Just trying to get started

[ghostbusterhull]

Hi i'm new and about too throw my old computer out the window and would really like some help.
My old computer has been stripped clean and connected to my TV purely for watching movies and the like. But now i've stripped it and tried too re-install windows it won't do anything. at one point using an old boot disk i could get too dos and only once did i get to an install windows menu. Now when ever i try too turn it on with the boot disk in it say's invalid system disc. The disc was working fine ten minutes ago but not now.
can someone help

 

[poertner_1274]

Sounds like it could be some type of hardware issue. This could make sense if Windows will not boot or try to install.
Try checking your connections and reseating everything to the mobo.

Post back with success or more questions.

BTW
:wave:Welcome to TechSpot:wave:

 

[ghostbusterhull]

Think i know how too check the connection's, but what's the mobo? thanks for the help.

 

[momok]

mobo is tech-speak for motherboard.

 

[ghostbusterhull]

Excellent, now i'm back too were i was yesterday, next prob,

when running windows setup it say's
set up found a compressed volume or a disk-cache utility on your computer. quit set up and check you compressed volume with your disk compression software or remove your disk-cache utility.
I don't have disk compression software. Can this be explained?

ontop off this when i continue through setup it says
error SU-0013
setup could not create files on your startup drive and cannot setup windows
if you have HPFTS on windows NT files system you must create a an MS DOS boot partion. If you have LANtastic server or superstore compression disable it before running setup.
This means almost nothing too me though i have set up a partion and formatted it.

 

[Bobbye]

You used the term 'old' for your computer 3 times and you are really trying to put it through paces.

What have you got there? Make? Model? Type> Desktop or laptop? Hard drive? RAM

Invalid 'old' boot disc? Ya gotta give us something to work with! What operating system are you trying to install? What kind of DOS error/message are you getting?

 

[ghostbusterhull]

Because i'm a newbie, don't know whats relevant, so i'll give you what i know.
The computer is a tower cpu pulled together by my brother in law. It was working fine as a main computer, then we replaced it with a whole new system. Somewhere along the line my brother removed the hard drive and wiped it. The details are: processer amd sepmpron, Hard drive is oaktech mscd001 20048k 512bytes 2 sectors and 64 directory entries. even though there's only half a dozen things when you run a dir on dos. i'm trying to load up any operating system that will work. but so far only have an official win95 version that does anything. The boot disc is a win98. Downloaded boot discs have been unsuccessful. I've opened it up, and have been unsuccessful in finding any more information. I hope this helps. If any more info is needed i may have to be told where to get it from. Thanks for all the help so far.

 

[Bobbye]

Okay, let's be realistic here:

1. You have an old computer system- one that was put together, possibly rigged hardware
2. It was wiped and used for TV (make that wiped, not whipped! LOL!)
3. Then it was whipped again and Windows 95 was installed
4. Currently giving 'invalid system disc' error and only gets to DOS

See if this addresses the problem: Error Message "Invalid System Disk" After Setup Reboots
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/128730

Go through the possible causes and determine which if any might relate to your situation.

 

[ghostbusterhull]

the computer has only been wiped once, and before this was working perfectly okay.

I've copied the sys files and ms.dos seems to be working fine now. But, when running setup for windows, it says
setup found a compressed volume or a disc - cache utility on your computer. Quit setup and check your compressed volume with your disc compression software or remove the disc - cache utility. Then run set up again
I don't know what or where a compressed volume is or a disc - cache utility and i don't have any disc compression software.
If anyone out there can help it would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Bobbye]

At some point in time, there wad a compression. See if the steps here will help:

Causes for this Error:
This issue can be caused by one of the following reasons:
1. Hard drive has been compressed.
2. Hard drive has unsupported file system such as HPFS, NTFS or FAT32.
3. Hard drive has DDO.

Windows setup: Compressed volume or disk-cache utility error.
http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000283.htm

What was the operating system before it was removed for a TV?

 

[ghostbusterhull]

What was the operating system before it was removed for a TV?

Window's XP

 

[Bobbye]

This might be the cause of the problem:

2. Hard drive has unsupported file system such as HPFS, NTFS or FAT32.

Operation system -File system types supported
Dos FAT16
Windows 95 FAT16
Windows 95 OSR2 FAT16, FAT32
Windows 98 FAT16, FAT32
Windows NT4 FAT, NTFS (version 4)
Windows 2000/XP FAT, FAT16, FAT32, NTFS (versions 4 and 5)

If I understand this, Windows XP would support the FAT file system, but Windows 95 or 98 won't support the NTFS system.

This is not an area where I have much experience, so perhaps someone else will have another suggestion.

 

[ghostbusterhull]

Thanks everyone
I've now got a computer working with Windows 98. Got more problem's but i think they'll go under other title's so i'll look around for now, but will rpob be back
thanks for your help