Figured I'd leave yuns with another, hope this is the right section to post this in.
I've been playing with my old CTX, reformatted the HD & tried to install 2000 on it since it didn't have enough room for the Linux I was gonna try.
This may be a CD-Rom problem,..just dont know.
The computer has a 300Ghtz processor, 256mb ram, with a 2.6gb Western Digital HD. The CMOS is set to boot CD. When I boot up & get to the 2nd part of the boot window I get a message that I have a "Bad System Disk"..replace disk & hit any key to continue. It does this with two 98 disks, my 2000 disk, & I even got the local computer shop to burn me a fresh copy of 2000 & still does it. Now ocassionally it will boot up & start install, but stops loading system files about halfway through. I can put the Linux disk I burned in & it will boot every time. I have a Linux live cd that won't boot either.
I've tried three different cd roms & the same results. Now all this stuff is from the yrs 97 to 2000 in age so I guess they couldall be bad but to all go out at once ?
Something else..the ram is out of a Mac (98 mdl) but shows up on boot so I don't think thats the problem but I'm still learning. The ram that came out was two 32mb chips, non ecc, & the ones from the mac are two 128's non ecc

So...any ideas on if it MIGHT be bad cd roms, or HD, or.....
Yeah I know....new computer would solve everything....so would MORE money!!!!
Thanks for any suggestions!!Use a W98 boot FLOPPY (with CDrom support).

1. Debug
2. fdisk
3. format/s

Reboot with a floppy or the W98 CD (with CDrom support). Watch the screen and note the drive letter assigned to the CDrom. Insert the desired windows installation disk. cd\ to the CDrom and run the setup.OK, done, it shows D as the cd drive. When I type in D:\>Setup it give this message:...Your program caused a divide overflow error. If problem persists, contact program vendor.
Now if I select load 98 from cd it starts the os loading onto the HD. But once it starts copying system files it freezes somewhere along the process, both with 98 & 2000. Just baffling me.What if you take out the Mac chips? Any difference in the process?Haven't tried that. I just figured that since it would read bootable floppies, & the CD's sometimes that it was something else. As the computer starts up & runs the diagnostics it always shows the proper amount of memory. Plus when it is running the CD for the little time it does it's faster than before going through each step. One thing I did catch was that on the 98 cds, or the 2000,
once it reacher the point of loading system files it ALWAYS starts hanging up at 17% on the progress bar. Then I start getting the windows pop up: unable to copy (insert file name, such as drivers.cab) then the buttons to try again, skip file or quit install. I DOWNLOADED a program from the WD site called dlgdiag. It runs a diagnostic to check the HD completly & it says the HD is OK. Just finished running a test on it to write zeros to the HD & it say no errors found. Handy little tool. Runs from DOS.
I'll change the ram back around as soon as I get a chance & see what happens. Thanks! You would want to make sure your disc is clean. If it is an original, you may want to burn a copy to a new CD.Thats covered too I guess, now one 98 disk is kinda "used" but the other one looks fine to the eye. I got a brand new cd with 2000 burned on it & plan to burn another copy of it myself for future use. I'll try to change the ram back later, if that don't cure it then it's bout got to be the CD_roms....all 3 of them. Everything is set right in the bios, the computer was working fine when it went to the attic. The only changes I MADE when i brought it down was the ram, & I changed the HD's cause I was just wanting to tinker some. It didn't really surprise me when the linux wouldn't go on, but since it partially installed I ad to reformat to start over & everything has gone haywire from there. I even found a format tool on the WD site that sets the HD up to install 98, 2000, or XP. Seeing how I have 3 HD's that are WDs' it's handy too. The HD on my Dell, a 8.5GB had an expected life cycle of 5 yrs according to their specs...it's going strong at almost 10yrs!
Anyway I'll get back after I have a chance to change ram! Appreciate it!OK New day rolls around.
I changed the ram back to the original 64, tried to install 2000....froze at 17% of system files. Put in the 98 & it installed completly. So I guess a combination of ram & bad cd. I've checked on the net about the ram & best I can figure every single piece of ram I have has the same speed..100mhz. The 128's I mean. Oh well at least i can get back to tinkering...plus it gives BH (my squirrel ) something to try to get into. Thanks!There is more to RAM than speed to ensure compatibility in some computers.