MSDOS is all thats left please help

  i have a compaq desktop 5000 that has been emptied out it seems.. i have no operating system in at at present... i can boot up with a MSDOS boot disk but thats as far as i get.. i tried adding 95BOOT to the disc, and if i run dir, it shows up, but i cant get it to do anything....how can i reinstall an operating system with only a msdos system, and no cdrom drive...i can make any boot disk it seems but cant get them to work.. please help

[Moderator]

More info is needed to proceed further...
What OS are you trying to install ? ?
Are you saying there is no CDRom drive in that machine or that it's not showing up when you use a bootdisk ? ?
What is 95Boot ? ?

patio.  8-)

i put a new CDROM in a few weeks ago, and the computor doesnt see it.. i get DEVICE DRIVER NOT FOUND

[Moderator]

There were a few other questions...

the cdrom driver is not being recognized.. i have making several boot disk install systems that contain a cd driver, however my computor will not read the disk.. it says "remove disk or other media".... when i boot with the original start up disk (windowsME) it no longer lets me begin the installation,...when i get the A: prompt it, it will let me get to C:>, however at that point if i enter CD:windows\options\cabs, as i was instructed, it says "invalid media type reading C"....im sorry to be so stupid i am ready to give up... i have had expert advice but i am missing a beat somewhere... i also have an Active Partition that is C: MSDOS it does list system 32, usage 100%, one more thing it has done is say "diagnostic tools sucessfully loaded to D"...im sorry about not understanding how to use quote on here....

[Moderator]

It sounds like your bootdisks aren't working correctly...
Travel to bootdisk.com and DLoad a winME bootdisk with CDRom support and boot to that...
At the A: prompt type D: and hit Enter...
At the D: prompt type dir /p and hit Enter...
If it shows the contents of the Win CD you are using just type setup and hit Enter...
If it doesn't just keep doing th same thing for each letter of the alphabet.

"diagnostic tools sucessfully loaded to D"

This indicates that you successfully booted from a floppy. Did you select the option on boot up to boot with CDrom support? If you did, the CDrom is probably drive E:. Insert your installation CD and, at the A:> prompt, type e:\setup.

i will try that, (again)... when you say "boot to that", do you mean boot with the DOS disk or the old startup disk, and then put in the new disc? because those 2 discs are the only ones i can boot with, i have made several boot disks from boot disk.com including the one you mention, but i will try it again.. thank you

"diagnostic tools sucessfully loaded to D"

This indicates that you successfully booted from a floppy. Did you select the option on boot up to boot with CDrom support? If you did, the CDrom is probably drive E:. Insert your installation CD and, at the A:> prompt, type e:\setup.

this doesnt work.. i did try it again but it said invalid path.. the computor does not see the cdrom.

[Moderator]

Pitch the old floppy and use the one i suggested along with the good advice given above.

It sounds like your bootdisks aren't working correctly...
Travel to bootdisk.com and DLoad a winME bootdisk with CDRom support and boot to that...
At the A: prompt type D: and hit Enter...
At the D: prompt type dir /p and hit Enter...
If it shows the contents of the Win CD you are using just type setup and hit Enter...
If it doesn't just keep doing th same thing for each letter of the alphabet.

i did exactly as you said, and it did show me a list.. at the top it says "Volume in drive D is MS-RAMDRIVE, then directory of D:\....then the list starting with ATTRIB and ending with SYS... however, at the D:\> when i type setup it says Bad command or filename.....    

[Moderator]

Good. Then type E: at the A: prompt and type in setup and hit Enter...this should start the install process providing this is a good Win install CD...

Good. Then type E: at the A: prompt and type in setup and hit Enter...this should start the install process providing this is a good Win install CD...

i appreciate your help sooo much, however this doesnt work.. it still says Invalid path .... also, i had to boot up with the old startup disk and then put in the winME disk... when starting up it did say "No cdrom driver selected"... is there any hope for this ?  

i appreciate your help sooo much, however this doesnt work.. it still says Invalid path .... also, i had to boot up with the old startup disk

Had to?  ?      why?

and then put in the winME disk... when starting up it did say "No cdrom driver selected"... is there any hope for this ?  

