How to Install Windows 95 Without a Floppy Drive

Installing Windows 95 on an Am5x86 Processor Computer Without a Floppy Drive

Installing Windows 95 on an Am5x86 processor computer without a floppy drive can be accomplished by creating a bootable USB flash drive or hard disk on an intermediate computer, and then transferring that medium to the target system. This requires creating a DOS or Windows 95 bootable image on a modern computer with IDE support, copying it to the old hard drive, and then configuring the boot sectors and BIOS parameters on the target computer.

Contents

• Installation Preparation
• Creating Boot Media on an Intermediate Computer
• Configuring Boot on the Target Computer
• Installing DOS and Windows 95
• Troubleshooting Common Problems
• Alternative Methods

Installation Preparation

Before beginning the installation process, you need to prepare the necessary tools and components. Your Am5x86 processor computer has sufficient resources to run Windows 95, as the minimum requirements for this operating system include a 386 processor, 4MB of RAM, and 40-65MB of free disk space.

Important: Your computer with 32MB of RAM and an Am5x86 processor (claimed performance equivalent to 486DX2-80) is well-suited for Windows 95. However, note that Windows 95 requires a CD-ROM for standard installation, so we will use alternative methods.

Begin by preparing:

1. An old BigFoot 1.2GB hard drive or a new IDE-compatible drive
2. An intermediate computer with IDE and USB support
3. A USB-IDE converter
4. DOS and Windows 95 installation files
5. Programs for working with boot sectors (such as WinImage, Rufus)

Creating Boot Media on an Intermediate Computer

The most reliable method is to create a bootable hard disk on an intermediate computer. This method avoids compatibility issues with flash drives and older systems.

Step 1: Partition Formatting

On the intermediate computer, connect the target hard drive via a USB-IDE converter. Use FDISK or Disk Management to create partitions:

# Create a bootable partition
fdisk /mbr
fdisk
# Create a primary DOS partition (FAT16)
# Set it as active

Step 2: Copying System Files

Copy the DOS system files to the target hard drive:

# After formatting the drive with format C: /s
# Copy additional files:
copy *.sys C:\
copy *.com C:\
copy *.exe C:\

Step 3: Creating Configuration

Create or configure the CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files:

CONFIG.SYS:

DEVICE=HIMEM.SYS
DEVICE=EMM386.EXE NOEMS
DOS=HIGH,UMB
FILES=20
BUFFERS=30
STACKS=9,256
LASTDRIVE=Z

AUTOEXEC.BAT:

@ECHO OFF
PROMPT $P$G
PATH C:\DOS;C:\WINDOWS
SET TEMP=C:\TEMP

Configuring Boot on the Target Computer

After transferring the hard drive to the target computer, you need to properly configure the BIOS and boot sectors.

BIOS Settings

1. Boot the computer and enter the BIOS (usually with the DEL or F2 key)
2. Ensure that:
   • Boot order: Hard Disk, CD-ROM, Floppy (or just Hard Disk)
   • Hard disk type: Auto or User
   • LBA Mode: Enabled
   • Boot Virus Detection: Disabled

Using the SYS Program

If the system doesn’t boot, try to restore the system files:

# Boot from a bootable floppy disk (if available)
# Or use the Windows 95 installation disk in DOS mode
SYS C:

Tip: If you have access to a Windows 95 computer, you can create a bootable floppy disk with SYS.COM and FORMAT.COM files, then use them on the target computer.

Installing DOS and Windows 95

Installing DOS

1. After successfully booting DOS from the hard drive:

# Create directories for Windows
MD C:\WINDOWS
MD C:\TEMP

2. Copy the Windows 95 installation files to the hard drive using the intermediate computer:

XCOPY E:\WIN95 C:\WIN95 /E /I /H

3. Start the Windows 95 installation:

C:
CD \WIN95
SETUP

Windows 95 Installation Features

When installing Windows 95 without a floppy drive, you need to:

1. Select “Custom Setup” instead of “Express Setup”
2. In the installation source step, select “Hard Disk”
3. Specify the path to the files on the hard drive
4. Disable floppy drive checking in installation settings

Troubleshooting Common Problems

Problem: “Invalid media type reading drive C”

This means the boot sector doesn’t contain correct information about the file system.

Solution:

# Use FDISK to recreate the boot sector
fdisk /mbr
# Reformat the drive with the /s flag
format C: /s

Problem: “Missing operating system”

The system cannot find the boot code.

Solution:

# Restore the boot sector using SYS
SYS C:

Problem: Computer doesn’t recognize the hard drive

Possible causes:

1. Incorrect BIOS configuration
2. Damaged IDE cable
3. Hard drive failure
4. Frequency conflicts (BigFoot drives are known for their low speed)

Solution:

1. Check all connections
2. Set correct drive parameters in BIOS (cylinders, heads, sectors)
3. Try a different hard drive

Alternative Methods

Method 1: Network Booting

If you have network access, you can try network booting:

1. Set up a PXE server on the intermediate computer
2. Use a network card compatible with DOS
3. Boot DOS over the network and install Windows 95

Method 2: Floppy Drive Emulation

Create a virtual floppy drive on the hard disk:

# Create a 1.44MB file
copy /b con: floppy.img
# Use programs like RAWRITE to write images

Method 3: Using ROM-BIOS

If you have access to the BIOS chip, you can modify it to support different hardware, but this is an advanced method requiring specialized knowledge.

Sources

1. Microsoft DOS 6.22 Documentation
2. Windows 95 Installation Guide
3. Legacy Hardware Forum - DOS Boot Methods
4. FDISK and Format Commands Reference
5. BigFoot Hard Drive Compatibility Guide

Conclusion

Installing Windows 95 on an Am5x86 processor computer without a floppy drive is quite possible using modern methods. Key points for successful installation:

1. Use an intermediate computer to prepare the bootable hard disk
2. Properly configure the boot sectors using FDISK and SYS
3. Disable unnecessary hardware checks in Windows 95 settings
4. Gradually add drivers to check compatibility

If the standard method doesn’t work, try alternative approaches: network booting or creating a virtual floppy drive. Your computer with 32MB of RAM and an Am5x86 processor will be excellent for Windows 95, especially when upgrading RAM to 64MB.

For further experimentation, you can try installing other operating systems such as FreeDOS or Windows 98, if your computer meets their requirements.