[tomthedrummer1992]

Right - here goes and I hope it makes sense!

Had a laptop runnung windows 2000 (shall abbreviate to win 2k from now on). Anyway, it got a virus which wouldn't go so I decided to do a format and re-install which I have done before and am very computer literate (built my own PC). A friend of mine has an OS called "Micro XP" which is a real stripped out version of XP Pro so I thought yeah I'll give it a go however it did not support my wireless card drivers. OK I says, nevermind so I go and get my windows ME CD-ROM but couldn't insall it from inside micro XP because it is still a version of windows XP, and you can't downgrade.

Another friend then said "don't bother with me it's crap" which I already knew but didn't think I had an alternatvive. He very kindly sent me a windows 2k CD (as it was an ex-work laptop I was not in posession of a win 2k CD) so he sent me said CD.

To cut a longer story short, I created 4 windows 2000 startup disks (disk 1 thru disk 4) using a tool on the win 2k cd. Reboot computer with floppy in "bad disk I/O replace floppy" or something along those lines. So, I downloaded a win 98 boot disk file and stuck it on a floppy. I boot the computer with the floppy type R:\I386\WINNT.exe and it boots the win 2k setup. However, before it starts the setup it says "Setup caannot complete becuase it can't find a place to put swap. Press ENTER to exit" or something very very close to that.

So, I tried the ME CD again on the off chance (now I had the 98 boot CD), however it said something about an MS-DOS disk.

So fellow computer people.

a) what is this swap

b) what can I do



Cheers Guys 'n' Gas much appreciated.


Tom

[Cew27]

im pretty sure swap is harddrive space set aside to act as extra ram, it is used in linux but i haven't seen t in windows before

[tomthedrummer1992]

That's what I thought as when you set up Ubuntu you set up a partition as a swap. Didn't have the problem when installing Micro XP or XP Pro on the machine though (reason not staying with XP Pro is because I have already activated it so it only has 30 days usage)

[Cew27]

many people think swap is outdates including microsoft, im using 50 percent of my 5 gig swap because im running a virtual machine

[tomthedrummer1992]

I still can't see why its getting its knickers in a twist. It is only a small hard drive @ 11GB but that's plenty.

[Cew27]

what do you use the computer for ?
if its just for typing and internet ect you could always install linux, it works exceptionally on old machines compared to windows
(and im not saying this because of my new found love, it is true :P)

[tomthedrummer1992]

This has also been tried. Tried both Xubuntu and Ubuntu and neither work on it.

Xubuntu will load an orange background for the desktop, then will crash.

Ubuntu just won't load.

[Cew27]

post your system specs, xubuntu is less demanding but it needs a 500mhz processor and about 256meg of ram to run smooth, try feather linux or damn small failing that im sure we can find one that will work, also if you want to try it download and burn the boot and nuke iso this will wipe the hard drive completely and try a fresh install

[tomthedrummer1992]

System has about a 600MHZ processor and 256MB RAM.

I really would like Windows though not Linux, as it's my brothers laptop and he is a) not used to linux and b) has loads of windows only programs, and I know I could install WINE (done it before), but it's just more hassle (I know the irony!)

[Cew27]

ah, well try boot and nuke and a fresh install