I can't install an operating system?

Question

I ran windows 98 SE on 2 hard drives set up as masters and slaves I have tried various ways to get a windows xp cd. My cousin said i could use his compaq restore cds, and that they should work fine. I tried it know my master hd won't load windows 98 se either. it gets to the point it tells me that i need to reformat so I say yes and it tells me there is a problem with the harddrive partition and can't continue. any help other then telling me to go buy a new hd?

Answer 1

Per
http://ask-leo.com/can_i_revert_from_windows_xp_and_ntfs_to_windows_98.html

Windows 98 doesn't support NTFS, period. So yes, if your hard disk is now formatted with NTFS, it was converted somewhere along the way.

It also means that your only real approach to reverting to Windows 98 would be to backup or save all your data, reformat the hard disk (with the FAT filesystem) and install Windows 98. From scratch.

That's quite a bit of work, to be sure.
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How to re-install Win98
http://www.putergeek.com/win98_install/index.shtml

How to format windows XP and install win98
http://www.ntcompatible.com/How_to_format_windows_xp_and_install_win98_t33662.html

Answer 2

Try using the other hard drive as master. Make the problematic drive as slave.

OR try installing the OS w/ only a master HDD connected. Then connect the slave when OS is already installed.