Windows 98 not installing...

[Fed]

You could also try borrowing a 98SE disk.

[GX1_Man]

You'd be better off witth linux.  

A lot of those "restore" CD's don't work if the original hardware has changed - including the hard drive.  Compaq and HP are notorious for this. As a matter of fact I had a Compaq come through a few years ago that did the same thing.

[Arc]

well, i guess i can learn some new commands for linux, I can also look into Wine as well if I want to play any windows games on linux.

Thanks for the help guys!

[Fed]

If you have the space then partion your HDD so you can still put windows on it if you want.
(If anyone ever figures out why you can't)

[Arc]

I was planing on it, but i set aside 2 gigs, hope thats enough to install xp

[GX1_Man]

Barely.  

[Arc]

that's what i figured, but i have a blank 40 gig hard drive that I can install everything else for windows on

[GX1_Man]

It's always better to install Windows first in a dual boot system. When it installs it overwrites the MBR. 9Not a good neighbor!)

[2k_dummy]

Last ditch effort.
boot from floppy
sys c:
c:
md win98
change to cd drive, navigate to win98 directory and copy all files to c:\win98
remove floppy and cd and reboot
cd\win98
install

[GX1_Man]

Change last instruction from install to setup.