Can I get the ME install CD to only reformat the C partiti..

You've got something against clo[w]nes or bad puns ? <w>

MG

Joan Archer wrote:

> Oh no please not another one <g>
>

Challenge all you like, but in your second post you said :-

> .. If I tried to install it from an XP desktop,
> with the laptop HD connected to USB,
> I don't know if it would work.

That statement, in conjunction with the fact that you seem to be able to
post to and correspond with this News Group, make it pretty reasonable for
one to ASS-U-ME that you implied that you had an XP (or some other) machine
of your own available.

And, you've already got your own solution anyway!
> I put the HD in a USB box and plug it
> into XP desktops at cybercafes.

> The laptop is my only computer.

Perhaps you could have mentioned these facts in the first place. However, as
you only drip the important background details and do not appear to have
tried any of the suggestions yet - and as we are all going around in
circles - then I'm pulling from this thread until or unless you come back
with something more positive than "just babbling and theorizing". The
topic's pretty much exhausted anyway.

Good luck

Mart


"Gumby" <gumbygum RemoveThis @gmail.com> wrote in message
news:0358b4b2-35f8-4386-9669-246bd28ca06d@t65g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
On Oct 22, 4:10 am, "Mart" <mart(NoSpam)@nospam.nospam> wrote:
> Perhaps a bit late in the day now, but - and I don't want to burst the
> bubble - maybe another 'lateral solution' (yet another skin of the cat!)
> would have been to simply obtain a 2.5 inch IDE to USB enclosure and put
> your 'original laptop' HDD in it to make and add a portable drive to your
> XP
> box. (Self-powered [USB buspowered]) Secure too. And forget the laptop!

Good idea, Mart, but the only problem is I don't own an XP desktop.
The laptop is my only computer. I put the HD in a USB box and plug it
into XP desktops at cybercafes. Before someone accuses me of
misleading, I challenge anyone to find where I said or implied that I
own an XP computer. )

Mart,

I don't want to go back through the entire thread to work out what was
justifiable or what was intuitive or whatever else whichmore and insoforth
as can be ascertained, but I have been operating all along on the basis that
Gumby did not have a desktop of his own. A cybercafe did not occur to me as
a possibility - but luckily I get off on learning something new every day,
so I'm quite pleased to have been wrong. I had supposed he'd be borrowing a
friend or acquaintance's computer time to do the deed.

Shane


"Mart" <mart(NoSpam)@nospam.nospam> wrote in message
news:%23LWQM7FNJHA.4772@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> Challenge all you like, but in your second post you said :-
>
> > .. If I tried to install it from an XP desktop,
> > with the laptop HD connected to USB,
> > I don't know if it would work.
>
> That statement, in conjunction with the fact that you seem to be able to
> post to and correspond with this News Group, make it pretty reasonable for
> one to ASS-U-ME that you implied that you had an XP (or some other)
machine
> of your own available.
>
> And, you've already got your own solution anyway!
> > I put the HD in a USB box and plug it
> > into XP desktops at cybercafes.
>
> > The laptop is my only computer.
>
> Perhaps you could have mentioned these facts in the first place. However,
as
> you only drip the important background details and do not appear to have
> tried any of the suggestions yet - and as we are all going around in
> circles - then I'm pulling from this thread until or unless you come back
> with something more positive than "just babbling and theorizing". The
> topic's pretty much exhausted anyway.
>
> Good luck
>
> Mart
>
>
> "Gumby" <gumbygum.TakeThisOut@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:0358b4b2-35f8-4386-9669-246bd28ca06d@t65g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
> On Oct 22, 4:10 am, "Mart" <mart(NoSpam)@nospam.nospam> wrote:
> > Perhaps a bit late in the day now, but - and I don't want to burst the
> > bubble - maybe another 'lateral solution' (yet another skin of the cat!)
> > would have been to simply obtain a 2.5 inch IDE to USB enclosure and put
> > your 'original laptop' HDD in it to make and add a portable drive to
your
> > XP
> > box. (Self-powered [USB buspowered]) Secure too. And forget the laptop!
>
> Good idea, Mart, but the only problem is I don't own an XP desktop.
> The laptop is my only computer. I put the HD in a USB box and plug it
> into XP desktops at cybercafes. Before someone accuses me of
> misleading, I challenge anyone to find where I said or implied that I
> own an XP computer. )
>
>

Shane (and Gumby), I'm sorry if I appeared to have be 'sounding-off' or
unfairly criticising Gumby and I certainly don't want to get involved in a
flame war. But we seem to have discussed all practicable options to death,
albeit on a somewhat protracted (for whatever reason) thread. We can only
await Gumby's response with his conclusions - either workable or
unworkable - whichever route he chooses, before we can comment (or advise)
further. It's just that we could have saved a few column inches if Gumby's
circumstances had been made a little clearer in the first place.