The probable reason that patio said above, "Pitch the old floppy and use the one i suggested along with the good advice given above."
is because whatever you are booting with - you call it "old startup disk" -  is an unknown.    
We don't know if it has the driver and proper set up for that driver on it.
That's the reason these folks are telling you to go to bootdisk.com and download what you need there.     That way, they know what you are working with.    For example : See above...  you were asked if you selected the option to boot with CD-ROM support.....  you haven't addressed that question yet.    If you don't understand something like that when asked -   quote it and ask for some more explanation.


If you don't know, or cannot find, what you need at bootdisk.com,  to make a proper boot floppy disk, with CD rom support -    then describe your problem with doing that,  and we will try to guide you.

If you keep using some old disk that nobody knows just what is on it,  it is frustrating not only to you, but to those advising you here.

And,  I'm glad to see you started a thread here, instead of the PMs to me.   This way you don't have to wait for just me to reply.

Hang in there.... don't get frustrated.    The key is to understand and do exactly what you are told.   Else.... it is wheel spinning and non-productive.

Review this thread, carefully.   If there is some part of it you don't understand,  that's ok.   Just specifically say so, and we'll try to explain.

i appreciate your help sooo much, however this doesnt work.. it still says Invalid path .... also, i had to boot up with the old startup disk

Had to?  ?      why?

and then put in the winME disk... when starting up it did say "No cdrom driver selected"... is there any hope for this ?  

The probable reason that patio said above, "Pitch the old floppy and use the one i suggested along with the good advice given above."
is because whatever you are booting with - you call it "old startup disk" -  is an unknown.    
We don't know if it has the driver and proper set up for that driver on it.
That's the reason these folks are telling you to go to bootdisk.com and download what you need there.     That way, they know what you are working with.    For example : See above...  you were asked if you selected the option to boot with CD-ROM support.....  you haven't addressed that question yet.    If you don't understand something like that when asked -   quote it and ask for some more explanation.


If you don't know, or cannot find, what you need there,  to make a proper boot floppy disk, with CD rom support -    then describe your problem with doing that,  and we will try to guide you.

If you keep using some old disk that nobody knows just what is on it,  it is frustrating not only to you, but to those advising you here.

And,  I'm glad to see you started a thread here, instead of the PMs to me.   This way you don't have to wait for just me to reply.

Hang in there.... don't get frustrated.    The key is to understand and do exactly what you are told.   Else.... it is wheel spinning and non-productive.

Review this thread, carefully.   If there is some part of it you don't understand,  that's ok.   Just specifically say so, and we'll try to explain.

the "old" boot disk i refer to is one that was made from the computor i am trying to fix BEFORE i lost the operating system.. it is windowsME...it doesnt work to the point where it will install but it will boot me up to the A: prompt... as will another disc i made from my acer windowxp.. a MSDOS startup disk... these are the only boot disks that will get me anywhere at all and then i get stuck at the A: prompt... the boot disks i have been told to download from bootdisk so far none have worked. i am downloading them to C drive first (on a working computor) and then sending them to a floppy.. when i try to boot with these, i get "remove disk and press any key"...if i boot with the "old" startup disk i can then put in another floppy and A: dir /p and it will list the files on the floppy but dont know where to go from there... if at A:> i type E:setup, it tells me invalid path. it seems hopeless. .... thank you so much for trying to help, i dont want to give up, but nothing is working  

the "old" boot disk i refer to is one that was made from the computor i am trying to fix BEFORE i lost the operating system.. it is windowsME...it doesnt work to the point where it will install but it will boot me up to the A: prompt... as will another disc i made from my acer windowxp.. a MSDOS startup disk... these are the only boot disks that will get me anywhere at all and then i get stuck at the A: prompt...

And nobody knows just what is on them, regarding CD-ROM support.

the boot disks i have been told to download from bootdisk so far none have worked. i am downloading them to C drive first (on a working computor) and then sending them to a floppy..

Hold it.    Stop right there.    

Yesterday,  in my last PM to you,  after I'd asked you to start a thread instead,    I said:

Quoting myself:

 At   http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm
 
it says,  " DOCS:
1. Most of the files above are disk images. Download the file to your C: drive, put a fresh disk in your A: drive, then click on the file to create the bootdisk.  "
 
Did you do this,  or simply copy the file you downloaded to a floppy?
 
