Just to make sure i didn't do anything wrong here...

[captain_slinky]

Bought an operating-systemless PC last night that is supposed to boot to C. Id has a PC/DVD Drive (12x), and that's about it. No bells and/or whistles. I put a bootable CD in that is supposed to install WinLite. I've installed this on three other computers just like this new one so far with no problems.

The new Boot-Only Computer seems to start booting-up Win98 (weird) and then stops, goes to the c-Prompt. Twice. I put in the OS Install Disk and nothing happens. I reboot the PC and all i get is the Win98 start followed by C-prompt. I check the DIR, it brings me the root directory of C which lists a few sub-directories, but it won't let me go beyond that. I switch over to D. I check the directory there, same deal; root directory but any attempt to go deeper is met with "Bad Command or File Name". EVEN FORMATTING THE DRIVE IS A BAD COMMAND OR FILE NAME!!!

After checking lots and lots of commands, the only two i can get to work are switching between C: and D:, and "DIR".

Taking the system back to RePC today to swap-out for a different one, but I gotta ask you... did i do something wrong? Every other time I've installed this system on a boot-only PC it's been as simple as inserting the disk and following the prompts.

HELP MEEEEEEEE!!!

Comments

[rogh-sensei.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a bad command.com.
I suggest you keep the machine, and download Hiren's Ultimate Boot CD.
Use the live tools there to format and deepscan that harddrive, then try to install winlite or whatever you want.

[rogh-sensei.livejournal.com]

Of course, if the S.M.A.R.T. tests show imminent HD failure, DO take it back.

[captain-slinky.livejournal.com]

Ends up, there was no OS at all and my only problem was that I forgot to switch the boot directory over the D:

I feel extremely foolish.

[rogh-sensei.livejournal.com]

Oh, hurr durr.

[teegin.livejournal.com]

The HDD may also have a dedicated boot sector for win98 as well. Did you try to zero out the hard drive and do a low level format?

[captain-slinky.livejournal.com]

I took it to RePC and they figured it out for me. No OS at all on the computer, and i had forgotten to switch the drive it was booting from. I feel foolish to the extreme!

[teegin.livejournal.com]

As long as the problem is solved it's all cheese in a pickle jar.

[captain-slinky.livejournal.com]

Ah how I love those quaint Canadian colloquialisms :)

[captain-slinky.livejournal.com]

I took it to RePC and they figured it out for me. No OS at all on the computer, and i had forgotten to switch the drive it was booting from. I feel foolish to the extreme!