Solve : Minimal functionality remaining in computer.?

1.	Solve : Minimal functionality remaining in computer.?
Answer» Yes - right now, this should go into the DOS section, but first, let me explain a BIT This computer is over 10 years old now, and has held on quite well, despite technological advances. However, recently, I've stopped using it - but apparently there are some games that don't work on WinXP no matter what I try, so I wanted to install WIN95 or 98 (or even preferably both!) on this old Gateway computer. However, it recently is quite prone to random freezes that don't unfreeze. Slowly, I've been getting files off/deleting the files - however, recently it went into some sort of ultra-error (OH finally now we're getting to the useful information). Windows XP won't start at all, the only thing that remotely works right now is using a Gateway backup CD that lets me use MS-DOS. I've got two working hard-drives (Although one can question whether or not they're actually working -_-), D: and E:, apparently, because typing anything other than those two drives through MS DOS (I have some spare KNOWLEDGE on the subject) gives an "Invalid Drive Specification" Right now, I just need to find a way to either a) start windows (typing in "win" on either D: or E: does not work) b) Restore to an earlier point c) install a new version of windows without having to boot up. (If this case is preferable, a link to a burnable win98/95 installation CD would be nice...because I don't have one. Else this would have been done a long time ago.) The reason why I put it here rather than in DOS section was that it would be more applicable here in the future rather than now. Thanks in advance [and I'll actually check up on the topic.] If you need any more information, don't hesitate to ask. Edit: I'd like to get rid of all the data off the harddrives before installing a new version of windows, as it may save this used data right now as unaccessable space. And I'd like to keep my 60GBs You will need to purchase a restore disk. Here is a good guide.-->Restore Thanks ^_^ I'll be sure to check it out when I get home TODAY. Wow, you're running Win XP on a 10 year old computer? I'm surprised it even runs, let alone freezes. Quote from: mattz1010 on September 17, 2007, 07:14:12 PM ... so I wanted to install Win95 or 98 (or even preferably both!) on this old Gateway computer. Do you a CD for either or both Win 95/98? Quote from: mattz1010 on September 17, 2007, 07:14:12 PM I'd like to get rid of all the data off the harddrives before installing a new version of windows, as it may save this used data right now as unaccessable space. And I'd like to keep my 60GBs You could temporarily install those hard drives as slave drive in another computer and get the data you want.Quote from: street1 on September 18, 2007, 04:29:23 AM You will need to purchase a restore disk. Why, street1? If he has a Win 95 or Win 98 CD, why would he need to buy a Gateway restore disk? Quote from: soybean on September 18, 2007, 09:19:56 AM Quote from: street1 on September 18, 2007, 04:29:23 AM You will need to purchase a restore disk. Why, street1? If he has a Win 95 or Win 98 CD, why would he need to buy a Gateway restore disk? I was looking at this part of the OP.See below.Maybe I misunderstood. a link to a burnable win98/95 installation CD would be nice...because I don't have one. Else this would have been done a long time ago.)Quote from: soybean on September 18, 2007, 09:18:00 AM Wow, you're running Win XP on a 10 year old computer? I'm surprised it even runs, let alone freezes. Yeah. It was really ahead of its time way back when we got it. 1.4GHz, 20 GBs of space (60 was later added, and then partitioned off into 3, 20 GB segments.) Quote Quote from: mattz1010 on September 17, 2007, 07:14:12 PM ... so I wanted to install Win95 or 98 (or even preferably both!) on this old Gateway computer. Do you a CD for either or both Win 95/98? No, I don't. I really wish I did. Quote Quote from: mattz1010 on September 17, 2007, 07:14:12 PM I'd like to get rid of all the data off the harddrives before installing a new version of windows, as it may save this used data right now as unaccessable space. And I'd like to keep my 60GBs You could temporarily install those hard drives as slave drive in another computer and get the data you want. I've already gotten all the data I want off those hard drives, used my iPod as a middleman/transfer device. I just need to kill, and restart I do own a "Gateway Restoration Disk". All it does, though, is labeled in the OP. However, it does 'start up' in Win98. Just in DOS mode. (Off of the CD, rather than hard-drive) I really don't have much knowledge of MS-DOS, but any related commands to wiping data would be helpful. Also, thanks to everybody for their continued help Just a quick bump, I left for a 5 day trip recently and just got back If you are booting from a CD the drive letter allocations are A: Floppy B: Floppy C: CD-ROM D: HD1 E: HD2 If the previous Win98 installation is corrupted, you need to reinstall. Providing a link to a downloadable Win98 or 95 install disk would be piracy. You can get legal ones on Ebay. Hm, my last question and when it's answered, I'll probably leave you guys alone If I insert an install disc, would it attempt to install windows - and if so, what would happen to the current data on there?Quote from: mattz1010 on September 29, 2007, 01:21:42 AM If I insert an install disc, would it attempt to install windows - and if so, what would happen to the current data on there? If you insert a Windows CD-ROM into the tray of the CD drive of a computer, it won't do anything straight away. It'll just sit there doing nothing. To get it to install Windows on the computer you have to take certain deliberate steps, and during that process you get to choose whether to keep or lose any data that already exists. Alright, so what would I have to do?What is the restore disk you have? If it is a Gateway restore disk of windows 98.....I believe you will need a floppy boot disk to do fdisk and partition your hard drive,then start the install.