Farther down on that page are comments about OEM disks.  
Be sure to read the whole page.
 
I hope this helps.  

 Yesterday, I went to the web address that I included,  and that text above is a copy-and-paste from there.

That PM from me to you has been received by you,  so it is fair to assume that it has been read and understood.

Now you need to explain your above, "...and then sending them to a floppy."
To me, and I bet to most reading here,  that means  copied to floppy.
That is not what the instructions said to do.  
If you would like to read them in context,  just go to the address that is in the above quoted PM.

when i try to boot with these, i get "remove disk and press any key"...

Which sounds to me just like a non-bootable disk.... which is what you would have if you simply copied the file(s) from bootdisk.com to a floppy.

if i boot with the "old" startup disk i can then put in another floppy and A: dir /p and it will list the files on the floppy but dont know where to go from there... if at A:> i type E:setup, it tells me invalid path.

Which sounds to me just like a bootable floppy that does not load support for a CD-ROM.    
That's why you need to put this floppy, and any other old floppies you might have aside.   You need to boot with something that we all know what you have.....  thus,  bootdisk.com and follow their directions.

it seems hopeless. ....

Because you are wheel spinning.  

thank you so much for trying to help, i dont want to give up, but nothing is working  

Because you are doing the same thing, over and over.



Now then.... if you still have the file you downloaded from bootdisk.com on a hard drive, on a working computer -  follow the directions:
"put a fresh disk in your A: drive, then click on the file to create the bootdisk.  "  

Let us know what happens when you do that much.   Just that.

i downloaded them to C: and right clicked on the file and send to A:floppy  

YOU WERE RIGHT   I AM SO HAPPY...at least now i know HOW to make the disk, I made winME and it did load up somewhat,, i have 3 files missing or corrupted, and errors on 3 lines in config. ill be back........

I was making the floppy wrong... i made boot disk 98 per advice earlier, and it did install the cdrom "banana" but no device driver found ... and no valid CDROM driver selected.. after that it goes to A:

i put a new CDROM in a few weeks ago, and the computor doesnt see it.. i get DEVICE DRIVER NOT FOUND

All the boot disks that have been used cannot be NBG.  Has the plugging of the cdrom been checked and is the cdrom jumperable as Master/Slave and is the jumper set correct :-?

The device driver will not be installed if the cdrom is not recognised.

When you get this message

and it did install the cdrom "banana" but no device driver found ... and no valid CDROM driver selected..

it indicates that the device driver has not been installed because the device has not been found.

The problem is with hardware not with a driver.

[Moderator]

And possible with THE driver. There is a lot of PEBCAK.  

[R.I.P.]

I would like to know the Manufacturer and model
number of the computer you are attempting to
fix.

Are you using the install CD that came with it and
was there originally a special floppy disk used
with your original install CD and the floppy disk
was specifically used to install your restore CD?

I would like to know the Manufacturer and model
number of the computer you are attempting to
fix.
- - -

See the first post in this thread.    

[R.I.P.]

I would like to know the Manufacturer and model
number of the computer you are attempting to
fix.
- - -

See the first post in this thread.    

Thanks WillyW after the long read of this post....
I forgot the first entry in the novel.

Again,Thanks for keeping me straight.

sorrry street   ... anyway i appreciate all the help...

i put a new CDROM in a few weeks ago, and the computor doesnt see it.. i get DEVICE DRIVER NOT FOUND

All the boot disks that have been used cannot be NBG.  Has the plugging of the cdrom been checked and is the cdrom jumperable as Master/Slave and is the jumper set correct :-?

The device driver will not be installed if the cdrom is not recognised.

When you get this message

and it did install the cdrom "banana" but no device driver found ... and no valid CDROM driver selected..

it indicates that the device driver has not been installed because the device has not been found.

The problem is with hardware not with a driver.

i took the cdrom out and set the jumper as per instructions from the manufacturer, and it still remains the same, but i am hopeful.  since im already as embarrassed as i can possibly be, i am going to ask you what do you mean by "set the jumper"..i reset both cdrom and the one underneath it as the instructions described, is there another step? meanwhile i will keep reading, and sorry again about the "novel"

[R.I.P.]

