>after FDISK'ing the new hard drive with the floppy disk, how do I load Win98 from CD?

Easiest way is to create a bootable CD on another machine using Roxio EasyCD Creator or Nero.

Another way is to buy a cheap parallel port ZIp drive for $20 on eBay, run boot floppy and then Iomega guest.exe on a floppy to access the Zip disk at DOS level. You have already on another machine loaded the WIN98 folder from the CD (may have to use two 100 MB Zip disks for 98SE cab folder which is I believe about 133 MB) to the Zip disks. Make a folder on the freshly formatted hd (Example: WINCABS) and copy the WIN98 contents from the Zip disks. Then run setup from C:\WINCABS. You wouldn't believe me if I told you how many machines I installed Windows 95 and 98 on which were lacking a CD drive using a parallel Zip. Also on many machines with CD drives, but generic boot disks at that time were unable to see the proprietary CD rom drive at DOS without the CD DOS drivers (which nobody ever saved). After installing Windows it would detect the CD drive OK.

I've heard of another way I never tried which is to use the bootdisk at www.bootdisk.com to load a slim PC DOS 7.0 and then access the CD rom in the R letter drive. Yes, R letter, weird...another poster mentioned this today.

>Is loading Win2000 an option?

Probably...I ran it on an LM 166 Mhz with 40 MB of RAM. It ran a tad slow, but I liked it OK. *;-)

Hopefully the above answered all your questions. One thought is that your BIOS may only see the 20 GB drive as 8 GB. A poster on Googlenet said his Windows 2000 install happily formatted it as 20 GB on the same laptop despite the BIOS mismatch. I hope the 20 GB drive does not require you to use overlay software to see the full capacity as I detest it (adds another layer that can fail and poof...everything is gone).

I would probably myself stick to an 8 GB or smaller (6.4 would be nice and safe). I'd look for one on eBay and not pay over $30. Why chunk so much money on a $80 20 GB 5400 RPM drive for a $150 laptop? Here's one for around $150 that already has a 6.4 GB drive! 

If you buy the 20 GB and then find out it requires overlay software you will be "Somewhere" out of Luck for our posting guidelines. >;-) YMMV

All the best,

Texruss

Thanks, Texruss

Thanks for the tip about anything over 8 gb. I believe if I upgrade the BIOS with the download from Dell (A-16) that should enable it to see something over 8 gb?  Will that work?

Those little laptops eventually did ship with 20 gb hd's.

What an incredibly awesome, easily accomplished idea...burn a startup CD!!  I must've had a brain fade.   I can do that.

I also happen to have a parallel port Zip drive around here somewhere.  So if plan A doesn't work, now I have a plan B!

I see your point about the 20 gb HD.  I've been scouring e-bay for a smaller one, maybe 10 gb.  Maybe 6.4.

The only reason I thought "20 gb" was that was the smallest I could find that runs at 5,400 rpm.  Looking for more speed, you know.

Again, thanks very much for your help.

> if I upgrade the BIOS with the download from Dell (A-16) that should enable it to see something over 8 gb?  Will that work? Those little laptops eventually did ship with 20 gb hd's.

Yes...it probably should see that size. I remember now the later ones did have 20 GB drives so the new BIOS flash should allow you to install it natively.

>I also happen to have a parallel port Zip drive around here somewhere.  So if plan A doesn't work, now I have a plan B!

I always copy the WIN9X .CAB files folder to a HD directory anyway for initial installing as it is faster than from CD and leaves them available for driver requests ("Insert Windows 98 CD" is not my favorite activity three months after the OS is installed).

>The only reason I thought "20 gb" was that was the smallest I could find that runs at 5,400 rpm.  Looking for more speed, you know.

Yes...if the laptop seems like it hasn't had a hard life and might last another two years then by all means go for the speed if you can afford it. The laptop still might sell for $100 one to two years from now if in good condition so you would get your HD purchase price back.

All the best,

Texruss

Thanks again, Texruss.

And thank-you, leduke30. 

