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why can't i install windows 95?

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by jjs1984

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i have a few workstations at home and i have a variety of OS's but for some strange reason i can't get my windows 95 to install on an old machine with no operating system on it. Am i missing some basic step to installing this old OS? i have the drive formatted as FAT and i assume popping in the legal copy of windows 95 would install it but it doesn't. I've never installed anything before windows XP (as i'm young, so i only really use linux and XP). If someone could explain what i'm missing i would appreciate it, thx.

44 replies

by tony hopkinson

Way back when before Ug the caveman found fire.
95 had the CD and a start up floppy.
Had a cd driver on it so then the batch file could run the setup file on the cd after the system suddenly discovered it was there.
So your starter for ten is if you boot up on a dos floppy can you see the cd rom ?

by deadly ernest

Win 95 did have minimum machine specifications re RAM and CPU type and speed, check that your system exceeds these.

Some versions used a floppy to boot the CD, some booted direct from the CD. However, the system BIOS and the CD drive have to be of the type that will boot from CD, some of the older ones don't.

I often find with loading Win95 and Win98 on some older systems that it works better if I place the hard drive in another computer and copy the CD into a directory called WIN95 or WIN98, then place the hard drive back in the computer and use a boot floppy to run the instal program from within that directory. This also installs quicker on most older systems.

by thechas

First off, you are usually better off posting technical questions in the Technical Q&A section of the site.

Second, please post your system specifications and what you have tried.

To install Windows 95, you need to boot from the startup floppy with CD-ROM support, not just a DOS boot disk.

For all but Windows 95 OEM version 2.5 / C, your drive must be formatted as a FAT16 volume.
This limits you to 2.1GB per logical drive.

If you have more than 511MB of system RAM, W95 may not load and run.

If you have an AMD CPU with a clock speed of greater than 300 MHz, Windows 95 needs a patch installed to run.

For newer hardware, (such as a P4 system) the default drivers that are on the W95 CD won't work with the new chip-set and W95 will not run.

Chas

by why me worry?

You will drive yourself insane finding Win95 drivers that will work on most modern P4 and AMD class systems with USB 2.0, SATA Hard Drives, multichannel surround sound cards, and high end graphics accelerators. Don't waste your time on Windows 95 or 98 and install Windows 2000 or XP at the least. You will save yourself a whole lot of frustration and aggravation.

by deepsand

1) It's a good learning experience; and,

2) The machine in question may not be suitable for newer OS's.

by why me worry?

It would be cheaper and less time wasted to work on new hardware and current operating systems. Yes, it may be a good learning experience, but where can you apply this knowledge considering most companies you go to these days are running Windows 2000 Pro or XP on the desktop. You may have to go to some 3rd world country, or some rinky dinky public school to still find Windows 95 rolled out on the desktop.

by tony hopkinson

but the place I'm at now still has something like 300 95 boxes. I've been developing on one for the last two years. Painfully true unfortunately though rectified as I depart for points east on Friday.

by deepsand

To be more precise, it's obsolescent.

And, for many, it still gets the job done.

by hu

Why waste time in 95? Because it is the fastest OS.
It has no overhead, comes in USB version if you can find it.

Beats XP anyday

Keep it up it is worth the effort. I still use it.

by jkaras

he ok cheap shot, but funny. I take it your are using a boot disk? have you tried to navigate to the cd drive in dos? 95 wasnt a bootable cd install like xp is. Does the cd drive attempt to read the disk? Have you tried the disk in another pc to see if reads?

by the admiral

Well here are a coupla things:

1. Hard drive shoould be partitioned no more than 2Gb. Fat32 for WIn95 should be LESS than 5Gb or the FAT gets corrupt.

2. Make sure the system is more than 166Mhz.

3. 32 Mb of RAM or better to start. Any more than 256Mb and your peeing in the wind with Windows95.

4. Make sure that you have a standard IDE controller, versus a VIA or some other weird one.

by synthetic

More info please, what do you mean you can't install? At what point are you able to get, do you receive error messages? There is an area for technical Q&A that you will find gets better and more concise answers. Format the drive as fat 16. What version of 95' is this? Lastly, why in the world would you want to put windows 95 on anything you weren't going to torch as part of a performance art peace?

by unclerob

1. Download or create win98 bootdisk, this will give you a starting point to format the harddrive, access the cdrom drive, etc.
2. Once you have formatted the harddrive and booted up your pc using a win98 bootdisk with cdrom support, copy the \WIN95 directory from the win95 cd on to your harddrive. Couple reasons for this: faster install because you're running SETUP.EXE from your harddrive and not the cd and once the install reboots the machine once or twice and starts looking for hardware you may find that your cdrom drive is inaccessible which is ok because you have copied the \WIN95 directory from the install cd to your harddrive. Windows 95 invariably searches for installs the same number of files umpteen # of times, once you point it to the install directory on your harddrive this will really speed up the process.
3. Windows 95 v4.00.950.C supports FAT32 but if you're dealing with older hardware just stick with the default original FAT settings before mucking around with FAT32 to get some extra disk space. A 2GB partition should be more than enough for the win95 system partition.

