Hello,
I am trying to install WIN98 on a PC that has no operating system. First, I downloaded Startup Disk from a PC that runs WIN98. I was able to partition ( FAT-32 ) and format the hard drive with the Startup disk and instruction I got Microsoft Website. Now I want to install WIN98 but it doesn't work. Whenever I type setup or E:\setup the screen displays "Bad command or file name".

This is my first attempt. Please advice me on what to do.

Thank you very kindly for your think.

Ezecom

You know that a startup disk is not a setup disk, I suppose? You'll need the program disk, rather than just a boot floppy, to install the operating system.

first try the painfully obvious: is the Windows 98 install CD in the drive?
then, try other drive letters, type:

D:<press enter>dir<press enter> see if its the CD drive
E:<press enter>dir<press enter> and so on...

hope this helps

also, if you want to get around that awful "Please insert Windows 98 CD" prompt, copy the cab files and run setup from that location

on your C:\> prompt, type:

mkdir win98<press enter>

when you find where your cdrom is, type this:

copy <cdrom drive letter>:\win98 c:\win98

then, run the setup from c:\win98

it will install faster, and you will never be prompted for the win98 disk again! isnt that lovely?!

Hello Theophyact,

Yes, I know. I have WIN98 CD and It was inserted in the CD-ROM each time I tried the installation.

Try going here and downloading a Win98 Boot Disk. Download the red one.
Put a new floppy disk in your A drive then double click the file you downloaded and it will create a Win98 boot disk.

Set your bios to boot from floppy first save and exit the bios.

When the machine boots to this new floppy it will give you the option of booting with CD Rom support, Select this and when it's done booting it will say which drive is your CD Rom probably E:

Type E: then enter type setup then enter again.

Some possible causes of this are the drive might be bad, the CD might be unreadable or you might not be using the correct drive letter.
When the system boots of the floppy, you get a menu asking about CD drive support. Make sure you choose "boot with CD Rom Support". Watch the boot process, if it is unable to find a CD drive it will tell you, if it does then at the end of the boot process it will tell you what the drive letter is. If you have not set up the hard disk correctly it might be D: instead of E:. Then once you know the drive letter just type it (and the colon) and press enter. Then type dir and ensure that you can access files located on the CD.
Check the listing and if setup is there just type it and the setup process will start. If you have plenty of hard disk space then I agree with SaTaNcLaUz, copy the files to a directory on your hard drive and install from there.
Good Luck