MusicallyInspired wrote:
And it does recommend that I boot from the CD, but the problem is I can't. I tried running setup without booting in any way (just my main autoexec and config files) and it seemed to go through everything fine enough. I didn't actually install it I just wanted to see if it would be alright with installing without booting into it first and it seemed to. I might try it later on, but for now I'll stick with Win95 for that computer.
Here's a question, I know that it's possible to update your BIOS by flashing it. Is it possible that there's a BIOS firmware update to make it able to boot from an ATAPI device?
No need to update your BIOS to get an ATAPI CD-ROM boot with an older computer which has a floppy drive. Here is what to do:
Go to the old page for Smart Boot Manager v3.7.1 here. Most of the links are dead, but here is the download directory for the v3.7-1 (last) release of Smart Boot Manger. Since your are in the DOS/Windows world you will need the file: SBMINST.EXE and the USER-GUIDE-3.7.tqz files.
The SBMINST.EXE file can be used to create a non-DOS/non-FAT bootable floppy diskette with the command: SBMINST -d 0 which will create this special Smart Boot Manager v3.7.1 floppy diskette on any floppy loaded in drive A: on your PC workstation. You may then configure your older PC BIOS to boot from floppy drive A: (most PC BIOS have supported this since 1981) - then the Smart Boot Manger takes over. You may then get the Smart Boot Manger to boot from your ATAPI CD-ROM drive if it has a bootable CD loaded. You're in business.
To repeat:
New PC: BIOS to CD-ROM Boot. Insert CD. Reset PC. CD boots.
Old PC: BIOS to Floppy Boot. Insert SBM diskette. Insert CD. Reset PC. Floppy boots. Use SBM menu to choose CD-ROM. Select. CD Boots.
The SBMINST.EXE file size is 68KB dated 20-Feb-2001.
Best of luck,
dvwjr
Edit: Updated SourceForge download directory