Ask Experts Questions for FREE Help !
Ask
    Lord_Darkclaw's Avatar
    Lord_Darkclaw Posts: 295, Reputation: 38
    Full Member
     
    #1

    Jun 10, 2007, 12:20 PM
    How to Reinstall Windows 98 without original disk?
    I bought a Toshiba Tecra 520CDT that has a couple of minor problems (it only cost me £10) and I want to reinstall Windows 98 in the hope that it will fix whatever is causing the display to only work in 16 color mode.

    First problem: I can't figure out for the life of me how to get into the BIOS! :confused:
    I tried Del,Esc,F1,F2,F8,F10,F11 and Ctrl Alt Del... no luck so far.

    Second problem: I've heard that if you delete the copy of Windows that comes with the laptop and you don't have the original installation disk that the laptop is supplied with, it will be as dead as a door-stop because you can't install a normal copy of Windows... So maybe it was just as well I couldn't get into BIOS - I'd probably have screwed it up already. :D

    Is there somewhere I can get the original disk?
    wickedimp's Avatar
    wickedimp Posts: 57, Reputation: 14
    Junior Member
     
    #2

    Jun 11, 2007, 04:30 AM
    Ok... this didn't sound like a windows problem to start with. More like a display adapter problem! You could have solved this by installing the correct video drivers from the toshiba web site.

    Try F12 to enter the bios if I'm not mistaken... been a while since I worked on a toshy :/

    Now that you've diddled it I'm not sure what to suggest. You can take a look on eBay for a copy of windows 98 or my suggestion would be a copy of window 2000, which will be more stable and I know that you can still get supporting video drivers from the toshiba web site for the windows 2000 operating system.
    Lord_Darkclaw's Avatar
    Lord_Darkclaw Posts: 295, Reputation: 38
    Full Member
     
    #3

    Jun 11, 2007, 03:25 PM
    Thanks Imp :)
    It doesn't seem to want to let me into BIOS (I think I've run out of keys to press!) but I'm sure I'll get there eventually - it's a fun project anyway.

    I've got a Windows 98 disk, and I found the drivers but the display still won't change.. maybe it's something in the BIOS? I'll try installing the display adapter driver again tomorrow.

    I can probably find a copy of Windows 2000 but I'm not sure if this old laptop will handle it - it was designed for Windows 95 so it's pretty ancient; I'll check the system requirements anyway.
    wickedimp's Avatar
    wickedimp Posts: 57, Reputation: 14
    Junior Member
     
    #4

    Jun 12, 2007, 10:38 AM
    Sorry that didn't work out. Try downloading the user manual for the laptop from the link I've provided below, that, at least should tell you how to access the bios.

    Toshiba - Download your manual here
    ScottGem's Avatar
    ScottGem Posts: 64,966, Reputation: 6056
    Computer Expert and Renaissance Man
     
    #5

    Jun 12, 2007, 11:00 AM
    If the problem is the display you have to find out what video adapter is in the laptop and set the Display settings to that adaptor. Its probably set to default SVGA.
    Lord_Darkclaw's Avatar
    Lord_Darkclaw Posts: 295, Reputation: 38
    Full Member
     
    #6

    Jun 12, 2007, 03:56 PM
    Thanks Scott and Imp.
    It took me a little while but it turned out to be a simple fix after all - to get into BIOS I held down the Escape key the second the laptop started up. I selected "stretch screen" to get full screen. Then I found the display driver - I had to load it from a floppy drive but it worked.
    So now I have a perfectly good laptop. :)
    It's very old - 133mhz MMX processor- but it's good enough for what I want.

Not your question? Ask your question View similar questions

 

Question Tools Search this Question
Search this Question:

Advanced Search

Add your answer here.


Check out some similar questions!

Windows ME Notebook Reinstall Problems [ 1 Answers ]

Several years ago I upgraded my Dell Latitude LM notebook from Windows 95 to Windows ME. Everything went fine. I have used the notebook for several years operating on Windows ME with no problems. Well, as good as could be expected considering it was Windows ME. Last week, for a number of...

How do I reinstall windows legally [ 1 Answers ]

I have an computer that's a few years old. I recently purchased a 100GB hard drive for it. I want to install the copy of windows XP home on this hard drive. It's the same windows disc that came with the computer. So I can't see it violating any Microsoft "laws". Its still a good system, it...

Can't reinstall Windows 98 [ 2 Answers ]

Hi, I formatted my hard drive and tried to reinstall Windows 98 on my laptop. When I attempt to reinstall it says that it can't continue because there is a previous install still on the computer. I think the info might have gone onto my D drive and I don't know how to do a complete cleaning of...

Games does not recognize additional buttons of Logitech MX500 after Windows reinstall [ 1 Answers ]

Hi! I have a Logitech MX500 that I use from about 2 years. It always worked good and I always used its additional buttons in games. The problem started when I had to format C: and reinstall Windows. Now games like Half-Life 2 or SeriousSam 2 does not recognize my additional buttons any...

Can't load windows, Can't get into safe mode and can't reinstall windows. [ 2 Answers ]

Help! I can't get windows98 SE to load. I can't get into safe mode or reinstall windows. A little history first. I had an issue with my creative sound card. EMM386 not loading along with something that had to do with the sound card. I went back and forth with creative tech support to resolve the...


View more questions Search