Mart


"Shane" <shanebeatson.DeleteThis@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:O0xYjIGNJHA.5428@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> Mart,
>
> I don't want to go back through the entire thread to work out what was
> justifiable or what was intuitive or whatever else whichmore and insoforth
> as can be ascertained, but I have been operating all along on the basis
> that
> Gumby did not have a desktop of his own. A cybercafe did not occur to me
> as
> a possibility - but luckily I get off on learning something new every day,
> so I'm quite pleased to have been wrong. I had supposed he'd be borrowing
> a
> friend or acquaintance's computer time to do the deed.
>
> Shane
>
>
> "Mart" <mart(NoSpam)@nospam.nospam> wrote in message
> news:%23LWQM7FNJHA.4772@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>> Challenge all you like, but in your second post you said :-
>>
>> > .. If I tried to install it from an XP desktop,
>> > with the laptop HD connected to USB,
>> > I don't know if it would work.
>>
>> That statement, in conjunction with the fact that you seem to be able to
>> post to and correspond with this News Group, make it pretty reasonable
>> for
>> one to ASS-U-ME that you implied that you had an XP (or some other)
> machine
>> of your own available.
>>
>> And, you've already got your own solution anyway!
>> > I put the HD in a USB box and plug it
>> > into XP desktops at cybercafes.
>>
>> > The laptop is my only computer.
>>
>> Perhaps you could have mentioned these facts in the first place. However,
> as
>> you only drip the important background details and do not appear to have
>> tried any of the suggestions yet - and as we are all going around in
>> circles - then I'm pulling from this thread until or unless you come back
>> with something more positive than "just babbling and theorizing". The
>> topic's pretty much exhausted anyway.
>>
>> Good luck
>>
>> Mart
>>
>>
>> "Gumby" <gumbygum.DeleteThis@gmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:0358b4b2-35f8-4386-9669-246bd28ca06d@t65g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
>> On Oct 22, 4:10 am, "Mart" <mart(NoSpam)@nospam.nospam> wrote:
>> > Perhaps a bit late in the day now, but - and I don't want to burst the
>> > bubble - maybe another 'lateral solution' (yet another skin of the
>> > cat!)
>> > would have been to simply obtain a 2.5 inch IDE to USB enclosure and
>> > put
>> > your 'original laptop' HDD in it to make and add a portable drive to
> your
>> > XP
>> > box. (Self-powered [USB buspowered]) Secure too. And forget the laptop!
>>
>> Good idea, Mart, but the only problem is I don't own an XP desktop.
>> The laptop is my only computer. I put the HD in a USB box and plug it
>> into XP desktops at cybercafes. Before someone accuses me of
>> misleading, I challenge anyone to find where I said or implied that I
>> own an XP computer. )
>>
>>
>
>

Just to bring everyone up to date on my fascinating problem... )

I have been emailing Shane and he has heroically provided me with the
files I need to try to boot DOS. But I am still unclear as to whether
I should format the C drive or not, and, if so, how. I have read that
Windows might not install well if you don't format first. But Shane
points out that if I format C on an external USB box, it might not be
bootable afterwards. So I think now I will just copy his files to my C
drive without deleting the Windows folder and other files that are
currently on the C drive, and see what happens. Shane has also said
that I probably need a Ramdrive to format C from files that reside on
C. And I don't know how to make a Ramdrive, though Shane has said he
would explain how. So...I just want to show you all that I'm really
working on this, so you'll stop getting impatient with me.

I am happy to report that Shane's solution worked, and I am very
grateful to him and the rest of you. As it turned out, I didn't need
to know how to make a ramdrive -- The startup menu that Shane's files
created included these options:

1. Windows ME
2. Safe mode
3. Command prompt
4. Command prompt, ramdrive, CD-ROM support
5. Command prompt, ramdrive only
6. Command prompt, minimal boot

I wasn't sure which command prompt option to choose, so I chose
ramdrive only. Then I switched to D and issued a format c: command.
It worked, even though this would cannibalize Shane's MS-DOS files. I
guess it worked because the MS-DOS went into RAM.

Then, again from D, I activated the setup.exe from the install CD that
I had copied to D. It installed to C and i now have a running Windows
ME installation (i understand that, with ME, "running" is a relative
term, it being regarded as the world's worst OS...however it does
start, although I haven't really tested it out yet )

My only regret is that the magical Shane startup files, having
performed their miracles, then apparently vanished into the ether. I
guess they went to that ramdrive in the sky where all good boot files
receive their reward.

I would love to have those wonderful Command prompt options back on
the system now that it's working. Dare I try to copy them once again
to my HD? You know that old biblical admonition, if it ain't broke,
don't fix it! (was that the Bible or Yogi Berra?)

Once again may I express my gratitude to you blokes, especially Shane.
You're the best!