Installing Win98 afresh

[krtxmrtz]

How can I re-install the complete win98 over the existing installation without formatting the hd?
"Move on to XP" and other replies of the like please abstain.

[DiGiTaIErRoR]

Move on to XP? Psh, yea... don't need that.

Use your windows 98 boot-disk, to boot into DOS(don't you need extended memory support to setup win98?)

Then run the setup for Windows 98.

However, I would suggest upgrading to Windows 2000. It's over 5 yrs old as 98, and isn't 98 past or coming upto the end of it's MS support?

Meaning, no more windows updates. And pay-per-support.

[parksie]

Never ever install the 9x series over itself. You're just asking for trouble, and most of the time remove most of the benefit of reinstalling.

Do the same as was said above, but install into a different directory. Yes, it will complain, but I've been burnt by this before. You are much better off putting it in a new directory then reinstalling your programs.

You might want to rename Program Files from DOS before installing, however.

[<ABX]

How big of a hard drive do you have?

How much free drive space do you have, if its more than the amount of stuff you want to save then you could create a partition and copy ur stuff there and then format the partition with windows and reinstall w/o touching the partition that windows is installed on.

If you need help doing it, im sure me or some one else can help.

[krtxmrtz]

So if I get the picture right this is what I should do:

1. Since I have 2 HDs (C and E) dump all the stuff I want to save into E.
2. Format C
3. Re-install Win98 on C from scratch.

However I've never installed w98 myself and I'll need some help. What would be the exact steps after formatting? Insert the CD in CD-reader, change the settings to have the pc boot from CD and proceed to start/boot the computer?

[vfluckey]

'zackly right :)

I did have a problem when I tried this on an old HP w/ an aftermarket CD drive. The comp would lock up when trying to boot from the CD drive.

[krtxmrtz]

Now I come to think of it, my pc ran originally on Win95 and Win98 was only a later upgrade (I have both CDs). Does that mean it's imperative to install Win95 first?

[Dillinger4]

Posted by <ABX

How much free drive space do you have, if its more than the amount of stuff you want to save then you could create a partition and copy ur stuff there and then format the partition with windows and reinstall w/o touching the partition that windows is installed on.

If you create a partition which is separate from the OS. Format the partition and reinstall the OS on that new partition. Copy any files to the new OS. How would you get rid of the old OS and once you get rid of the old OS how can you take that free HD space that the old OS used and meld it back as one?

[vfluckey]

if you have the full ver of win98, install that. If it's just an upgrade CD then you'll have to install 95 first.

[parksie]

If it's an upgrade CD you just need to have a previous install disk available, you don't need to actually install it.

[wrack]

If you need a feel of a fresh install then put the bootable disk and boot the pc.

But before booting start the pc and copy all the data which is important in 1 folder. Go to tools options and make sure that it shows all the hidden files and folders and then remove the attributes.

Now boot with disk and use deltree command to delete windows directory, program files and everyother folder except ur data folder.

Then install new one. Pretty much like fresh install.