I have also tried putting 2000 on but the laptop won't recognise the usb cdrom. Someone suggested getting a set of win98 floppy discs to load from as the machine is reading from the floppy okay. Would this work? Is there any other way I can load an operating system on?

Hya Patchypants.

You should be able to install win98 from USB with these instructions:



Installing Windows 2000, XP using USB CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, DVD/CDRW or DVD-R/RW drive. (For Windows 98SE or Me, please proceed to the below section first)

1. Download USB DOS driver and Save the file to your hard drive.
2. Use Winzip to extract the file, if you do not have the Winzip program you may get a shareware version here www.winzip.com
3. Once Winzip is installed, use the program to extract the file.
4. Open the folder name USBboot and execute the rawrite2.exe
5. When prompt for the image name, enter dosboot.img
6. Enter the floppy drive as your destination drive, which in general is the A:\
7. Place a disk into the floppy drive and press enter
8. When it is done, reboot with this disk to use the USB devices.
9. CD/ROM drives will be using the Drive R:\
10. Hard Drives will be using the next letter available. Please note there will be no letter for the hard drive if it has not been partitioned and formatted. If you are not familiar with partitioning or formatting a hard drive, please go to the following Microsoft link for the information http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q255867
11. If everything went well, you should have a drive R:\ for the CD/ROM drive. You are now ready to copy the I386 folder from the Windows 2000 or XP installation CD to the hard drive.
12. At the prompt, go to the C:\drive by typing “C:" then "Enter”
13. At the Local Drive C:\drive, create a Folder name. For example at the C:\prompt type “MD 2k”. Doing this will create a folder name “2K” on your local hard drive.
14. Now type “R": then "Enter” to go to the R:\drive
15. At the R:\ prompt type the following “Path=A:" then press "Enter
16. Now type “Xcopy . /s C:\2k" then press "Enter” (There is a space between Xcopy and the dot)
17. Once the copy process is completed, go to the C:\drive.
18. Open the folder you have created, in this case it is the 2k folder. For example: from the C:\ prompt type “CD 2k" then press "Enter”
19. Now go to the I386 folder by typing CD I386 then Enter, from the C:\I386 type Winnt and enter.
20. Installation should now start. Follow instruction from your Operating System manual on how to install the OS. (Installation will take some time, Please be patient)

Installing Windows 98SE or Me using the Addonics USB CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, DVD/CDRW or DVD-R/RW drive.
The procedures are practically identical to Windows 2000 or XP as described above. Except instead of copying the I386 folder to the hard drive, you will copy the Windows 98SE folder or the Windows Me folder to the hard drive.

1. First, follow step 1 through 10 above. Make sure you have enough space in your local hard drive. At least 2 GB or higher.
2. If everything went well, you should have a drive R:\ for the CD/ROM drive.
3. At the prompt, go to the C:\drive by typing “C: then enter” At the Local Drive C:\drive, create a Folder name. For example at the C:\prompt type “MD 98” doing this will create a folder name “98” on your local hard drive.
4. Now type “R: then enter” to go to the R:\drive
5. At the R:\prompt type the following “Path=A:" then press enter
6. Now type “Xcopy . /s C:\98" then press "Enter” (There is a space between Xcopy and the dot)
7. Once the copy process is completed, go to the C:\drive. Open the folder you have created, in this case it is the 98 folder. For example: from the C:\prompt type “CD 98" then press "Enter”
8. Now go to the 98 folder type "CD win98" then "Enter", from the C:\win98 type "Setup" and "enter".
9. Installation should now start. Follow instruction from your Operating System manual on how to install the OS. (Installation will take some time, Please be patient)