Help with laptop reformating issues

Ok I have read the fourm and nothing seems to be exactly what I need. So here goes.My dad asked me to upgrade his laptop (he is not that computer savy) and i looked at the specs and told him it was not capable of an upgrade see he has an old comp that had win 98 on it ancient I know lol. And the other day he told me to put xp on it after i said it might not work he said oh well and do it any way well after about three days of trying to install xp on the comp i got tired and reformatted, now it has no operating system on it but if i put the xp disk in it the comp will read it, if i put the original 98 disk in it nothing happens. The comp is ancient but here are the specs, maybe someone can help me get win 98 back on it at least so he can have a comp.

Primary master 3253 MB
System Memory 640 KB
Extended Memory 64512 KB

anything else you need please let me know

Thanks for your time
Iceis

 

Hi, I'm wondering if the 98 install disk is bootable or if you might need a startup floppy. Does the laptop have a floppy drive?

 

Win 98 is not bootable. You need a boot disk before you can use the install CD.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/221829

 

yes i have a floppy drive on the laptop, but i only have a cd rom on my desk top, so im gonna try to make a boot disk with a cd unsure if it will work thanks for the link

 

Scrounge around in your Dad's computer stuff there may be a boot-floppy there to find. If the Win98 installation disk is not bootable and the laptop is so old he must have a few floppy(s) lying around. One should be a startup disk.

 

thanks ill make one cause he did not have a boot disk he said he bought the comp refurbished and no disks came with it makes me wonder when he got it refurbished lol.

 

how and why would someone refomate there PC?

 

The purpose of reformatting a PC is a path of upgrading the operating system, is a last resort method of fixing some software problems. It is done by formatting the hard drive and booting the computer from an installation media source, usually a CD/DVD. This then installs the operating system.

 

A person would format his PC if some malware was buried too deep, like a rootkit, to do a proper removal. The format will guarantee that the computer is now clean. It is a drastic step but sometimes necessary.

 

If the XP setup program reformatted the HD, then it's in NTFS format.
Windows 98 will not install on an NTFS drive. It requires a drive formatted FAT-32.

I'd boot up that system with a DOS utilities floppy disk, then FDISK and DOS Format the drive. then it will be much easier to re-install Windows 98 (98/SE would be much better if you can find a copy)

Then, finding the hardware drivers for that old PC may be another exercise in futility.

Good Luck and Happy Holidays,
The Shadow

 

Ok
I am giving my old lap to a school.
I would like to put it back to stock the way it was when new,I have the 3 or 4 CDs that came with it. XP sp2 now.
How do I do it?
Phil