"no boot device available"

G

Greg Burbidge

Bit poster
I am having problems with the now infamous "no boot device available" (from the number of places its on this thread) message.

I'm trying to install Windows 95. I know most people can't boot from the cd itself, so I downloaded both the exe file for the boot disk, and a copy of the iso file. But now what do I do?! I'm getting desparate in my attempt to play "X-Com".

I've wandered through many of the threads, and still can't figure out how to install windows 95.

When I try to install from the cd, I get the no boot disk error, but I don't really understand how to make it read the iso file first. Any ideas out there?

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated.

gb
 
I have tried download boot disk files, but I get an exe file for an iso file. Then, when I re-name it fdd, the "floppy" doesn't see it as an option. Any ideas?

If I go under "cd/DVD" I can choose the bootdisk file, but then there's no way to see my actual cd rom to begin in the install!

I'm quite frustrated with parallels so far. If it actually would work, I would happily drop money for it. I'm that sucker that always pays the fee for shareware.
 
check your regular email, I sent you a dos622.fdd i just setup. I got the image from bootdisk.com.

Your frustration prompted me to do this for the first time, I had figured why would you need a floppy anymore, and even more why would anyone want to run win95, but thats not the point here.

Steps to creating a boot floppy
1. copy the vmtools.fdd image that parallels provides to another location and rename it (there must be something in the name of the file that write protects it)
2. bring down image off floppy from bootdisk.com under a running windows computer or VM
3. change the floppy under your windows vm to point to new fdd and make sure that floppy is enabled and turned on at startup
4. run the downloaded bootdisk image

there you have a fdd image that is bootable
 
16 color mode to 256 colors?

BeninBlack is a genius!

I did all the things he said, and it worked like a charm! Now I have win95 on my machine! However, Here's my new problem... I can't figure out how to get win 95 to switch from 16 color mode, to 256 colors. 256 isn't an option, and when I choose supervga it asks for win95 disk 5, which I of course do not have. Any other ideas everyone?

I'm so close to playing my game... yet it feels so far away!

gb
 
ok, genius, there is some speculation on this...

as for windows, ive been building and supporting computers for 20 years now, and most of that time has been with windows. so some of it has stuck in my gray matter

What you didn't glean from what i mentioned, was that after formating the harddisk you make a folder called win95

then change to the win95 and copy from cdrom all that is in the win95 folder to hd win95 folder
then run setup from the c:\win95 folder
this way all fo the os is on the harddrive and will contain all the disks

I am trying to get this resolved, myself
 
ok, i never though in a million years this would work but click on the parallels install parallel tools and then click in the win95 os and do a custom install and pick video

now you have higher video

wammo ;-)
 
I am not a genius. I am a lowly unintelligent longtime mac user... though in high school I had a sweet 486sx. Anyways. I can't follow these instructions:

"ok, i never though in a million years this would work but click on the parallels install parallel tools and then click in the win95 os and do a custom install and pick video

now you have higher video"

I can't follow these instructions, possibly because it's really early in the morning. I wandered around the internet to find the dll and drv files to move my "computer" from VGA to supervga, but still no options other than 16 colors. So I read and re-read and re-read your instructions (as you are the supergenius that managed to get me up and running with windows). and now, nothing. I can't follow this. I can't seem to find a parallel tools, or am I suppoosed to completely reinstall parallels? Is the prder you are suggesting:

parallels
install parallel tools
and then click in the win95 os and do a custom install and pick video

If so, I can't find anything marked install parallel tools. Otherwise are you suggesting:

parallels
install
parallel tools
and then click in the win95 os and do a custom install and pick video

in which case, am I supposed to be re-installing parallels? I'm so confused.

possibly though, it's just too early for my poor little head.
 
Woo Hoo!!!!

I am lowly! You are the smart one! I realized what you meant by install the tools, then it took me a while to figure out that you had to go into your vm to finish installing them! now I have 256 colors AND I'M PLAYING X-COM!!!!!!!

Sweet baby jesus I'm retarded for spending this much time (that I don't have) to install win 95 on my machine to play a game from 10 years ago.

but THANKS!
gb
 
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