Windows 98 Setup Loses Access to Source Drive

ID: Q191827

The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows 98

SYMPTOMS

While you are running Windows 98 Setup, you may lose access to the drive from which you are installing Windows 98.


CAUSE

This behavior can occur if any of the following conditions exists:

  • You are installing Windows 98 from a network drive and you are disconnected from the drive during Windows 98 Setup.


  • You are using real-mode network or CD-ROM drivers, and they stop responding resulting in the connection to the network drive or CD-ROM drive being lost.


  • A memory-resident program causes the connection to the network drive or CD-ROM drive to be lost.



RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, use the appropriate method below:

Lost Connection to Network Drive

You can install Windows 98 from a network drive, however, you may experience either of the following issues when attempting to do so:

"Setup Cannot Access the Network" Error Message:

You may receive the following error message while you are installing Windows 98:
Setup cannot access the network to complete installation. Do you want to:
  • Disable autologon


  • Reboot (recommended if you skipped logging on)


  • Change network settings


  • Continue without access to the setup files (not recommended)


For information about how to resolve this the error message, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Q188313 Err Msg: Setup Cannot Access the Network to Complete...


Cannot Access a Shared or Password-Protected Resource:

If you are installing from a password-protected network share, you may receive one of the following error messages after Setup restarts your computer the first or second time:

\\<computer name>\<share name> The network name cannot be found.
The password is incorrect. Try again.
For more information about how to resolve these error messages, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Q129082 Cannot Access Shared or Password-Protected Resource


You Are Using Real-Mode Drivers



Real-Mode Network Drivers:

If you are using real-mode network drivers and you require domain validation to access the Windows 98 Setup files, you may receive an error message after Setup restarts your computer the second time. You may be unable to access the Setup files because when Setup transitions from real- mode to protect-mode drivers, the domain information is not retained. To resolve this behavior, add the appropriate domain information to your network settings. To do so, follow these steps:
  1. Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click Network.


  2. On the Access Control tab, verify that the User-Level Access Control check box is selected, and the correct domain controller appears in the "Obtain list of users and groups from" box.


  3. On the Configuration tab, click "Client for Microsoft Networks", and then click Properties.


  4. Under "Logon validation", verify that the "Log on to Windows NT domain" check box is selected and the correct domain controller appears in the Windows NT Domain box.


  5. Click OK, and then click OK again.


  6. Click Yes to restart your computer. Setup should attempt to log you on to the network and continue the installation process.




Real-Mode CD-ROM Drivers:

Whether you click Skip File to continue with Setup or quit Setup, you need to gain access to the CD-ROM drive. For information about using real-mode CD-ROM drivers to gain access to your CD-ROM drive, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Q190303 How to Use Real-Mode CD-ROM Drivers from Windows 98 Startup Disk


Memory-Resident Program Causes Lost Connection



A memory-resident program may be causing the connection to the drive to be lost. To determine if this is the case, follow the steps below. When you determine and disable the memory-resident program causing the problem, run Windows 98 Setup again.

NOTE
  • The steps in the following sections can only be used if you are able to start Windows 98. If you are unable to start Windows 98, restart your computer using the Windows 98 Startup disk, and use real-mode network or CD-ROM drivers to gain access to the drive from which you are installing Windows 98. For more information, see the "You Are Using Real-Mode Drivers" section earlier in this article.


For information about clean booting Windows 98 using the System Configuration Utility, please see the "Narrowing the Focus" section in the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article:
Q192926 How to Perform Clean-Boot Troubleshooting for Windows 98


Startup Files:

The problem may be a result of a program that is run during startup. To determine which program is causing the problem, follow these steps:

  1. Click Start, click Run, type msconfig in the Open box, and then click OK.


  2. Click the Startup tab, and then click each check box to clear it.


  3. Click OK, and then restart your computer when you are prompted to do so.


If the problem is resolved, follow these steps:

  1. Click Start, click Run, type msconfig in the Open box, and then click OK.


  2. On the Startup tab, click the first check box in the list to select it.


  3. Click OK, and then restart your computer when you are prompted to do so.


If the problem is still resolved, repeat steps 1-3, but click the next check box in the list to select it. When the problem returns, the last check box you selected is loading a program that is preventing Windows 98 Setup from completing. Contact the program's manufacturer for further assistance.

Winstart.bat File:

There may also be a problem with a memory-resident program being loaded in the Winstart.bat file (if the Winstart.bat file exists). If the Process Winstart.bat File check box is available on the General tab in the System Configuration Utility, click the check box to clear it, click OK, and then restart your computer.

The Winstart.bat file is usually located in the Windows folder, and is used to load memory-resident programs that are required only by Windows- based programs.

Config.sys or Autoexec.bat File:

  1. Click Start, click Run, type msconfig in the Open box, and then click OK.


  2. Click Selective Startup, and then click the Process Autoexec.bat File check box to clear it.


  3. Click OK, and then restart your computer when you are prompted to do so.


If the problem is resolved, the memory-resident program is being loaded from the Autoexec.bat file. If the problem is not resolved, the memory- resident program is being loaded from the Config.sys file. To determine which line in the Autoexec.bat or Config.sys file is loading the memory- resident program, follow these steps:

  1. Click Start, click Run, type msconfig in the Open box, and then click OK.


  2. Click the Autoexec.bat or Config.sys tab, and then click the check boxes for all non-essential drivers and programs to clear them.


  3. Click OK, and then restart your computer when you are prompted to do so.


If the problem is resolved, follow these steps:

  1. Click Start, click Run, type msconfig in the Open box, and then click OK.


  2. On the Autoexec.bat or Config.sys tab, click the first check box in the list to select it.


  3. Click OK, and then restart your computer when you are prompted to do so.


If the problem is still resolved, repeat steps 1-3, but click the next check box in the list to select it. When the problem returns, the last check box you selected is loading the memory-resident program that is causing the problem. Contact the manufacturer of the program for further assistance.


MORE INFORMATION

Installing Windows 98 using a Universal Naming Convention (UNC) connection should work, however, since there may be a number of network installation issues that can be prevented by mapping a network drive prior to running Setup, it is not recommended.

For more information about how Windows 98 detects CD-ROM drives, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q151550 How Windows Setup Detects CD-ROM Drives

Additional query words: 16 bit 16bit

Keywords : kbsetup kbtshoot win98
Version : WINDOWS:
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbprb


Last Reviewed: January 16, 1999
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