Installing Windows over network?

[Triple_S]

I have this old 50mhz 386, and i want to use it as a download server. All i need is another hard drive ~1gb, but thats a different story. I have everything setup, but because the thing is so old, it doesnt have any onboard IDE controller, so i have to use an old IDE controller card, but for some reason it wont let me use a cdrom on it, so how do i install windows 98 on it?

I have it linked to my main system via 10/100 lan, so is it possible to install windows on the remote system over the lan?

[Grrr!!]

It'd be easier to temporarily remove the hard drive, mount it in your main PC, and copy the folder 'win98' from the win98 cd over.

BTW, I have a 2GB HDD here if you are interested.

[SilverPriest]

If you wish to use a cdrom in the machine you may need one of those ancient sound cards which had the IDE connector for 2-3 types of cdroms.

Might pay to have a hunt around for one.

[Grrr!!]

Originally posted by SilverPriest
If you wish to use a cdrom in the machine you may need one of those ancient sound cards which had the IDE connector for 2-3 types of cdroms.

Might pay to have a hunt around for one.

I also happen to have one of those.

[Genesis]

Originally posted by Grrr!!
It'd be easier to temporarily remove the hard drive, mount it in your main PC, and copy the folder 'win98' from the win98 cd over.

BTW, I have a 2GB HDD here if you are interested.

Just what I was going to say. Bet me to it... :D

[MR_60]

I think, and I could be wrong, that you won't be able to install windows 98 on that system, especially if you have an OEM version.

I remember that 95SR-B had a check on it for processor speed and if it was below 66Mhz 486, it would not install. I am fairly certain a similar limitation will exist on '98. Even so, it will probably so slow on a '386 as to be almost unusable. Although those 50's were pretty quick I remember, should be OK for '95 SRA...

Just be wary that you might be chasing a wild goose...

Why not smack some non-graphical flavour of linux on it, it will be a lot faster than '98 for file serving... and most dists have a network install disk you can make from the CD ;o) Just a sugg..

[Grrr!!]

There is a command line parameter to bypass the CPU check on win98, IIRC.

[swiftynz]

i wasn't aware of a cpu clock check on win98, but i know there is a memory check as it refuses to install on anything less than 16mb (or was it 8). you'd better find those command line parameters. ;)

[bob_dole_nz]

smoothwall

have a play with that. need SFA resources etc. google for it

[Triple_S]

I have used Windows 98 on it, but the 500mb drive i had it using just got the click of death, and is sitting in the freezer awaiting its electrocution. It wasnt that slow.
Oh, and i have got a Soundblaster Vibra 16 with a cdrom, but it isnt detected by BIOS, so is useless.
I also need it because i have to use a maxtor thing to bypass the hard drive size limit, which formats the drive as well for some reason, and requires me to install windows on the same system as the bypass was run on....

oh, and Grrr! how do i find out the size limit on my BIOS? i have a Dataexpert EXP4044VL motherboard. If it supports a 2gb drive, then ill take the drive :)

In a min im going to make the drive into heaps of 500mb partitions, to see if that works.

[Grrr!!]

Originally posted by Triple_S

oh, and Grrr! how do i find out the size limit on my BIOS? i have a Dataexpert EXP4044VL motherboard. If it supports a 2gb drive, then ill take the drive :)

In a min im going to make the drive into heaps of 500mb partitions, to see if that works.

Easiest way:

Go into the BIOS, and see if you can set the following setting:

Cylinders: 4096,
Heads: 16
Sectors: 63

[Triple_S]

nope, it just comes up with 0mb.
i tried the Dataexpert site, but it didnt work, i think the site is dead.

[Hooney]

Oh, and i have got a Soundblaster Vibra 16 with a cdrom, but it isnt detected by BIOS, so is useless.

Have you tried booting from a floppy, loading cdrom drivers then starting the win98 install?

[Triple_S]

I have tried a boot disk, but it says that there is no cdrom detected etc, so no drivers loaded. With this soundcard controlled cdrom, can i just use the mscdex (or what ever) driver?
How do i load it from the command line of the boot disk (where it says like "A:\>")?

[Wibber]

make sure you have an atapi cdrom, most 4x and abover were, all are nowdays.
plug it in as slave into the same channel as hdd, puit the win98 startup disk (if you have one) or boot disk with generic cdrom drivers on it in, boot up, and go for your life....
I have a bootable image if you want it

[Triple_S]

Originally posted by Wibber
make sure you have an atapi cdrom, most 4x and abover were, all are nowdays.
plug it in as slave into the same channel as hdd, puit the win98 startup disk (if you have one) or boot disk with generic cdrom drivers on it in, boot up, and go for your life....
I have a bootable image if you want it

I tried that before with my almost broken 52x (works, but the tray moving thing is ****ed, so i have to take the top off the drive to change cd's), but when i turn the system on, the drive is plugged in with both power and IDE, but the activity light doesnt come on, and the open drive button (that useually makes a wiring noise when pressed) did nothing. When i make it master, the drive comes to life, but the HDD isnt detected. I have tried to different working IDE cables, and a couple of different Molex connectors to rule out the power not getting to it, or the ide cable not working.

[Antimatter]

You need the correct soundcard settings. A generic CDROM device driver won't work unless it's configured for the address setting on the soundcard.

[MR_60]

Originally posted by Triple_S
I have tried a boot disk, but it says that there is no cdrom detected etc, so no drivers loaded. With this soundcard controlled cdrom, can i just use the mscdex (or what ever) driver?
How do i load it from the command line of the boot disk (where it says like "A:\>")?

you need the specific drivers for the Vibra16 card ;o) Should be able to (still) get them from SoundBlaster.com

there should be a setup utility to build you a config.sys and autoexec.bat to make your CD-ROM work. Most of these are either tertiary IDE or the earlier ones are proprietary interfaces, so the BIOS will not detect them, however the drivers will allow MSCDEX to access them and give them a drive letter... these drivers must be loaded in config.sys, or with some special loader that allows them to be loaded from the command line. The driver will be a .SYS

From memory the later Vibra cards are tertiary IDE, but you will need to pass special settings to the driver to allow it to be detected properly.