I didn't even know what "Suspend-to-Disk" was, but I do now!  And I've downloaded the utility.

Before I start, I'm sure I'll download ALL the available downloads (drivers, etc.) on the Dell Download site for the CP M233ST, and have them on hand.

I'm sure learning a lot!  Thanks again.

If you decide to install W2k, be sure to set your boot order for the CD drive ahead of the Harddrive . The Boot floppy or CD is not needed for W2k as that OS's CD is selfbooting and will prompt you to strike any key to boot from the CD. Only do it once; the setup will reboot at least once, and show that message again. Ignore it the 2nd time and setup will continue after a brief pause.
   I don't know if you are interested, but you can make your CP  a CPi with a Pentium II or Celeron MMC-1 up to 400mhz and 466mhz respectively; that involves using a transfer BIOS(TR4), a CPU change and then a reflash with CPi BIOS. It may be a bit much for you at this stage of your expertise. The future maybe? I just got another "Fixer" CP in the mail and am in the process now of converting it. It came with A06 BIOS on it which will soon be LCPI_A12 after the conversion and reflash. Good luck with your efforts.

My previous post seems to be devoid of content.  .  I'll try yet again...

You've got me thinkin', leduke30

Maybe a CPU upgrade will give me more bang (speed) for my buck.  That is, more options to expand memory and hard drive. 

I'm up to the challenge! 

Can you give me someplace where I might find a Pentium 2, 400 MHz, mobile (I have an aversion to Celerons)?? 

I've search Dell's Upgrade site but I find it very frustrating.

Thanks again for your help!

I've been looking at this forum for awhile now and most of my questions have been asked and answered by others.  I just want to say thanks to all.

LittleDoc

I have made the conversion (CP to CPiD) that an earlier writer speaks of...

I have used Celeron 400's in all cases with no problems.. can get them on EBay for $70.00 on average.. make sure they are MC-1.

With the 400 you will be able to jump the RAM to 256 (128x2).. make sure to use EDO sticks (144 Pins)... they are difficult to find and can cost upwards of $75-100 a stick.

You will need to use BIOS A12 which will require you to Flash to BIOS TR4 before seating the 400 and then flashing to A12 once the processor is in place.

I have used 12 GIG HD's with no problem(s).

When finished you will have a Latitude that can handle most of what you throw at it...

Good luck.... 

Success!

I received a PII 300MHz MMC-1 processor (purchased on ebay - $30US) yesterday and installed it today.

With the help of leduke30 and others on this forum, voila!  I now have a CPi D300SX (in place of a CP M233ST).  Thank-you!

Downloaded and created the bootable disk for TR4 (http://home.comcast.net/~stonent/)

Downloaded and created the bootable disk for BIOS update A12 (Dell Downloads/Latitude CPi/Dell Latitude CP,CPi System BIOS/LCPI-A12.EXE)

Set BIOS boot order to floppy drive first.  Shut down.

Insert TR4 disk.  Reboot.  Follow instructions.  When reboots, stop it (shut down).

Replace CPU. Seat it down firmly. Reassemble.

Insert A12 BIOS upgrade disk.  Reboot.  Follow instructions.

I then added 128MB EDO SODIMM ram (hard to find and costs too much to buy two) for a total of 192MB ram.

I might tackle the hard drive yet , but at this point the upgrade of the CPU and the ram will speed this little laptop up sufficiently for what it's to be used for in the foreseeable future.

Basically, thanks to leduke30 in particular and to this forum in general for all its great information and support!!!

Cheers!

I found this forum after I purchased my CpiA.  Seems like alot of support and interest in these older machines.  I like mine well enough; it does what I need it to do.  I don't have a need to be able to watch DVD's.  But since the video card is a limitation, I was wondering what is behind the following these laptops seem to have?  Mine might be a better deal than i realize.

thanks,

LittleDoc

Thanks for the information.  It leaves me even more pleased with my purchase.  I have the 400xt with the 13.1 screen.

I saw that card mentioned on ebay once but I didn't quite understand what it did.  I guess it lends a helping hand to the video card.

This is a great forum!