I'm assuming you're doing all of this on older equipment which is admirable. It sure beats throwing out old computer equipment whose only fault is that it's become technologically obsolete but still functions normally. Older pc's can still be use to run older dos based games & applications, run simple fax app's, email and light internet use as well as simple word processing or spreadsheet use. Recycling equipment like this helps save the environment and that's a responsibility we should all undertake. Plus if it's working and you don't need it anymore sell or donate the equipment to an organization or individual who can use it, maybe even try selling it on ebay. Someone's trash can be someone else's treasure.

If this is newer equipment we're talking about then I wouldn't bother with the win95 install, stick with Win2k or XP (preferably XP) and don't even mess with Win95 or Win98, 16mb to 32mb of RAM is more than sufficient. There is a documented issue in Microsoft Technet with Win98 running with 128mb or more RAM and I'm sure Win95 would suffer from the same problem.

If you need anymore assistance, please reply back to this post.

Just my 0.02 cents cdn, everyone's welcome to agree/disagree.

by zzyp

Older computers may not boot on a CD. If you can, go to the BIOS and set the BIOS too boot on a CD first.
If not in the BIOS, you will need a boot floppy disk with CD drivers. Probably the easiest to to go to a Window 98 machine and make a recovery disk which will include drivers for most CDs.
If you can read the Win95 CD, but does not boot, just look for the SETUP filen on the WIN95 CD, run that and Win95 should install.
-ZZYP-

by jmgarvin

Win2k and XP are far better and do are supported. Why are you bothering with a 10 year old OS?

by deepsand

[v]https://www.techrepublic.com.com/5208-6230-0.html?forumID=89&threadID=172848&messageID=1760819[/v]

by courtlat

I'd like to hear one reason why you would want to install such an old, slow and unsupported OS. If it is hardware restraints then throw the piece of junk out along with the Win95 CD. I wouldn't lose any sleep over that. Would you? Our last Win95 machine schoolwide was discarded years ago. Don't waste your time! Has anyone here have a Win95 machine still in operation?

by jmgarvin

At the local CC they had a Windows 95 machine, but I think it has finally gone the way of the dodo.

by unclerob

We do have several win95 machines still in use in our whse distribution centre. They are older IBM Thinkpad laptops (380 series) with WLAN cards, our whse pickers and receivers uses these machines to run our iSeries IBM Client Access software to access our AS400 systems to check inventory, stock adjust, perform location changes, cycle count, etc.

On top of that these machines run Office 97 SR2B & IE5.5 SP2 which means these users have access to email, internet and office apps if necessary.

Granted these machines are quite "ripe" but they still perform admirably in a very dusty environment and I'd like to see alot of today's newer machines running Win2k or XP match their combined bootup times & network login times, easily less than 30 seconds on all of these win95 machines (if you're wondering about the hardware specs, simple P150's with 32mb ram and 2gb harddrives).

Obviously this isn't the standard in our office where all of the user machines are much newer, run current OS's & Apps (WinXP & Off2K3). But what it does illustrate is that there are still good uses for older equipment. Throwing out old equipment because it's old isn't being responsible to the environment if the equipment is still in good working condition.

There are other benefits, these older Win95 boxes don't have the security issues as their Win2k/XP counterparts do and you don't have to worry about patching all these machines with the latest & greatest that MS has to offer in security patches.

If you have older equipment that you no longer use but still works, repurpose it or find someone who can make use of it: underfunded schools, senior care homes, retail outlets that deal only with older equipment, ebay, etc.

Does it sound like a lot of work? Yup, but our landfills are overcrowded with junk as it is so why add to the problem?

