I bought a sanitized computer from work. I get a message with my win
98 cd and boot disk that says  "already and operating
system" cannot set up. If I elect to set up over current OS it will
not and says this setup is for new install, Type a:setup at dos
command. This does not work. using either drive for cd or disk.
Nothing happens lines just repeat. I
also get an alert cover has been removed message. I think old OS was
2000 but not sure.

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Clarification of Question by atester-ga on 31 Mar 2004 08:36 PST

I don't have to load a new OS, I thought I had to. Is there a way to
bring up this old OS.

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Clarification of Question by atester-ga on 01 Apr 2004 07:17 PST

OK,
I loaded win2000 diskettes and sailed by inserting all 4 diskettes as
requested. Now it was a 2000 CD-rom which I don't have. Is there
anyway around this? No where I can get one quick and cheap?

I'm not 100% sure what you want but it sounds like it may have been
fdisked for NTFS you'll have to remove that partition(using fdisk) and
use FAT 32 to install Windows 98.

if you must boot in console mode whith an windows 98 bootdisk and
rename the win.exe file

ren c:\windows\win.exe c:\windows\win2.exe

you can get an bootdisk in http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm

this can be if your old System was Windows 98 and your version is only
for clean install.

for a hard install you can use the procedure described in this URL:

http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winme/r1063680170

Let me guess - is this an old Dell (dual or single PII) system - "an
alert cover has been removed message" -so don't worry it is still good
machine but in order to fix Win2k you will need Win2k installation CD.
If you get it you will have to boot from the CD and go to "recovery
console" (option "r" into the setup); choose the instalation (usually
is this is "1" + enter); I hope you have (or you have a way to find
it) adminitrator password - use it to login as administrator; type
"help" to see all avaible commands; isue "chkdsk \p c:" then "fixmbr"
"fixboot", "exit" -it should reboot;
I you still can't go into windows - reinstall win2k over the old one.
If you don't have win2k CD (and serial number in case you want to
reinstall it) and you want to install win98 (which I do not recomend)
you will have to:
boot from the win98 CD;
isue "fdisk"
delete all the partitions -they should be "non-dos" (option "4" inside
of the delete partition submenu)
create FAT32 partition(s) better have two - one for Windows one for
data (this should be mandatory if the HDD is bigger than 40GB -~37GB
FAT32 problemm~- I don't think you will have it but who knows ...)
reboot;
format the new partitions - format c:(d:,e: and so on) or you can try
to start the setup from your win98 CD.
BTW may be is time for you to try something real and free??? Linux or BSD?