First.I am sorry about the"novel" remark.

I was joking with WillyW.

Have you tried with the one underneath
it........you mentioned, left unplugged from
the 4 pin power plug and ribbon cable?

Hi.. i followed the instructions on the new cd to install and what i dont understand is that on the Compaq site it says to set the jumper to cable select, and on the instructions from the new cd says set it to Master/Slave, which i did, taking the advice given here..it didnt work.. maybe the cable needs replaced? the one underneath Adapti, is plugged the way was, (i had to change the jumper setting on it to Slave) as it was also set to cable select..im kinda at a loss but i am going to try it again.  :-?

[Moderator]

Some machines are set up to use CS. No problem there as long as you set both drives to CS and are familiar with how that works. The device on the farthest point of the cable is effectively the master.

i took it apart again, set the New CDROM and Adapti to cable select as per compaq and it did not work.. i checked everything, and it just doesnt work. the only thing left to try is to replace the ribbon cable but im pretty much done. i give up.. thanks everyone for your expert and patient advice. any advice on how to get a system back in there WITHOUT  a cd?..what about xternal?  thanks again

Some machines are set up to use CS. No problem there as long as you set both drives to CS and are familiar with how that works. The device on the farthest point of the cable is effectively the master.

Is it possible that the cable is not the original, and not a CS cable?
How would georgia go about id'ing the cable?

They used to have a twist in them, didn't they?   I'm not very familiar with them,  so it is best if you or someone that is covers this.

the cable is the orginal.. i have tried both ways, setting to CS on both, as per Compaq instructions, and Master/Slave as per Lite-on instructions.. neither works.  

when i try to boot with ME, the first thing that happens is the cdrom driver is listed, then "Device Driver not found, aborting installation"

when i try to boot with 98se, i get the message "error on config.sys line one" which i assume means the same thing...

if i bought an external cdrom would i be able to reinstall an operating system that way?

i am still hopeful but not much  

the cable is the orginal..

I wonder if maybe the cable is bad.

when i try to boot with 98se,

This is with the boot floppy that you made with by using the program you downloaded from bootdisk.com -  right?

i get the message "error on config.sys line one"

hmmm...
Can you put that floppy with that config.sys on it in your working computer.   Don't boot with it -  have the computer already up and running.
Launch Notepad.  
Using Notepad,  open that config.sys.
Highlight and copy the text within that config.sys
Post it here, so we can all see it.
Don't make any changes to config.sys with Notepad.   Do not "save" when exiting Notepad.

if i bought an external cdrom would i be able to reinstall an operating system that way?

I suspect you would then be getting into USB, and discussion of its drivers with your job is beyond me.   I have the feeling it is not simple, therefore not the way to go.  
Let's see what others say about it.

Hi, i feel completely blonde, but when i opened the boot disk in notepad, there is no config.sys listed, but i did find the following in HIMEM... i didnt copy everything, just the bottom, it doesnt look pretty...please advise




Ç è     ; p œ À ì Sd …¬&¸Extended Error %1Parse Error %1{
Windows XMS Driver  Version 3.95
Extended Memory Specification (XMS) Version 3.0
Copyright 1988-1995 Microsoft Corp.
$
Shadow RAM disabled.$<
WARNING: Shadow RAM disable not supported on this system.$7
WARNING: Shadow RAM is in use and can"t be disabled.$3
ERROR: HIMEM.SYS requires MS-DOS 3.00 or higher.$:
ERROR: An Extended Memory Manager is already installed.$4
ERROR: HIMEM.SYS requires an 80x86-based machine.$1
ERROR: No available extended memory was found.$%
ERROR: Unable to control A20 line!$3
ERROR: VDISK memory allocator already installed.$(
      XMS Driver not installed.

$
$$ extended memory handles available.$
Minimum HMA size set to $K.$
Installed A20 handler number $.$"
Installed external A20 handler.$8
WARNING: The High Memory Area (HMA) is unavailable.
$/
WARNING: The A20 Line was already enabled.
$'
WARNING: Invalid parameter ignored: $/
64K High Memory Area (HMA) is available.

