEX.EXE /D:MSCD001
and a config.sys file that looks something like this
DEVICE=3DCDTECH.SYS /D:MSCD001
LASTDRIVE=3DZ
Where "CDTECH.SYS" is replaced by the file name of your CD-ROM driver =
file.
Note that the parts after the MSCDEX.EXE and the CD-ROM driver file name =
are IDENTICAL. This is extremely important for the CD-ROM to work. The=20
actual characters after the /D: part are not as important as the fact =
that=20
the exact string is used in both autoexec.bat and config.sys.
Try booting your system using the boot floppy. Your computer should boot =
to=20
an a:\ prompt, and you should be able to change directory to d:\ where =
d:\=20
is replaced, if needed, with the drive letter of your CD drive (make =
sure=20
there is a CD in the drive).
cd d:\ {enter}
dir {enter}
If this displays the directory listing of the CD in the drive, then your =
CD-ROM support is working.
Mike reminded me recently that it's a good idea to use XDrive=20
(http://www.xdrive.com) or another such Internet drive site to store a =
copy=20
of your boot floppy on so even in the event of a complete hard disk =
crash=20
at the same time you discover a bad boot floppy you can still get a boot =
floppy already customized for your computer as long as you can get to =
the=20
Internet some way.
By the way, you can also create a boot floppy from start - settings -=20
control panel - add/remove programs - startup disk but this also =
installs a=20
RAM drive that automatically loads when you boot with it and some =
utilities=20
you don't really need (at least, I never have) and leaves off a few =
things=20
you do want. The RAM drive causes problems later because it installs=20
between your hard drive(s) and your CD-ROM drive(s) in the drive list.=20
Meaning that if you have just a C: drive and D: drive in your system, =
with=20
the RAM drive running you will have a C: D: and E: drives, where D: is =
the=20
RAM drive and E: is the CD drive. This changing of drive letters is=20
particularly annoying later when Windows is installed, the RAM drive =
gone,=20
and yet Windows constantly asks you to find the Windows CD for it =
because=20
it keeps on expecting to find it in drive E instead of D. This, too, can =
be=20
fixed... but I prefer to just avoid the situation all together :)
Now that you have a working boot floppy with the needed support files on =
it, you can continue the process.
BACK UP YOUR DATA FILES!
When you format the hard drive, all data is LOST. So you need to copy =
all=20
of your data files to floppy disks, backup tapes, CD-R/CD-RW -- =
somewhere=20
where you can copy them back later. By data files I mean all of the =
files=20
that you have created that hold the data that will not be reinstalled =
with=20
the software. Examples:
word processor document files (letters, recipes, etc.)
spreadsheet files and other financial records
image files you have downloaded or created
music files you have downloaded or created
and so on.
Also, if you have downloaded programs from the net, you need to also =
back=20
up the original .zip or .exe files so you can later reinstall them.
Once your data files are backed up, and you have your boot floppy, =
original=20
Windows CD, and any and all hardware driver CD's or floppies, you are =
ready=20
to format the hard drive.
Boot the computer with the boot floppy. At the a:\ prompt
format c: {enter}
You should see a warning about all data on non-removable disk C: being=20
lost. Press Y to continue, and it will say it is formatting C: and give =
you=20
updates on percentage done. When the format is complete, you will be=20
prompted to enter a name for the hard disk. I always name my main boot=20
drive MAIN, but any name 10 characters or less will do. Enter the name =
and=20
press {enter} and you will be returned to the a:\ prompt with a newly=20
formatted c:\ drive.
Now put the Windows CD in the drive.
cd d:\ {enter}
setup.exe {enter}
(where d is the letter of your CD drive again) will start Windows setup. =
Follow the prompts and soon you will have Windows reinstalled. Then you =
can=20
reinstall your programs, recopy your data files back to the hard drive,=20
and, finally, you're back in business. Hopefully with a lean, mean, =
clean,=20
pristine, smoothly running computer.
You can install any Windows upgrade directly from the upgrade CD, =
provided=20
that you have an original full-install version of Windows either on CD =
or=20
floppy. During the Windows setup, about the third or fourth step I =
believe,=20
you'll get a message that the version you are installing is an upgrade =
but=20
no previous version of Windows was found. There will be a "browse" =
button.=20
Put the full version CD of the previous Windows version you have (or the =
first floppy of the install set, if you have Windows 3.1 or Windows 95 =
on=20
floppy) in and browse to the drive you put it in. Click on OK (or =
"select"=20
or whatever the actual button says) and setup will verify that you do,=20
indeed, have a legitimate full version of Windows and qualify for the=20
upgrade. It will (should) ask you to replace the Windows setup disk in =
the=20
CD drive and will continue to install the latest version of Windows on =
your=20
machine.
Hope this helps!
Ron
_________________________
Mike
*********** REPLY SEPARATOR ***********
On 15/01/2004 at 11:18 AM sylviavandewall wrote:
Hi Mike,
I wish to do a clean install on a computer of one of the senioers I =3D
help, he has Win98, 500 Mhz, 320 RAM, and FAT32.
How do I go to about to save the drivers and internet settings as you =
=3D
said here??
What are the best steps to take?
Thanks in advance,
Sylvia.......Holland
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