Just my 0.02 cents cdn, feel free to agree/disagree.

by deepsand

There are, as you state, any number of reasons for continuing to use Win 9x boxes, particularly in instances where there is neither a need nor economic advantage to upgrading.

by deepsand

[v]https://www.techrepublic.com.com/5208-6230-0.html?forumID=89&threadID=172848&messageID=1760819[/v].

by lathan_devers

Some older "expensive to upgrade programs" run just fine on 95 and why purchase an upgrade license to run a program that is functioning just fine anyway?

by zlitocook

Be sure to set your Bios to boot from floppy first then boot to the disk. It will ask to boot with CDROM support or not chose not at first. Once it has booted to the a: prompt, type fdisk. Then use option 4 to see what partitions are there. If there are non fat partitions you need to remove them, they could cause trouble latter. After you remove all partitions reboot and do the same thing except start with 1 and work your way through untill you have created the partitions you need. Then use format C: from the floppy. Win95 and 98 had problems with paritions over 2 gig, unless you use software for preinstallation from the hard drive maker. Now boot to the floppy and chose the boot with CD support. Put your 95 CD in.
After you get to the A: prompt type cd E: and then type setup. The reason you use E is because the floppy load utilites on a partition D. You will need all mother board drivers and any other drivers like NIC, modem and any thing else you have in that computer.

by zlitocook

Is saying about what I just said! You need a boot disk or CD (CD only works if the OS CD is bootable). Win98se is bootable but nothing before it, unless there is something I have not tried. I have used every thing from Dr. Dos to Dos at it start and it still works in Windows XP. If you really want to install 95/98 let me know I will walk you through it. I give away computers to people who can not buy them because of their jobs. Alot of folks do not make enough money to buy a computer, or get training on how to use it. I am trying to give them a chance to use and learn about computers. And doing this for free!

by deepsand

This is a tech. problem, in search of a solution.

It properly belongs in "Technical Q&A," not in "Discussions." Please re-post there.

Not only will you be more likely to attract the attention of those seeking to provide answers, but you will also make it easier for those seeking discussions to find such.

And, you'll need to tell us precisely what is happening when you try the install.

Thank you.

by jmgarvin

I wouldn't say we are ridiculing or criticizing their choice, but we are poking fun.

Win95 is pretty out dated and Win98 is a better solution (more support).

I'd encourage them to work with Linux...Maybe pick up RH9 or Slackware ;-)

by deepsand

We should assume no knowledge of either his resources or goals.

Truth be told, I still have a TRS-80 Mod I that I occasionally tinker around with, hacking ths OS just for the practice at the machine code level.

by davidfacer

Well, is it a FULL copy of Win95, or just an UPGRADE version? If I remember rightly, you needed to boot from a floopy boot disk with a DOS based CD driver in the config.sys file on the boot disk, and MSCDEX.EXE in the autoexec.bat file on the boot disk before you could install WIN95 (full version) from the CD. If it is an upgrade version, you need to have a valid Windows 3.x install to qualify for the upgrade to work.
If I remember rightly ( was a LONG time ago now) only the last version of Win95 came on a bootable CD (Win95C).

by davidfacer

I provide tech support for a number of local companies that still use WIN95 on most of their machines. They are basically used as database terminals. They ain't pretty, have limited specs - but work day in, day out in dusty, dirty conditions - and have yet to fail. The WIn2K fileserver has to be in a envirnmentally protected enclosure etc yet still crashes occasionally (O/S crashes mostly). The win95 boxes were bought at auction for an average of $100 ea complete, and have been working for some three years....and still have another three years expected service life left....tell me of a XP-based system with such a good SECOND life?

by deepsand

[v]https://www.techrepublic.com.com/5208-6230-0.html?forumID=89&threadID=172848&messageID=1760823[/v]

by why me worry?

Call me an elitist, but what does one learn from wasting time on an old and obsolete piece of crap OS? Yeah, you may find it installed here and there, but those who haven't yet upgraded will have no support for it and have shot themselves in the foot and should have upgraded a long time ago.

This is just as silly as someone coming on TR and asking how to install an 8 bit CGA video card into an IBM XT or 33Mhz 286 motherboard. My question is, why? what does one stand to gain or learn from installing Windows 95? May as well find a copy of Windows for Workgroups 3.11 and waste your time on that, but don't count on finding it out there in many corporate environments and don't even mention it on your resume or you will make a complete ass of yourself if you do. And as for the argument about having old hardware, my question would be...how old is the hardware you are talking about? I doubt you are working with an IBM 386, 486, or Pentium I class machine that you cannot install Windows 2000 at the bare minimum. Computer parts are so cheap now that for a few hundred bucks, one can easily build themselves a custom P4 machine that is far better than any commercial crap to come out of Compaq or Dell. I built my own PC, it's a Pentium 3 650Mhz machine running Windows XP Pro and I did not spend a rediculous amount of money on parts. I am more than willing to help out newbies, but the point I am trying to stress is not to waste time on obsolete systems which have a small to no presence in the corporate world. As a CNE, I would say the same thing to someone asking me for help on installing Netware v3.12, which has been obsolete for over a decade and is pointless to install because it has been superceded by Netware 6.5 with NDS.