$&
HIMEM is testing extended memory...$done.
$B
ERROR: HIMEM.SYS has detected unreliable XMS memory at address $5To continue starting your computer, press ENTER.

$6This program is the property of Microsoft Corporation.4½ïþ              ?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

Hi, i feel completely blonde, but when i opened the boot disk in notepad, there is no config.sys listed,

Don't worry about, or fiddle with HIMEM.


You have some sort of       Find        or     Search     within Windows.
If I knew what version of Windows you are using on the working computer,  I've forgotten... sorry.

Click on Start.   Look for it.
You want to  find or search for files or folders.

Use that Find/Search function to seach the    A:     drive,  with your boot disk inserted there.
Be sure to search the whole A: drive.    There may be an option to include subfolders, or some such language as that.   Do that.
Start from    A:\
Not , for example,  from   A:\name_here\

Look for      config.sys


See if you can find it doing it this way.





p.s.  You may be able to get to the  Find/Search function through Windows Explorer, if you are familiar with using it.    

im lost, it finds no config.sys anywhere on the boot disk...  :-?

This is with the boot floppy that you made with by using the program you downloaded from bootdisk.com -  right?

And what version is it from bootdisk.com?  
Please be specific.   Win98,  WinME,  or.... ?

i tried Window ME, 98, and out of desparation 95a, none of them have config.sys in any folder or file on them. i used the advanced search.

how do i edit (look at ) the config.sys in C:  or  (autoexe.)after the boot in the broken computor ? i can get to C: and dir, and i can see them there.

Maybe this will help:

I just went to www.bootdisk.com.    
Clicked on link  'bootdisks' link and was taken to:
   http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm

Used link labeled:
" Windows 98 SE OEM "  
 which is    http://files.frashii.com/~bootdisk/alabama/boot98se.exe

and downloaded file named      boot98se.exe
It is 843 KB


Next,   clicked on link labeled:
" Windows Me OEM "
which is       http://spock.uccs.edu/pub/bootdisks/bootme.exe

and downloaded file named      bootme.exe
It is  818 KB



I wanted to try both of them.



Next,  inserted a blank floppy in my A: drive
Double clicked on  boot98se.exe
It made a boot floppy.

Next,  removed that floppy and inserted another blank floppy.
Double clicked on     bootme.exe
It made a boot floppy.

Next,  removed that floppy.
Inserted the new Win98SE boot floppy.
Restarted computer.

It began boot process.
Presented me with a menu.   I chose to boot with CD-ROM support.
I could see it load the OAK  CD-ROM driver.
I could see it create a RAM drive.    We won't go into the specifics of what that is right now,  but suffice it to say that it uses a drive letter.
Eventually, the boot process completed, and I was presented with
the    A:   prompt.

Inserted a CD that I had laying around.

My computer has 2 hard drives.    C:   and   D:
The above mentioned RAM drive became  E:  during the boot process.
Thus,  my CD-ROM drive became   F:

I typed   F:   and hit   enter.
I was presented with the    F:   prompt.
In other words,  I got onto the  CD just fine.
Ran a simple dos program that was saved on the CD, just to be sure.
It ran fine.

Next,  removed that Win98SE boot floppy.
Inserted the WinME boot floppy.
Restarted computer.

Booted the same as with the Win98SE floppy.   All looked normal.
I did notice that at the end of the boot process, it was nice enough to put a line of text on the screen,  telling me that my CD-ROM drive  is the  F:   drive.

Again,  tested.   I could get on the F: drive and run a dos program that was saved on the CD.

All appeared normal with this quick and brief test of the files found at bootdisk.com

Note:    On both the boot floppies I made,   config.sys  is located
A:\config.sys
This is normal.

Config.sys is a text file.    That is why you can open, view, and edit it - with Notepad.
It begins like this:

Code: [Select]

[menu]
menuitem=HELP, Help
menuitem=CD, Start computer with CD-ROM support.
menuitem=NOCD, Start computer without CD-ROM support.
There is a lot more to it than that, but maybe that will help you identify it.

