Windows 98 Install Help

[ibm thinkpadfan]

I recently acquired an IBM ThinkPad 365xd that is in good condition. It boots and all but gives errors along the way, and is registered to someone else. So I planned on reinstalling it with a CD Iso I downloaded. I haven't installed it before but I cleared the hard drive. I didn't format it by mistake and restarted. Now I cannot do anything or even access command prompt. Can I fix this and install?

[dr_st]

Does this model allow you to boot from CD-ROM? If not, you need to create/obtain a Win98 startup floppy, boot from that, then install from the CD.

[ibm thinkpadfan]

Considering it only has CD-rom I though it would but it asks for floppy. Also the CD-rom seems to not be working as it just sits there then eventually doesn't eject. I have a Gateway Solo that allows it though and has a floppy drive.

[Neil]

It's been years since my doing so, but when I wanted to install Win98 on old machines that would not boot the install media, I would attach the HDD to another computer to format, copy system files and the cab files, then move the drive back into the old Thinkpad, boot up and run setup from the command prompt.

[ibm thinkpadfan]

I put the HDD into the gateway solo but cannot access anything. Does the install floppy or disk do format as well? Is a floppy disk simply required to install?

[Neil]

Yes, I'm fairly sure you can format and all booted from the install CD. Back in the day, I did not have a bootable CD so a Win98 Start Up floppy worked best for me. Boot the floppy and format HDD, then copy system files from floppy to HDD so it will be bootable, make a directory to contain the cab files and copy them from CD to HDD while booted from floppy. Reboot into DOS on the HDD and run Windows set up back on the old ThinkPad. There used to be a more detailed guide online somewhere, but I can't find it now. I'll look a little further for the guide later.

[ibm thinkpadfan]

I will order a boot floppy tommorow. Gotta hope the floppy drive still works as its unknown whether or not it does.

[Neil]

Here is the guide I was looking for: http://holland-consulting.net/9xinstall.html
It's probably over twenty years old, but the method worked for me several times in the past.

[ibm thinkpadfan]

I put the floppy in after setting boot and nothing. Drive makes little noises then says "Operating system not found".

[ibm thinkpadfan]

https://ibb.co/DWxvBGv

[ibm thinkpadfan]

I had to turn it to CD-ROM instead of A: for some reason. After this it booted fine.

[ibm thinkpadfan]

So it wont let me boot without the hard drive inside the system, no matter what I change. Without the hard drive theres nothing to format... I tried looking through the guide but I cant even get past step 2 as it automatically loads the CD-ROM drivers and of course no hard drive.

[ibm thinkpadfan]

Never mind, it was the dvd drive all along. I managed to swap it with an earlier model ibm thinkpad cd-rom and the setup from the disc I downloaded worked perfectly. It formatted the drive and I started install. Thanks for the help.