boot/hard drive install issues with Thinkpad 770E

[GLE3]

Trying to install windows 98se(on a blank unformatted HD)using windows CD. I have adjusted the boot sequence in BIOS to CD, FD, HD. On power up I do get a menu that asks to boot of hard disk or CD. After choosing CD it appears everything freezes and the screen turns black. Any idea what my issue might be? I don't have a "original" copy of the windows installation CD. Would that even matter? Thanks in advance.

[Rob Mayercik]

Are you sure that the CD you're trying to use is bootable?

If you can, try to boot off a floppy and format the drive with the /s flag to make it bootable. Then you can either add the drivers to make the CD accessible and install from there, or copy the install files off the CD to the hard drive and install that way (a little faster, and it means you don't have to lug the CD around)

Rob

[GLE3]

Thanks for the help!

Yea, I'm sure it is bootable. I have used it for several reinstalls for my PC. I would guess the drivers are on the install CD for my CD drive but it's just not accessing them for some reason.

I'll try to make a bootable diskette and see how that goes.

[GLE3]

I made a boot disk with my 380XD (running Win 98se) last night and tried to boot to that. It didn't boot with that either. I am using an external floppy drive and made sure my BIOS sequence was FD2, CD, HD. I reinstalled my OS on my 380XD without this much trouble. I'm at a loss for what to try next....