Remember -  when you launch Notepad,   it may default to only showing files of type   *.txt    only.     You may have to tell it to show all files,  else it will not show files with names like   *.sys   .



I hope this helps.

- - -

how do i edit (look at ) the config.sys in C:

There is a big difference between    "edit"  and  "look at"  !

I strongly suggest that you do not edit  - in other words,  make changes to  -   the config.sys  that is located on your C:  drive.

If you open a text file like config.sys is,  with an editor like Notepad,  you CAN make changes to it.   Unless you are sure of what you are doing,  you should not make changes.
This is why I said in an earlier post to be sure to NOT save with Notepad.   Just exit without saving.

or  (autoexe.)

autoexec.bat  is also a text file.    Same as with config.sys -  don't make changes unless you are sure of what you are doing.

after the boot in the broken computor ? i can get to C: and dir, and i can see them there.

Why?    
What do you want to / need to   do  ?


I am under the impression that your goal is to re-install some version of Windows -  that you have an install CD for.
To do that, you need to boot the computer from a floppy, with CD-ROM support.
That is what we've been steering you towards.  
Not fiddling with config.sys or autoexec.bat that is found on the C:  drive.

I could see it load the OAK  CD-ROM driver.
I could see it create a RAM drive.    We won't go into the specifics of what that is right now,  but suffice it to say that it uses a drive letter.


[/quote]
  this is where it stops... i can also see it load the driver, this is what the screen looks like:

CD-ROM Device Driver for IDE (Four Channels Supported)
Copyright for Oak Technology Inc 1991-1996
Driver Version  :V340
Device Name : Banana
No Drives Found, aborting installation

Device driver not found : 'BANANA'
no valid CDROM device drivers selected
A:\>

 :-?

[R.I.P.]

Okay you have a hard drive and a Optical drive ie..(CD-rom )of
some sort. It seems that your motherboard is not working on
both IDE ports.Do you have a ribbon cable with 2 connectors?
So your hard drive and 1 of your CD-roms could be on the working
IDE port?

I could see it load the OAK  CD-ROM driver.
I could see it create a RAM drive.    We won't go into the specifics of what that is right now,  but suffice it to say that it uses a drive letter.

 this is where it stops... i can also see it load the driver, this is what the screen looks like:

CD-ROM Device Driver for IDE (Four Channels Supported)
Copyright for Oak Technology Inc 1991-1996
Driver Version  :V340
Device Name : Banana
No Drives Found, aborting installation

Device driver not found : 'BANANA'
no valid CDROM device drivers selected
A:\>

 :-?[/quote]


Now we are back on that?   ok....
Earlier, you'd said,  "when i try to boot with 98se, i get the message "error on config.sys line one" which i assume means the same thing.."

And we were then trying to find and see what was wrong with your config.sys  .    You'd said you could not find it at all.
Since you are seeing it attempt to load the driver, obviously there is a config.sys .

I believe someone earlier had said that, at this point, if the driver would not load,  then it was likely that it is a hardware problem.
You can review the posts here to see if that is correct.

By the way,   why is the driver named "Banana" ?
You forgot to say which boot disk is reporting that... '98 or ME.
If you are using either of the boot disks that I downloaded and tried from bootdisk.com,  I don't think it would be named that without some editing.     (I've already put away the boot disks I made, else I'd check).

 

[R.I.P.]

I did everything WillyW instructed you to do with
a Win98Se bootdisk and a WinMe bootdisk and got
the same results as WillyW got.

This makes me think you have not yet created a
bootdisk correctly.

I get a feeling your booting with a win95 bootdisk,
are you?

The first thing the proper bootdisk will stop on is a
choice.  1 is boot with cdrom support.Have you really
did this?

i have tried both ME and 98se and they both have same results, i think the 98sc calls it tomatoe, and in the course of downloading bootdisks, i had one that said about the error on config.sys line one.(possible it was 98)....yesterday i got a very detailed message concerning the problem and had came to the conclusion it is a hardware issue...

inside the computor there are 2 ide ribbons... one has the cdrom, then the adapti cd underneath, hence the master/slave issue... the hard drive has its own ribbon...

i have tried to find the configur.sys on both ME and 98se boot disks..i open notepad and have looked at almost all the programs on the disk and i cant find it.. i have used advance search...

wouldnt the error be in the computor and not on the bootdisk?