Answer»

Yes - right now, this *should* go into the DOS section, but first, let me explain a BIT

This computer is over 10 years old now, and has held on quite well, despite technological advances. However, recently, I've stopped using it - but apparently there are some games that don't work on WinXP no matter what I try, so I wanted to install WIN95 or 98 (or even preferably both!) on this old Gateway computer. However, it recently is quite prone to random freezes that don't unfreeze. Slowly, I've been getting files off/deleting the files - however, recently it went into some sort of ultra-error (OH finally now we're getting to the useful information). Windows XP won't start at all, the only thing that remotely works right now is using a Gateway backup CD that lets me use MS-DOS.

I've got two working hard-drives (Although one can question whether or not they're actually working -_-), D: and E:, apparently, because typing anything other than those two drives through MS DOS (I have some spare KNOWLEDGE on the subject) gives an "Invalid Drive Specification"

Right now, I just need to find a way to either

a) start windows (typing in "win" on either D: or E: does not work)
b) Restore to an earlier point
c) install a new version of windows without having to boot up. (If this case is preferable, a link to a burnable win98/95 installation CD would be nice...because I don't have one. Else this would have been done a long time ago.)

The reason why I put it here rather than in DOS section was that it would be more applicable here in the future rather than now.

Thanks in advance [and I'll actually check up on the topic.]

If you need any more information, don't hesitate to ask.

Edit: I'd like to get rid of all the data off the harddrives before installing a new version of windows, as it may save this used data right now as unaccessable space. And I'd like to keep my 60GBs You will need to purchase a restore disk.

Here is a good guide.-->Restore Thanks ^_^

I'll be sure to check it out when I get home TODAY. Wow, you're running Win XP on a 10 year old computer? I'm surprised it even runs, let alone freezes.

Quote from: mattz1010 on September 17, 2007, 07:14:12 PM

... so I wanted to install Win95 or 98 (or even preferably both!) on this old Gateway computer.

Do you a CD for either or both Win 95/98?

Quote from: mattz1010 on September 17, 2007, 07:14:12 PM

I'd like to get rid of all the data off the harddrives before installing a new version of windows, as it may save this used data right now as unaccessable space. And I'd like to keep my 60GBs

You could temporarily install those hard drives as slave drive in another computer and get the data you want.Quote from: street1 on September 18, 2007, 04:29:23 AM

You will need to purchase a restore disk.

Why, street1? If he has a Win 95 or Win 98 CD, why would he need to buy a Gateway restore disk? Quote from: soybean on September 18, 2007, 09:19:56 AM

Quote from: street1 on September 18, 2007, 04:29:23 AM
You will need to purchase a restore disk.

Why, street1? If he has a Win 95 or Win 98 CD, why would he need to buy a Gateway restore disk?

I was looking at this part of the OP.See below.Maybe I misunderstood.

a link to a burnable win98/95 installation CD would be nice...because I don't have one. Else this would have been done a long time ago.)Quote from: soybean on September 18, 2007, 09:18:00 AM

Wow, you're running Win XP on a 10 year old computer? I'm surprised it even runs, let alone freezes.

Yeah. It was *really* ahead of its time way back when we got it. 1.4GHz, 20 GBs of space (60 was later added, and then partitioned off into 3, 20 GB segments.)
Quote

Quote from: mattz1010 on September 17, 2007, 07:14:12 PM
... so I wanted to install Win95 or 98 (or even preferably both!) on this old Gateway computer.
Do you a CD for either or both Win 95/98?

No, I don't. I really wish I did.

Quote

Quote from: mattz1010 on September 17, 2007, 07:14:12 PM
I'd like to get rid of all the data off the harddrives before installing a new version of windows, as it may save this used data right now as unaccessable space. And I'd like to keep my 60GBs
You could temporarily install those hard drives as slave drive in another computer and get the data you want.

I've already gotten all the data I want off those hard drives, used my iPod as a middleman/transfer device.

I just need to kill, and restart

I do own a "Gateway Restoration Disk". All it does, though, is labeled in the OP. However, it does 'start up' in Win98. Just in DOS mode. (Off of the CD, rather than hard-drive)

I really don't have much knowledge of MS-DOS, but any related commands to wiping data would be helpful.

Also, thanks to everybody for their continued help

Just a quick bump, I left for a 5 day trip recently and just got back If you are booting from a CD

the drive letter allocations are

A: Floppy
B: Floppy
C: CD-ROM
D: HD1
E: HD2

If the previous Win98 installation is corrupted, you need to reinstall. Providing a link to a downloadable Win98 or 95 install disk would be piracy. You can get legal ones on Ebay.

Hm, my last question and when it's answered, I'll probably leave you guys alone

If I insert an install disc, would it attempt to install windows - and if so, what would happen to the current data on there?Quote from: mattz1010 on September 29, 2007, 01:21:42 AM

If I insert an install disc, would it attempt to install windows - and if so, what would happen to the current data on there?

If you insert a Windows CD-ROM into the tray of the CD drive of a computer, it won't do anything straight away. It'll just sit there doing nothing.

To get it to install Windows on the computer you have to take certain deliberate steps, and during that process you get to choose whether to keep or lose any data that already exists.

Alright, so what would I have to do?What is the restore disk you have? If it is a Gateway restore
disk of windows 98.....I believe you will need a floppy boot disk
to do fdisk and partition your hard drive,then start the install.

Solve : Minimal functionality remaining in computer.?

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