Going through h*ll trying to upgrade an older Laptop - PLEASE HELP!

Question

Ok, bare with me, this is a lengthy one:

I was recently given a 7 yr-old hand-me-down "AcerNote Light" Laptop that came pre-installed with Windows 95. It was handed from cousin to brother to me. In the process, I have absolutely no original additional materials or literature, including the ever-necessary Windows 95 Installation Disk.

The machine is very basic: it has only 16 mb of RAM, 1 gb of disk space (I think it has 120 mhz), it has a cd-rom drive (I believe only 4x speed) and has room for a floppy drive (though it doesn't have one installed) and slots for a lan card, which I've just installed.

The following is a recounting of how a simple procedure to make the laptop internet ready went from bad to worse and so on...

Actually, even before I got that far I was finding that a number of applications that I had recently installed such as "VideoLan Client", "SiSoft Sandra" (for windows 95), Ad Aware Pro, etc, all weren't able to open due to a lack of various dll files. Because I don't have a floppy drive installed, I would have to schedule a time to borrow a friend's computer & burn the necessary dll's to cd-r (the cd-rom apparently doesn't play cd-rw - some have suggested that it actually has to do with the OS & that Win 98 would allow them...) and then copy them over to the system folder - this was all very frustrating, tedious & wasteful. I was subsequently advised at a different support forum thread to download "Win Socks 2" (http://www.microsoft.com/windows95/downloa...ts2/default.asp). I don't know if the following is what perhaps would later contribute so many problems, but I figured I was thinking logically by also downloading "Windows 95 Service Pack 1" at the bottom of that same download page, to install ahead of the win socks 2.

So, that's what I began to do. I installed the service pack 1 & rebooted & everything was kosher. That turned what previously was Win 95 version 4.00.950 into "4.00.950a". I held off on win socks 2 and went directly to the installation of the required drivers for my LAN card. That brings me to the path where things end up going wrong...

I follow the Lan card software instructions and go through the add new hardware process. We're adding a network adapter, I'm instructed to click the "have disk" button and use the .inf and .sys files that are supplied with the card's software - I get near the end of the process until it comes time to copy files. It's at that point that I get a whole lot of error windows saying that I'm missing countless .dll's, .cnt's .vxd's, etc. The card's software readme.txt even mentions that I may be asked to supply my windows installation disk...and that's the main crux of this thread: I don't have it - I need. Is it worth it to go out & buy it? I don't think so, Someone @ RadioShack today told me they don't even sell, it's so near obsolete, even for the sole fact it doesn't support USB...So what do I do? And just when you'd think I could maybe go to some dll download site & get all of these files I need...remember, I don't have a floppy drive! I also don't have access to the burner I'd used in the past...

The problems I alluded to earlier came from the fact that I had to cancel this add new hardware process & thought I would uninstall win 95 service pack 1 in order to install winsock 2, thinking it might carry the drivers I was lacking. That was not the way to go, as apparently uninstalling sp1 got rid of additional very necessary stuff I needed to run various windows 95 stuff. Upon restarting, I got several disheartening system errors even before I reached the desktop, saying I was missing various files such as "nwlink.vxd, nwredir.vxd, nscl.vxd, ndis.vxd, vnetbios.vxd, nwnp32.dll, ndis2sup.vxd, msnp32.dll," etc. I also got several "internal error" messages. So, none of this is a good sign. When I try to install winsock 2, I get this setup error, "Please install the Microsoft TCP/IP network protocol from your Windows95 install disk, then restart setup. If Microsoft TCP/IP is already installed , reboot and run WS2BAKUP\WS2BAKUP.BAT to restore your previous Winsock components, then reboot and rerun thyis setup program." So again, I need that darn disk, I don't know anything about tcp/ip, I don't know where to run that line or what it means, etc. Basically, My laptop's in bad shape here...

-> However, I am writing this from a Windows 98 equipped, high speed internet, decent amount of hd diskspace desktop pc, cd-rom (cannot write), etc. And speaking of RadioShack, I purchased a serial port (female to female, with gender changers, etc - they're already in place & fit in comfortably) with the intention of being able to directly transfer files from the desktop's hd to the laptop's in order to give Win 95 what's currently lacking.

#1) Is this possible (Please say yes!)

#2) If so, how? The chord is properly in place, but I've run the add new hardware wizard on the desktop with no result selecting "Ports (COM & LPT)". I actually did the same on the laptop & it was successfully found & installed. It uses "Basic configuration 0000", the 'bits per second' is 9600, 'data bits': 8, 'Parity': none, 'stop bits': 1, 'Flow control': xon/xoff, the driver files used are "serialui.dll" & "serial.vxd", the file version is 4.00.950, and the resource settings are: "Interrupt Request: 04, Input/OutputRange: 03F8 - 03FF"

On the desktop, when selecting "Ports (COM & LPT)", it doesn't detect a thing (and obviously I can't select 'have disk' as the chord didn't come w/ software). What do I do here? Would Radio Shack's site or anywhere else on the web have something I need?

I know it's a lot - so any feedback's appreciated. Many Thanks!

- Roosh

LittleAdvice · Answer

arnon, You may want to contact ACER for support of this system.

arnon · Answer

@LittleAdvice wrote:

arnon,

You may want to contact ACER for support of this system.