[R.I.P.]

The hard drive has it's own ribbon.

Now if you use the ribbon cable you have for the 2 cdrom type drives it has a double plugin for 2 drives.

Have you tried the hard drive and 1 of the cdroms only hooked to the motherboard IDE outlet where the hard drive is now working
off and tried it like that?

i think i found the config.sys on the ME boot disk:

rem DEVICE=HIMEM.SYS /testmem:off
FILES=30
BUFFERS=20

DEVICE=cd1.SYS /D:tomato

rem DEVICE=cd1.SYS /D:tomato /P:1f0,14
rem DEVICE=cd1.SYS /D:tomato /P:170,15
rem DEVICE=cd1.SYS /D:tomato /P:170,10
rem DEVICE=cd1.SYS /D:tomato /P:1e8,12
rem DEVICE=cd1.SYS /D:tomato /P:1e8,11
rem DEVICE=cd1.SYS /D:tomato /P:168,10
rem DEVICE=cd1.SYS /D:tomato /P:168,9

LASTDRIVE=Z

The hard drive has it's own ribbon.

Now if you use the ribbon cable you have for the 2 cdrom type drives it has a double plugin for 2 drives.

Have you tried the hard drive and 1 of the cdroms only hooked to the motherboard IDE outlet where the hard drive is now working
off and tried it like that?

no, im a little confused by this as the cdrom is at the top, and the hard drive is not within reach of the plug to connect them together. but i will try this i have nothing to loose. thanks

The hard drive has it's own ribbon.

Now if you use the ribbon cable you have for the 2 cdrom type drives it has a double plugin for 2 drives.

Have you tried the hard drive and 1 of the cdroms only hooked to the motherboard IDE outlet where the hard drive is now working
off and tried it like that?

THIS WORKED!!!! i couldnt plug the hard drive and cdrom together but i did unplug the bottom adapti drive and booted up with the cdrom showing as R:..... i am so happy thank you dusty, and willy and everyone who helped... you are gonna be mad at me, but now i cant find my install cd  

Well done Geogia - success at last.

We don't get mad we just get even.  Very good to hear of a satisfactory outcome.

Good luck

  i am so happy... unfortunately the ME operating system i had is an upgrade, so therefore i cannot upgrade without putting 98 in first... so i dont at this point have an operating system to install.. (it was in the old cdrom i had to take apart to get it out     ....anyway, all that came with the computor originally is the factory restore disk which doesnt work... so i still dont have an operating system, but at least i know now i can load one in... you are so great... thank you thank you thank you.  

do you know where i can download and burn one? if i am the orginal owner is there somewhere where i would have access to this

again many thanks and good wishes to everyone who helped.. especially willy thanks for the patience

[Moderator]

You cannot legally download a Microsoft operating system. If all you have is a ME upgrade, you will need an older qualifying product. You don't have to install the older one first, just have the CD available when installing.

So you are back where you started from. You need to install Windows.

Im way ahead of where i started from, now i have a cdrom drive which i didnt before this all started.. i made the mistake of uninstalling the operating system with a disabled cdrom. i assumed the new one would work... it seems the adapti burner or second cd is bad, which i can live without so its all good.

dont want to do anything illegal, wasnt looking to, i just wondered if i could get it somewhere using my serial numbers and product key or something. the computor did not come with operating system cd's just a recovery cd which i have but it doesnt work.  a friend let me borrow a geniune windows ME cd, but it appears to be an upgrade which needs 98 installed first.... or a valid product key for 98 im not sure how that works..

in any event i feel im way ahead of where i was. i was ready to throw the tower in the trash.

 so i still dont have an operating system, but at least i know now i can load one in...

Now the question is:  Where are some places to get a good deal on a legitimate Windows install disk.  

We're talking about versions prior to WindowsXP.
The first thing that pops to mind is eBay.  
But that takes some patience, and willingness to measure and accept risk.   That's up to you.

If you feel you need some advice on places to look,  you might want to start another thread as that is quite a bit different topic and will get the proper attention that way.
You might want to ask what to expect to pay too.