# installing win3.1 on an old system



## brytus (Jan 30, 2002)

I am helping a friend intall an operating system to a very old computer. No CDrom...have to go with a floppy system.
Trying Win3.1 to keep it simple. When I get to the screen that puts it into its path...it says I have to choose a different path. Won't recognize C:Windows. Tried everything I know how. Reformatted the drive...The computer system seems to recognize it, but it doesn't during the setup. What am I doing wrong...any suggestions would be sooooo appreciated
I am entering C:\WINDOWS\ or C:\Windows and every variation. The message I am getting is
"Setup is unable to create the specified directory on the specified drive"


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## MacFromOK (Mar 19, 2001)

Did ya use a backslash in the path?

*C:\WINDOWS*

or try a trailing backslash?

*C:\WINDOWS\*

Might try all capital letters too.


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## brytus (Jan 30, 2002)

I tried a lot of variations to the path and nothing works. It's like it doesn't recognize the drive.


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## MacFromOK (Mar 19, 2001)

You do have DOS installed, don't ya?

If so, try creating the directory on the C: drive:

*c:*

press enter...

*cd\*

press enter...

*md windows*

press enter.

If this doesn't give any errors (it shouldn't even be
necessary), I'm guessing your install diskette is bad.
You might try it again once you create the directory
though...

Let us know what happens.


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## MacFromOK (Mar 19, 2001)

One more question...

What exactly is the computer, and what version of DOS
does it have?


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## brytus (Jan 30, 2002)

tried
C:CD\MDWINDOWS
and got "invalid directory"


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## MacFromOK (Mar 19, 2001)

Those are 3 separate commands. Which
one gave you the "invalid directory" error?


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## brytus (Jan 30, 2002)

I put in C:
enter it just took me to C:/
then I typed Cd\ then enter
then MDWindows and it said invalid directory

it is an old 16MHZ 80286 Mainboard

Not sure what vs dos
thanx


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## MacFromOK (Mar 19, 2001)

We're spinnin' our wheels here. A 286 won't
run windows 3x. The chip architecture just won't
support it. I had a 286 16 myself (actually 2 of
'em, but seems like one was 8 mhz).


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## brytus (Jan 30, 2002)

I think they upgraded it. I gave you the info from the manuel.
while booting it says 256K 80386DX
It had Windows on it when I got it, but they wanted me to clean it out, and in the process I lost Windows. I am trying to get it back. I do feel as if I am spinning my wheels with this, but I am not a tech...just trying to help a friend.
thanks for your help


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## MacFromOK (Mar 19, 2001)

Well, it should run Windows 3.1 even if it's a 386
upgrade. I also had a 286/486 upgrade and it
had Windows 3.1, so I assume it should work.
Also, I think Windows 2x did run on a 286, but
I never had it.

If you can't create a directory with "md windows"
though, you have other problems. Try typing

*ver*

and press ENTER

to see what version of DOS is on it. I kinda need
to know what we have to work with here...


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## brytus (Jan 30, 2002)

I tried entering that command again and got
"that directory already exists"


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## MacFromOK (Mar 19, 2001)

What about the version command?


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## brytus (Jan 30, 2002)

maybe my problem is the disk I am using to boot. I was using my own win 95 and another win 98 boot disk to open. then I insert my Win 3.1 disk. I don't know of anyother way to boot it, as they didn't give me any software. I feel stupid when it comes to these things...sorry


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## MacFromOK (Mar 19, 2001)

No problem.  But the version on your boot disk is
different from what's on the computer. This won't
work. Won't the computer boot on it's own?


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## brytus (Jan 30, 2002)

Hi Mac, I am beginning to think that dos isn't installed. You got me thinking. That's dangerous. How do I go about getting it and installing it?


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## MacFromOK (Mar 19, 2001)

I sent ya an email brytus.


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## brytus (Jan 30, 2002)

When I try to format C it says that format is not supported by drive C.


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## MacFromOK (Mar 19, 2001)

OK, do this then:

Boot with the boot disk, then type:

*c:*

press ENTER. Then type:

*cd\*

press ENTER. Then type:

*attrib -s -h -r *.**

press ENTER. Then type:

*del c:\*.**

And press ENTER. This should effectively remove
the old DOS system files.

Then do the remaining steps in the email that came
after the *format* command.

Let me know what happens.