by hal 9000

Or like me I do tend to like the older stuff as apposed to the new stuff. The last time I was at a manufacturers factory I spent all my time in the Museum and forgot about the new stuff as I would be working with it every day and I wouldn't get another chance to see the old stuff again. ;)

But I do really draw the line at installing 3.11 as I did try that quite a while ago now and couldn't remember how to setup a network/Internet connection so I just loaded a 95 Upgrade edition and forgot all about 3.11. :) What is worse is I've forgotten how to do this and it was something that I used to do all the time all I can say is "Thank God" for the improvements. :D

Col ]:)

by deepsand

You are being overly judgemental regarding a matter that has no effect on you.

Furthermore, one man's trash is another's treasure.

by subbugvs

By your query i suggest u follow these steps and see whether ur prob. is solved.

1. Insert a bootable win98 or win95 cd and then start ur computer with cdrom support.
2. run fdisk and create partitions and see that it is FAT16.

3.Browse to ur cd rom and run smartdrv.exe from the a: prompt
4 Now run setup.exe from the cd.

Your system should be running windows 95

by hal 9000

He'll need to change to the CD ROM and to do that he will need to type in CD\Drive Letter: and then press the enter key that will get to the CD and then just to make sure you are in the right drive type in DIR/W and then press the enter key that will list the contents of the drive if it is the CD then all you need do is type in setup and then press enter and it should start from there. Once the computer reboots you may or may not be given the option to press any key to boot from CD do not press any key and just allow the thing to reboot.

Unless you have some very odd hardware the CD ROM should be detected and it should run the entire procedure without too many problems but he will need every driver disk for Vid, Sound, and whatever else is fitted to the unit.

Col ]:)

by bernard1

Installs of Windows 95 on old PC works best when you transfer
hard drive from another computer and copy the CD into a
directory called WIN95. Once completed replace the hard drive
back in the old computer and use the boot floppy to run
installation program from within that directory. Let us know
how well this works ... and good luck!

by gfisher9

jjs1984, Windows 95 did not come on a bootable CD, so the first thing you'll need is CD support on the machine you're installing to. ('95 came originally with a bootable floppy which included CD support.)

My suggestion would be to go to www.startdisk.com and download their free "Ultimate Boot Disk" for Windows '95/98. That will let you assemble a bootable floppy with support for the CD drive and a lot of useful installation options.

BTW, note that if your copy of '95 is an "upgrade" version you'll need valid install media for en earlier MS operating system.

by why me worry?

that you can use to make a set of Win9x boot disks or Dos 6.22 boot disks

you will need a DOS CDROM driver for your CDROM/DVD drive and the MSCDEX.EXE file so that you can enable your CDROM/DVD in DOS

your config.sys file should have a line as such:

DEVICE=C:\CDROM\CDROMDRV.SYS /L:E /V

where the /L:E makes your CDROM drive as drive E: and the /V enables read/write verify

your autoexec.bat file should have the following line:

C:\CDROM\MSCDEX/EXE /L:E

if all works well, you should have a drive E: at the end of boot

make sure you FDISK your HD using FAT16 and a partition of no more that 2GB. Anything more will cause corruption in FAT16

format your hardrive using format c: /s to install the boot sector files on it (msdos.sys & io.sys) which will be two hidden files on the root of your C: drive

pop in your Win95 CD, type E: then enter and type setup to start the install

the rest you can figure out

by hal 9000

But you will need either a DOS or Win 9X Boot Disk to get started as the 95 Versions of Windows where not boot able from the CD. If you are using the Floppy installation method you'll still need the Boot disk but not the CD Drivers just a note of caution here these Win 95 Floppies are on 1,7 MEG Floppies and not the standard 1.44 MEG so be careful with them. There used to be a utility that allowed you to change the format of a 1.44 Floppy to the bigger M$ standard but I have not seen a copy of this for a very long time now.

If you are loading it onto a 386/486 with the CD ROM running off the back of the Sound Card it is easier to first install DOS and the required drivers and then pop in your Win 95 CD and load from there as it gets complicated loading the required drivers so you can just install 95.

If you want any help feel free to contact me through the Peer Mail and I'll do everything that I can to help you out.

Cheers

Col ]:)

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