Install XP Pro after 98SE

Hi BB,

If Mike wants to dispense with 98 at some point in the future, quite easy in this instance:

Switch drives and run the RC to re create the MBR on the now new XP C. All the data that is on the current 98 C will be available in the new config and the user just has to delete 98's folders and that's pretty much it.

Regards - Charles

 

I agree with both PeteC and charlesvar as they are both valid points.

On PeteC' side I have that covered with the previous PC from which the 40gig HD was copied to an 80gig and used in this new one.

With charlesvars' points I do agree to a point but if the party involved does not need it then Overtop install now and do away with all the extra work later.

But the main point here is that the party has several good ( I believe well discussed ) choices of what to do.

BillyBob

 

Thinking . . . thinking . . . thinking . . .

BillyBob, Charles, Pete, Matt, Steve and anyone else following this experiment -

Okay - you guys have gotten me to kinda re-think this whole process. Let me run a few things by all of you and then you can tell me if I'm re-routing myself down the right track or just spitting into the wind, okay?

At the present time I have a new 80GB Western Digital hard drive installed in my computer. I have Win98SE installed on it and I don't want to throw Win98SE away! I am very comfortable with Win98SE! Mostly because I usually have an inkling as to what to expect from it. To me, Win98SE is like an old pair of shoes, jeans or a favorite shirt - you wear it until it just can't be worn anymore. You wear it until there are more holes than fabric and you finally quit fighting with your wife about her throwing it in the rag bag or, heaven forbid, the trash. Get my drift?

Now, I find myself having to finally step into the future (shudder) and install WinXP on my computer to run just one piece of hardware I now have and a couple of programs that are only compatible with XP.

Several days ago, I ordered a new 10GB hard drive for no other reason than to install WinXP Pro. I have since changed my mind, yet again, and changed the order to a 40GB hard drive for literally the same money. Much cheaper than buying Partition Magic, obtw.

I'm not so far into this "rebuild" that I can't change horses in the middle of the stream, however. I have absolutely everything that has ever been installed on this computer (since it was brand new in '99) on CDs. Some of this stuff is old . . . but it can be updated. Some of these 'freeware' programs are no longer even available but . . . I have them, they still work for me and I use them often.

The 'newest' plan is to "format" the 80gig hard drive and wipe it clean. Then physically do a clean install of 98SE on to the "new" 40gig hard drive (if it ever gets here) as drive "C:" because Win98Se will install nowhere else, right?

After that is accomplished, I plan to physically reinstall the 80gig hard drive as the next 'available' drive (and a "slave ") and put an original copy of WinXP Pro (sp2) on it. The reason for putting XP Pro on the 'larger' drive is because I realize that XP is the wave of the immediate future and Win98 will eventually die. Basically, I'd be giving myself some "wiggle room" for the future, so to speak.

After reading all of the above, please tell me if I'm headed in the right direction or just spinning my wheels. Thanks a ton!


Mike

 

Just a very quick response. I will read over the whole thing and reply again later.

I LIKE THAT

BillyBob

 

OK. Now that I am more awake, had my morning coffee and taken my meds I am back.

First off I do 100% agree that 98SE is a very solid OS. And the only reason I went to XP was to learn a new OS and prepair for the new software & hardware.

I do agree with PeteC as to partitioning. Not really the sizes but the main idea. I do not have a C: drive larger than 8gig on any machine. But that is a matter of choice.

The C: drive on this XP Pro is only 8.3gig with 5.5gig used and 2.8gig free.

As to setting up two separate OSs on the same machine count me out as I have never done it. And I have had no reason to run two OS on the same machine as I have two other machine with 98SE on then.

And one machine is 90% identical to this one as to what is on it and where because that is the HD that I copied to set up this machine.

I have not partitioned or formated a new drive since at least the day I installed Win95b.

I built this new machine especially for the purpose of upgrading to XP Pro. And also so that my Wife would be able to have a machine to use when I was on this one. The 3rd and oldest machine with 98SE on it is the one that the kids use. And the Nieces and Nephews from next door use it for school work and their AIM. Overall it has worked out very well.

So as you can read, I have a completely different setup.

BillyBob

 

Unless absolutely required I myself would not have installed that program ( or anything else other then the OS ) to the C: drive. So far I have not had anything else that requires to be on C: drive.

I did a lot of thinking about what I wanted when I thought about upgrading to upgrade to XP. If I formated the existing machine I would have no machine for a few days and would have to reinstall everything. If I tried to install two OS on one machine and things went wrong I would have no machine.

Right now if this machine goes haywire ( and it or me has ) I have one of the others AS A BACKUP And I can still get here to get into these discussions.

And as it stands at the moment the 98SE machines will do everything ( except the Scanner and our Golf game ) that this XP Pro machine will. The HP Printer will run from any machine and others can use it whether this machine is on or not. I had to be VERY carefull that I bought the right one which took days and several stores to find.

But I also have a LAN via a Linksys Router. And no one machine ( or OS ) depends on the other for anything. ) So I can do things a bit different.

BillyBob