# [OT] Computer help.



## Dragongirl (Oct 18, 2002)

Does anyone know, if you remove a HD with windows on it and install that HD in another computer, if you can then run windows on the new computer?


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## Brown Jenkin (Oct 18, 2002)

Yes you will be able to, but (yes there is always something) the first time you run it will take awhile as it has to change all of its drivers to match the new hardware. Additionally you may also need to have driiver CDs or dowload some things since Windows does not have every driver already in it. Included in this is the posibility of needing the Windows CD if the cab files are not already on your HD. Hope this helps, good luck.


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## Dragongirl (Oct 18, 2002)

Thanks.  I was re-installing Windows 98 and evidently the CD is corrupted since it can't find certain files on the CD to install.  So now I am stuck on my old computer until I find a way of getting an OS on my new computer.


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## Brown Jenkin (Oct 18, 2002)

Have you looked to see if the cab files were installed originally. If so you can point to them instead of the CD. Start->Find->Files or Folders: Search for *.cab then when the program asks for the CD type in the location of the cab files instead.


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## Dragongirl (Oct 18, 2002)

I am afraid I deleted the old windows directory before I started the re-install.  Going to have to risk ruining my old computer by taking out the HD or get someone to give me an OS disk ehhe.


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## Brown Jenkin (Oct 18, 2002)

Sorry I can't be of more help but there are a few to many states between us. Maybe its just my freinds but every gaming group I've been in has at least one computer savvy person. Hopefully you have such a friend or two who could help more.


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## Saeviomagy (Oct 18, 2002)

How dead is the CD? Can't read any of the contents, or just the windows installer fails to run?

If you're lucky, you might still be able to copy the contents onto something else (your HD, a CD etc), and you might not have any problems.

Apart from that, shifting the HD across will work, to a point.

That point is - if you don't have the windows CD, and you have any hardware on the new PC that has microsoft-supplied drivers for it, then you won't be able to install the drivers for it.

Just be thankful you're not Australian. Microsoft put something on windows XP over here which makes you phone them up anytime your hardware changes...


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## Dragongirl (Oct 18, 2002)

The CD does 2 different things when I have tried to install it.

1) Scans the computer HD, then gets ready to setup and says it can't find......think it was setup.dll.

or

2) Gets all the way to starting to install files and starts not being able to find files.  First one is text which I skip, then an INF file which I skip since I have no choice, then a third one, forget what it is.  But it won't let me skip it.

If you delete files while in DOS, is there a way of restoring them from DOS?  Thought maybe I could try to restore what would be left of my old windows.


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## Simplicity (Oct 18, 2002)

Windows 95 does this all the time.  It's really annoying.
The file it's looking for IS there.  You just have to find it and
point to it.  Search through the directories on the CD for the file 
or for a CAB file that shows up in the file browser.

I think the file on the hard disk is usually in Windows\System or something.  And on the CD it's in i386\... something... It's been 
so long, I can hardly remember.  I do remember that "feature" in 
windows 95 driving me batty though.  

Just search through the directories until you find a file that the 
install program will accept.


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## Jeremy Ackerman-Yost (Oct 18, 2002)

Saeviomagy said:
			
		

> *Just be thankful you're not Australian. Microsoft put something on windows XP over here which makes you phone them up anytime your hardware changes... *




They originally had that on all of them.  I believe they scaled it back somewhat, though.  The lab computer only makes me call when I make fairly significant changes.

Dragongirl- who built your new computer?  And who supplied the Win98 CD?  Sounds like you're may be dealing with a custom company configuration on one end or the other.  My old Compaq, for example, could not be upgraded to a new version of Windows because it was a special Compaq-only license.  It manifested as "Missing necessary files" or some term like that.  I won't tell you all the B.S. I went through trying to resolve it, as there are tenuous legalities involved.


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## Griswold (Oct 18, 2002)

ak! 
G.


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## Dragongirl (Oct 18, 2002)

Canis said:
			
		

> *Dragongirl- who built your new computer?  And who supplied the Win98 CD?*




I built my new computer, to a degree.  Came with case, CD-ROM and motherboard.  I put in the HD, Sound and Video cards.  Windows 98 was working on it for about a year.  But I started having problems a bit ago (think I got a virus).  Ended up having to reformat the HD and since then I have been having problems of one kind or another.  Have had to re-install Win 98 quite a few times in the last few weeks.   My opinion is that the CD is just getting worn out.

As to where I got the CD, I bought it (well my father did) years ago when 98 first came out.

Simplicity.  I will have to try that.  Not tonight though, too frustrated with the whole thing.

Griswold.  I saw what you posted before you edited.


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## Jeremy Ackerman-Yost (Oct 18, 2002)

Ouch.  Good luck with that, Dragongirl.  Sometimes it takes a while to shake the ghosts out after something like that.  I know it seems redundant, but another formatting sometimes helps.

Not to discourage you, but I once had to just buy a new hard drive for a lab computer with similar issues.  I kept the old hard drive as a slave for data storage, since the occasional error on a non-boot disk is a lot more bearable than random Windows crashes.

