windows 98 won't install
windows 98 won't install
Device driver missing: 'OEMD001'. No CDROM drivers available. The setup files aren't present. This is not using an original Windows 98 disc, but the laptop (sony vaio PCG-505G) is built for Windows 98. How can I fix this?
You're in a great place exploring a DOS-based operating system. The built-in CD ROM driver doesn't support Sony drives, so you'll have to install a compatible one.
Anyway, since I don’t have a floppy disc, I can’t use that method.
Verify if the hard drive is operational. When booting without a CD/DVD, do you see a DOS prompt? Is any software installed from the drive? If you confirm the drive works and want to use Windows 98, I recommend copying Windows files to the drive and starting setup from there. You'll need basic DOS command skills to organize folders on your C drive and transfer files, then launch setup from that location. Installing Windows 2000 might be more reliable.
Typically, you'd make a bootable floppy, copy the CD-ROM driver there, and adjust AUTOEXEC.bat to load the driver automatically. This process can be challenging for someone new to Windows.
When starting up it shows the message "operating system not found," which makes me doubt if the hard drive is working and I don’t know anything about DOS. The issue here is related to the 98 version, since I want to sell the laptop as new and it came with that version.
The system message indicates it checked bootable devices but didn’t locate a usable drive. It suggests the hard drive might be non-functional and the laptop bypassed it to try alternatives such as network or optical sources. Would you like to enter BIOS to check for a detected hard drive? I’d still advise being cautious... it’s not worth risking anything with Windows 98, anyone can install it themselves—people probably won’t mind, but 2000 is more reliable and stable. Both are outdated and lack updates, though they’re essentially similar. 2000 tends to be a bit more dependable than 98. There’s a higher chance you’ll find better driver support for Windows XP or 2000 compared to Windows 98.
What are you checking for in bios to indicate the drive isn't dead?
There are no indications that the hard drive is functioning properly in the system.