Aptiva restoration help

[New2vtgpc]

I finally am getting around to finishing a restore on a 1995 ibm aptiva desktop (model 2144) it came with all software including recovery floppies, ibm reinstall floppies, win95 boot floppy and ibms wim95 upgrade disc multimedia disc(with os2warp install) and software file disc. I put in a new hdd( exact same model as what it came with) and it wont fully install anything. Ive fdisk and format both with and w/out \s, tried installing os2 and then win95 and vice versa, trief just os2 and just win95 but it wont fully install everything. Im missing parts of start menu, sound card not detecting. I fdisk and formatted, used ibm install to access software disc (that then downloads aptiva files) then i put in win95 disc and reboots but won't auto play. Whem I do get it by using boot floppy to access and run setup...it ignore/deletes the aptiva files and runs bare 95 no drivers. The recovery floppis will only work IF os2 files already installed but they not found on hdd. Am I missing a step?

 

[WBST]

Some IBM/Lenovo "Recovery System" boot diskettes or Recovery Partitions presume a pre-installed, possibly hidden, partition on the HD. A true Win95 Installation CD will only install Win95 (and its underlying MS-DOS 7 basis) from CD. Then you add the IBM Win95 MultiMedia Extensions drivers specific to the Aptiva, as necessary. Ditto for OS/2, base install then add MultiMedia drivers, as necessary. Always check the various README files supplied (often only on the diskettes or in ZIPs).

 

[New2vtgpc]

Some IBM/Lenovo "Recovery System" boot diskettes or Recovery Partitions presume a pre-installed, possibly hidden, partition on the HD. A true Win95 Installation CD will only install Win95 (and its underlying MS-DOS 7 basis) from CD. Then you add the IBM Win95 MultiMedia Extensions drivers specific to the Aptiva, as necessary. Ditto for OS/2, base install then add MultiMedia drivers, as necessary. Always check the various README files supplied (often only on the diskettes or in ZIPs).

That's what I figured too. I have a similar specd compaq that has same design (hidden partition ONLY accessed by special floppy). But I was able to recreate the discs from images online, create the partition, install win95 and then used the floppy again to install drivers. This tho wont even let me do that. I installed os/2. And then tried using recovery floppies but it wont access the multimedia disc (which does read I can view files on any other pc). Keeps giving me errors about only using if the aptova software (which im trying to install) is already on the drive (which its not) i have no idea whats going wrong but I know its on my end....im just not sure what im missing.

 

[New2vtgpc]

Ok as an update...here's what ive tried with no success. Used boot floppies to fdisk, format c:, and installed dos 5 and 6.22 (not at same time), used the ibm floppy to get to restore menu, used recovery floppy to reinstall os/2. From here it works fine, but will not let me install win95 for any reason or by any method. Ive tried installing win95 and using the ibm cds to try and install os/2 (and drivers) after to no avail the cds are locked jnless the install floppy used which locks system and wants a software config update and reboot which it wont do... even tried installing win3 and os/2 and tried upgrading to 95. No luck.
Any ibm aptiva guys got an idea? Multiple partitions? Say screw it and use 95 and hope I cant install generic drivers?