'Fault in MS DOS Extender'??

Hondamaker · 08-13-2004, 03:47 PM

I am trying to install Windows 98 on a friend's pc after putitng in a new harddrive, and after it formats the drive and starts to run windows setup, I get the message : 'Standard Mode: Fault in MS DOS Extender', and that's as far as I can get with the setup.
Is there anything I can do to get this buggy OS installed?

wallijonn · 08-13-2004, 03:54 PM

Did you make a boot floppy? Or are you using an old DOS6.2 floppy?

I find that the easiest thing to do is to xcopy all the files from the CDRom to the HD.

You should make a boot floppy using the files on the CDRom, then copy from olddos/xcopy*.* a:\

once you have all the files copied over to a directory on the HD, like W9XSources, then you reboot and run setup from the W9XSources directory.

Hondamaker · 08-13-2004, 04:16 PM

Thanks for the reply, but I don't know too much about DOS, just the basics.
If you'd like to elaborate further I wouldn't mind. If not, I understand!

Monkey Hanger · 08-13-2004, 07:03 PM

See here.

wallijonn · 08-13-2004, 08:55 PM

You'll need to go to a working machine, insert the W98 CD in the rom drive, then do an explore of the drive.

Go to D or E:\tools\mtsutil\fat32ebd and run (double click) Fat32ebd.exe or use the command promt to get to that directory and run fat32ebd.exe.

Format your HD using the manufacturer CD or Floppy utility. If it asks you to insert the W98 floppy you can elect to do so. If not you can ignore it / cancel and it will format to completion.

Change BIOS boot priority to floppy first, cdrom second and HD third.

When it asks if you should install the CDRom driver, say yes.

C:
md Win98
cd Win98
path=
path=c:\;d:\;a:\;e:\
copy e:\win98\*.* c:\win98\*.*
setup.exe

Hondamaker · 08-13-2004, 09:42 PM

Thanks for all the help guys. I ended up clicking the link that Monkey Hanger sent and found the problem to be a simple one: a bad RAM chip! Now the pc is setting up Win98.
Thanks again!

Monkey Hanger · 08-14-2004, 03:46 AM

All's well, that ends well!

dickers97 · 03-02-2005, 07:51 PM

Would someone out there tell this grandfather how to go about installing windows mellinnium on his old Pentium 2?
I've installed it many times before but cannot get it to load the operating system this time. I've formatted the hard drive, installed the drivers off the floppy and get to the last step of installing the operating system then everything goes south and I windup in safe mode....more trying and I get the message:Standard Mode:Fault in ms dos extender.........don't know what that means?
Is this a hardware problem? A software problem? Is it the battery? what?
Thank you all for your attention to this matter.

08-13-2004, 03:47 PM	#1
Hondamaker Registered User Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Sidney, OHIO Posts: 249	'Fault in MS DOS Extender'?? I am trying to install Windows 98 on a friend's pc after putitng in a new harddrive, and after it formats the drive and starts to run windows setup, I get the message : 'Standard Mode: Fault in MS DOS Extender', and that's as far as I can get with the setup. Is there anything I can do to get this buggy OS installed?
(Offline)

08-13-2004, 03:54 PM	#2
wallijonn PHX Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Phoenix Posts: 2,569	Did you make a boot floppy? Or are you using an old DOS6.2 floppy? I find that the easiest thing to do is to xcopy all the files from the CDRom to the HD. You should make a boot floppy using the files on the CDRom, then copy from olddos/xcopy. a:\ once you have all the files copied over to a directory on the HD, like W9XSources, then you reboot and run setup from the W9XSources directory.
(Offline)

08-13-2004, 04:16 PM	#3
Hondamaker Registered User Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Sidney, OHIO Posts: 249	wallijonn, I'm not familiar with DOS! Thanks for the reply, but I don't know too much about DOS, just the basics. If you'd like to elaborate further I wouldn't mind. If not, I understand!
(Offline)

08-13-2004, 07:03 PM	#4
Monkey Hanger Registered User Join Date: Mar 2001 Posts: 10,590	See here.
(Offline)

08-13-2004, 08:55 PM	#5
wallijonn PHX Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Phoenix Posts: 2,569	You'll need to go to a working machine, insert the W98 CD in the rom drive, then do an explore of the drive. Go to D or E:\tools\mtsutil\fat32ebd and run (double click) Fat32ebd.exe or use the command promt to get to that directory and run fat32ebd.exe. Format your HD using the manufacturer CD or Floppy utility. If it asks you to insert the W98 floppy you can elect to do so. If not you can ignore it / cancel and it will format to completion. Change BIOS boot priority to floppy first, cdrom second and HD third. When it asks if you should install the CDRom driver, say yes. C: md Win98 cd Win98 path= path=c:\;d:\;a:\;e:\ copy e:\win98\. c:\win98\. setup.exe Last edited by wallijonn : 08-14-2004 at 02:51 AM.
(Offline)

08-13-2004, 09:42 PM	#6
Hondamaker Registered User Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Sidney, OHIO Posts: 249	Thanks for all the help guys. I ended up clicking the link that Monkey Hanger sent and found the problem to be a simple one: a bad RAM chip! Now the pc is setting up Win98. Thanks again!
(Offline)

08-14-2004, 03:46 AM	#7
Monkey Hanger Registered User Join Date: Mar 2001 Posts: 10,590	All's well, that ends well!
(Offline)

03-02-2005, 07:51 PM	#8
dickers97 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Xenia,Ohio Posts: 1	Fault in ms dos extender Would someone out there tell this grandfather how to go about installing windows mellinnium on his old Pentium 2? I've installed it many times before but cannot get it to load the operating system this time. I've formatted the hard drive, installed the drivers off the floppy and get to the last step of installing the operating system then everything goes south and I windup in safe mode....more trying and I get the message:Standard Mode:Fault in ms dos extender.........don't know what that means? Is this a hardware problem? A software problem? Is it the battery? what? Thank you all for your attention to this matter. __________________ He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose !
(Offline)

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