Acer = $40/call

Dell Forum = free, and sometimes very helpful.

Looking for any kind of constructive assistance here, thanks.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The latest is that I may still have everything I need in my cabs folder to restore windows back to normal, however the instructions I was given to access the files through ms-dos haven't yielded sucess.

I have Win95_03.cab through Win_29.cab in C:\Windows\System\Options\Cabs, though they are all 'rarred' up using winrar, an winrar doesn't respond due to all of these recent malfunctions & system errors. I was told not to mind that however, and this was the response:

"I think you're in luck! If you can see all those "CAB" files, then you can reinstall Windows (i.e. repair and replace those missing files) right from your hard drive. Windows will need your help -- it's not smart enough to know where to look for the installation files by itself.

First, make sure you have the Certificate-of-Authenticity number -- it's going to ask you for it even for a repair job. If you don't have it, post back here before you do anything else -- we can recover the number from the old installation even if you can't get Windows to start.

If you have the number, boot the computer up in DOS. Depending on how "broken" it is, it may only come to DOS when you turn it on, anyway. Otherwise, turn it on while tapping the F8 key, then select "COMMAND PROMPT" from the boot menu.

Navigate to where you found those CAB files (i.e., "CD \WINDOWS\OPTIONS\CABS", press ENTER)
Start the reinstallation with "SETUP" (enter).
If it ever prompts you to insert "Disk #X", see if there's a BROWSE button or OTHER LOCATIONS button, then point the install wizard to "C:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS\CABS". You may have to do this more than once. Sometimes the first message you get will be "Insert Disk #X in drive A", and the only other option is CANCEL. Clicking on CANCEL often brings up the BROWSE or OTHER LOCATIONS options.

Keep us posted."

(By the way, I write all of this as i continue to wait on the other forum - maybe you'll respond sooner or give me some additional/more helpful feedback...)

1) First of all, I indeed do not know where to find the "Certificate-of-Authenticity" number, if anyone here does.

2) Secondly, In ms-dos,
C:\WINDOWS>,
I enter "CD \WINDOWS\OPTIONS\CABS" and the press ENTER.

It then becomes "C:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS\CABS>". I add "SETUP" (enter), like he suggests,
but it gives me "Bad command or file name"...

Again, any feedback is really appreciated. Thanks.

arnon · Answer

(Still need asistance with the ms-dos stuff, btw...)

Well, I found a url which shows what a C.O.A. is (http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/howtotell/how/coa.asp),
and so the answer is "no, the laptop doesn't have that pink, turquoise & purple Microsoft
sticker anywhere."

Can it be found anywhere internally?

I did find some apparently important Acer sticker info on the bottom of the laptop
nonetheless, such as some model, serial # & additional info...

LittleAdvice · Answer

arnon,

Here is a generic COA for windows 95-- OOPS not supposed to post that must still be a secret.

This AcerNote Lite can be configured to boot from the CD Rom drive. You can have a boot disk created on a system with a CD Burner and get the drivers from the Acer download site for this system and format the drive and reinstall the software. That would be the best way to fix this system up.

Message Edited by LittleAdvice on 12-02-2003 10:07 AM

Message Edited by LittleAdvice on 12-04-2003 07:53 AM

Denny Denham · Answer

arnon, This will extract the COA from the registry.

arnon · Answer

Hi guys, thanks for the great feedback! I'm going back & forth between this thread & one @ Annoyances.org & don't want to get overwhelmed veering off into separate troubleshooting directions, so for now, I'll catch you up w/ what's going on that end & maybe you can respond before they do: (also, access to a burner is hard to come by at the moment, Little Advice...)

"On Monday, December 1, 2003 at 11:49 pm, Jerry wrote:

>Hi Win77: Let's go back to that folder you found "C:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS\CABS". (This is where
>you said you got "Bad command or file name".

>At the DOS prompt that says "C:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS\CABS>"

>type "DIR /o /w" and press ENTER. (That's an "OH" not a "ZERO".)
>
>You will see a list of all the files in that folder. There should be 57 files --
>a lot will have names like "WIN95_02.CAB". There should be CAB files 2 through
28.
> Are they all there? If they are, do this next:

>Type "DIR /o /w *.exe", and press ENTER. There should be 13 files,
>and one of them should be named "SETUP.EXE". If you don't get a listing of 13 files,
>tell us what you find, and we can figure out what to do next.

>Don't worry that CAB files show up as "RAR" archive files. The Windows Setup wizard
>extracts what it needs from them when it needs it -- you don't have to extract the
>individual files yourself.

>Good luck.
>Jerry"

>>>"re: Let's explore that folder
Tuesday, December 2, 2003 at 5:47 pm
Windows 95 Annoyances Discussion Forum
Posted by Win77 (arnon)

Thanks for the continued assistance...
After entering "DIR /o /w", it returned 121 files, 2 dirs, and apparently all
of the cabs, from _03 to _29

At the next "C:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS\CABS>" prompt, I added "DIR /o /w *.exe" (eventhough
the numbered results I got were different from the ones you expected...). The response
was: "Invalid switch - *.EXE"

Thanks again, gentlemen.

Windows General

Going through h*ll trying to upgrade an older Laptop - PLEASE HELP!

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