reformatting comp question

[Frostweaver]

*is reading some online article for help:*

"You also want to make sure you have the following: Windows CD (full version), Windows CD-Key, Boot Disk with CD-ROM support, Disk with CD-ROM drivers (if you bought your cd-rom separate) , and the CDs and Disks for all your software"

Ok... windows CD is probably the cd disc called "Win98 SE" cd rom... windows cd key is just found on the booklet. But then there is a need for the boot disk... so i followed the instructions to make one. Go to control panel and blah blah blah... so I inserted the Win98 SE cd, and hit the "create disc" button in add/remove program properties. But then it says that the cd isn't it in, or it's missing a whole bunch of stuff... wonder what went wrong?

Hmm... and what do the following junks mean (the stuff in bold)?
(copying from the guide again)

"First, gather all the stuff you're going to need on your desk. Some things you'll definately need:
Your Windows installation CD
Your Windows Product Key
Any non-standard drivers for 3D cards, ISP CD's (like AOL and CompuServe), webcams, printers etc.
Dial-up and/or Network settings for your ISP and/or home network.
A Windows or DOS bootdisk. Go to Control Panel, Add/Remove software, and select the 'Startup Disk' tab. Insert your disk and click the button.
If you want to install Windows from CD or have only one partition, make sure you can access your CD-ROM when booting from the bootdisk. This is vital! "

(lol... pretty much the whole section to the guide... guides these days expect everyone to be computer geniuses, or they are guides that teach you how to use a mouse >>; )

 

[Gr8person62.2]

First of all, your Windowz 98 SE disc might already be a boot disk to begin with. Put it in your computer and restart it, if it enters MS DOS then it's a boot disk. But make sure in Cmos that your boot priority has CD-ROM at the top. It's not as hard as it sounds.

Any non-standard drivers for 3D cards, ISP CD's (like AOL and CompuServe), webcams, printers etc.
Dial-up and/or Network settings for your ISP and/or home network.
This is telling you to back up software and drivers that you believe you won't be able to get again. I doubt you'll have any or ave already done so. You cal always update your drivers afterwards anyway, it'll be much easier

If you want to install Windows from CD or have only one partition, make sure you can access your CD-ROM when booting from the bootdisk. This is vital! "
If the CD is already a boot disk this won't matter. But if it ain't, it's telling you that you should be able to access a drive that has access to the Windowz 98 SE CD even though you have your boot disk in.

If the CD ain't already a boot disk (it should be though) then I reccomend using a Floppy Diskette as your boot disk. Tell us how you go.

 

[aaaaaa]

Windows98 is not bootable from CD.
https://www.24by7.ca/files/boot98se.exe
Get that, put in a floppy disk and run the file.
Now you have a bootdisk, to get you into dos.
Then switch over to the CD Drive and run setup.exe
And Windows install will get underway.