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## brytus (Jan 30, 2002)

I put installing Win3.1 on hold, because nothing is working. Now I am trying to install Dos 6.22 and it says that there is an error on my disk and won't let me install that either. The disk was working ok before I deleted everything. Any suggestions, before I call it quits? confused


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## MacFromOK (Mar 19, 2001)

Well, the disk/OS wasn't working very well or it would
have booted on it's own. Also, *"format"* would have
worked if everything was OK.

Unless it has a boot sector virus or something, I'm
guessing the HD may be bad. I know a 286 will run
DOS 6.20, and about the only difference between
6.20 and 6.22 is the disk compression. Of course it
could also be a bad controller card...

If ya can make a boot disk with a virus scanner, you
might try that. Otherwise, if ya got "Windows", I'd
throw it out one of 'em...

I'm about out of ideas, sorry. 

Cheers, Mac

BTW, if ya find a virus on the 286, it's probably on your
computer from swapping the floppy back and forth...


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## Lurker1 (Jan 30, 2001)

Hi brytus

If I remember correctly DOS 6.22 is just an upgrade to dos 6.0 which had to be installed first. You dont have a nice version 5 dos and a dos 5 boot disk do you? You usually first needed to use the boot disk, then FORMAT C: /S to get the correct system files on the hard drive. Then install all the dos files to the hard drive. Both the boot disk DOS and the DOS files being installed need to be the same version. Then after DOS is installed you can install the Five windows 3.1 disks. BOL

You can get the DOS boot disks here. Write protect it before using on your PC incase you have a virus and scan all the other disks you are using to load your software for viruses also.

http://www.bootdisk.com/

By the way how big is the hard drive you are trying to format? Earlier Dos versions could only handle small size hard drives. You probably want to use the same version FDISK that comes with the Dos boot disk.


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## MacFromOK (Mar 19, 2001)

Lurker, I'm pretty sure that 6.22 was available as
an install. MS had problems because their disk
compression in 6.20 utilized some of Stacker's
technology (lol, surprise surprise...).

Also ya may have missed where the 286 wouldn't
boot on it's own (all this has been done from a
boot disk), and *"format"* gives an error...

One other thing that may be a factor, the 286
floppy drive may be a 720k (or 360k), but I
wouldn't think it would boot with a 1.44k disk
if it was...

Cheers, Mac


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## Lurker1 (Jan 30, 2001)

Hi MAC

I'm just wondering if she tryed using the Windows 95 disk to partition and format the hard drive and If that is causing the current error. She may need to use the older fdisk that comes with the Boot disk to get things back working again.

I was having lots of Dos problems over the weekend trying to get Dos 1.2 files from an 8088 to read on later dos version 4.1 on a 486. The floppy drive wouldn't boot off the version 1.2 disks. (I think they were one sided. ) on the higher 1.2 meg drive. 
I could read the file names under 4.1 but it showed errors if I tryed to run anything. Maybe an older drive or dos 3.0 would work. Well got to go home now.


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## MacFromOK (Mar 19, 2001)

I dunno Lurker, I've used DOS 6.20 on everything
from a Tandy, to a 286, to a 486. Even dual booted
3.11 and 95 for a while using nothing but a boot
floppy to make the choice (DOS 6.20 or 7.0).

I still have a Tandy in my shop with no hard drive
that boots (720k floppy) with DOS 6.20 to run some
engineering stuff (pulley diameters, speeds, etc.).

If the 95/98 boot disk is FAT32 that could be a
problem, but the DOS 6.22 should still have worked.

Brytus, ya might try downloading the boot disk
files as Lurker suggested, and see if *format*
will work from that.

BTW, deleting the DOS system files should have
had no effect on accessing the hard drive from a
boot disk...

Does anyone else have any ideas?


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## brytus (Jan 30, 2002)

Ok here is where I am so far. When I try to install dos 6.22 I get the mssg: setup cannot install ms-dos 6.22 on your computer. A disk error was detected while writing a new boot record to your first hard disk.
then I tried to fdisk and got: run-time error R6003-integr divide by 0


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## MacFromOK (Mar 19, 2001)

If it doesn't have a boot sector virus, the hard
drive is probably shot. Some virii will show a hard
disk failure, but more than likely the tired old drive
on the 286 has just expired.

Did *format* with the DOS 6.22 disk give errors?


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

Are you starting the computer with the Dos 6.22 Disk 1 in the floppy drive and going from there?


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## brytus (Jan 30, 2002)

Yes,
I boot with dos 6.22 and it goes into a set up. but can't do the setup.


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

What happens when you're at the A:\> prompt, type FDISK /MBR and press Enter.


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