Perhaps this will cheer you a little (or maybe my sense of humor is on the fritz... it happens).  But I found it amusing that when I ran this page through the Dialectizer (as mentioned here, this is one of your quotes:



> _Originally posted by Dragongirl (Cockney version)_
> I'm afraid I deleted the bleedin' old windows lockup before I started the re-install. Right. Gonna 'ave ter risk ruinin' me ole French Tutor by takin' out the HD or cop some bloke ter give us an OS disk ehhe.




It just gives me a whole new picture of you


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## Griswold (Oct 18, 2002)

I didn't see the part about you having deleted your windows folder until after I posted.  You might want to boot to DOS with an emergency boot disk, create a win98 folder on yur HD and copy the x:\win98 (where x is your cd drive letter) folder to the folder you created on the hard drive and run setup from there.

If you reformat, and I prolly would at this point, do an  fdisk /mbr after you format the drive, sometimes that clears some of that old junk that collects in the master boot record.
G.


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## Dragongirl (Oct 18, 2002)

Griswold said:
			
		

> * I didn't see the part about you having deleted your windows folder until after I posted.  You might want to boot to DOS with an emergency boot disk, create a win98 folder on yur HD and copy the x:\win98 (where x is your cd drive letter) folder to the folder you created on the hard drive and run setup from there.
> 
> G. *




Interesting idea.  I am not that great with DOS what exactly would the command look like?  Saying the CD-Rom is F and the HD is C.

While you are at it, making a dir.....don't know the DOS for that either.


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## Dragongirl (Oct 18, 2002)

Canis, you are too funny.  Cop some bloke eh?  Never heard it called that before.


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## Griswold (Oct 18, 2002)

Dragongirl said:
			
		

> *
> 
> Interesting idea.  I am not that great with DOS what exactly would the command look like?  Saying the CD-Rom is F and the HD is C.
> 
> While you are at it, making a dir.....don't know the DOS for that either. *




boot from your bootdisk,
ok to format the drive it would be: format c: /u /s <press enter>  /u  bypasses saving unformat data, /s makes the HD bootable 

to clear master boot record:  fdisk /mbr <press enter>

to make the folder on the HD the command would be md win98 <press enter>

to get to the correct folder on the CD-ROM you would use:

f:  <press enter> 
cd win98  <press enter>
copy *.* c:\win98  <press enter>

once the copy is done, reboot then,

c: <press enter>
cd win98 <press enter>
setup <press enter>

and setup should start.  I think that should cover everything. You will need a bootable Win98 or ME emergency disk with CD-Rom drivers.

hope this helps 

Griswold


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## Dragongirl (Oct 18, 2002)

Thanks Griswold, will try that tomorrow or later tonight.  Whenever I get in the mood to try to tackle this again.

I used to know more DOS when I was kid working on my father's computer, but now I am pretty much down to : CD, Dir and Del.


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## Griswold (Oct 18, 2002)

Dragongirl said:
			
		

> *Thanks Griswold, will try that tomorrow or later tonight.  Whenever I get in the mood to try to tackle this again.
> 
> I used to know more DOS when I was kid working on my father's computer, but now I am pretty much down to : CD, Dir and Del.   *




Your welcome, hope it helps. If ya got any questions feel free to email me.  

G.


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## Jeremy Ackerman-Yost (Oct 18, 2002)

Dragongirl said:
			
		

> *Canis, you are too funny.  Cop some bloke eh?  Never heard it called that before.   *



Well, right, yer'll be after wantin' ter peel to the dialectizer, then?

Well, my lady may wish ter broaden 'er 'orizons as an escape from computerized pains.  The realm o' wich, by the by, Master Griswold 'as proven much more capable of 'elpin' yer than a lowly salt of the Earth like meself. So I turn ter more jesterly purwhistle and flutes as befits me 'umble roots.

Yer too can cop yorself an embarrassment of linguistic riches wiv wich ter amuse yer mates and taunt yer enemies.


Oh, and good luck with the computer


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## Xeriar (Oct 18, 2002)

You may also want to invest in a CD cleaning kit, unless you scratched the top of the CD.

Basically, a kit comes with a CD that has little brushes on it, to clean your drive's laser lens with it (just stick it in and play it, normally).  Canned air works (and is a good idea for the rest of your computer, especially if you care for what's on your Hard Drive) - but it's not a good solution (eventually it will stop working).

The other part is usually some soft clothlettes and some gunk that you rub out scratches with -on the non-label side- of the CD (data is stored on an aluminum foil on the top of the CD, basically).


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## Cassiel666 (Oct 18, 2002)

_*Do not post info on how to obtain illegal software on ENWorld*

Grazzt_

np.  I can even stop posting altogether.  Observe.


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## Dragongirl (Oct 19, 2002)

:: blink ::  Not sure what that last post was all about.

Anyway, *GRISWOLD* thank you!  Copying the disk to my HD first and running setup from there worked.  Think I still have problems with compatability with some programs, but at least I can use my computer now to try to work things out.  

I just want to thank everyone for helping out.  

Edit:  Now, who stole my anti-Typodaemon repelant?


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## Grazzt (Oct 19, 2002)

Cassiel666 said:
			
		

> **Do not post info on how to obtain illegal software on ENWorld*
> 
> Grazzt
> 
> np.  I can even stop posting altogether.  Observe. *




That is your choice my friend.


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