How do I uninstall Windows 95 on a Deskpro?

Hey everyone!

I am trying to help a teacher at my school install Windows 98 Second Edition on a Compaq Deskpro EN. I wish I knew the specs... All I can figure out is it has 64 MB of RAM. I know I am a computer geek and all that, but I was only able to conduct a brief "look over" of the computer. (Desktop edition, not tower ***)

The original Operating System is Windows 95. Well, the teacher has bought a newer HP printer for it recently, that doesn't support 95. Well, all he has is a cd labeled "Windows 98 Second Edition - For computers without Windows ". So we thought to uninstall windows before doing it.

We tried going to Add/remove programs, but 95 isn't on the list, most likely due to its the ONLY operating system. We have no intention to purchase any extra Disks or anything to do it for us, if we can, we'd like to do it manually. The dude isn't that good at Windows, i am guessing, but I am "intermediate ".

Is this "For PC's without Windows" disk going to work?

Can you even uninstall Windows off this machine.

I've done research, but no help.

Thank you,
Jake

 

Thanks Christer.

I guess I don't know that much about computers LOL. Thanks for the welcome, I used to be on here a while back under the username "WinMeUser" or something equvalent, but I forgot passwords/ changed emails and computers, so I gave up on it.

The bad/ good news - I don't need it now I didn't realize I had a 'upgrade' disk for Windows 95 to 98 stored in a pile of computer junk. We were able to sucessfully upgrade to Windows 98. Also, we were able to install the printer.

Only one problem - It changed the Internet back to Microsoft IE 4.0 or did something to it. We were wanting to try to upgrade it to 6.0 or 5 or something, but when we go to 'Windows Update' it'd pop up something about a script error in line 94 or something? and wouldn't do anything else. It also poped up a lot of stuff like that while browsing Microsoft's website.

We are aware 98 isn't supported. He's tellin me that He had IE 5.0 on it, and it went back to 4.0. We also found a page about downloading IE 6.0, but it kept redirecting us to download 7.0, which isn't supported. Any help plz?

Thanks so much for the information again Christer. I've been personally wanting to know how to do that for a L-O-N-G time, due to I am always helping others with computers, etc.

Thanks,
Jake

 

The script error may be Java script. Get an updated version of Java at the Sun Microsystems website www.java.com.

The error may be for a standard script in which case I suggest going to Add/Remove programs, click on Microsoft Internet Explorer, click Remove, you will then see an option to "Repair" IE.

If you would like to find drivers, look up how to identify the model at the HP/Compaq Support website www.hp.com/support. There will be a webpage for that model and you should be able to find the drivers from there (EN is the series, the different models in the series have various hardware configurations).

I think it would have been better to upgrade to Win 98 outside of Windows, that is, from a Startup disk like Christer was describing (without doing a format). Doing the upgrade while "in" Windows may result in "bugs" (the IE problems may be some). If you find more unexplained errors I would suggest doing a reinstall by booting to a startup floppy

Look at what is written in the lines above the A:\ prompt, it will tell you the designation of the CDrom drive letter.

Get the teacher to back up his data, sometimes these major changes in the system can go wrong and the system could be compromised because support has run out (suppose it's better than 95 ).

Matt

 

Hey!

Bad News.. Nothings working! I got absolutely nothing done today. Get this - Microsoft Internet Explorer isn't listed in Add/Remove programs. Anywhere. I was able to download java, tho.

I tried to go to this site to make sure I was doing everything correctly / for links, but everytime I went in this thread, it poped up all sorts of script errors, and after 15-30 seconds, it pop up "Internet Explorer has done an Illegal Operation and must shut down ". It also occured when going to download IE 6 from that link you provided, Christer. Thanks for it, tho .

Heres some screenshots I uploaded:
Some of the error messages I've been getting/ Add/Remove Programs: http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p247/92wardsenatorfe/IMG_0001.jpg


About IE: http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p247/92wardsenatorfe/IMG_0002.jpg

Thanks for everyones support. Also, I have to right click on every icon and click open to open the icon. How can I fix this? It is really agervating!

Thank you all for all of you all's support
~Jake~

Matt - If I continue to have problems, I'll look into the partioning thing. (uninstalling 98, etc). I also have nothing on the PC model, just "Deskpro EN ". I cannot find the model # or anything anywhere, except the specs (400 MHz, 64 MB of Ram, etc)

 

I don't have my EN here (I lent it to a friend and he still has it )
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/...1&product=89327&lc=en&dest_page=product&cc=us
I think it has a "T code" label somewhere and the place might be inside the case, on the underside of the cover. Put the T code into a search at HP. Also, you could just try searching for "EN" and include that information you have, like 400Mhz, 64Mb RAM you should find the general range of EN models in that era. The drivers will be relatively similar if not exactly the same.

I am not suggesting repartitioning although I think you mean reformatting and I'm not suggesting reformating either, I am suggesting reinstalling Windows over the current installation of Windows. It's like if you installed a game, then found problems when you ran the game, you can just run the installation of the game again.
Just repeating what I was saying in the previous post:
Make a Startup (boot) floppy disk.
Put the floppy into the drive and start the computer.
You will see the selection screen "Start with CD-rom support" (or without).
When you get to the A: prompt (actually it looks like A:\>) read the lines just above, it will say "Your CD-rom drive is E:" (E: as an example)
Put the Win 98 disk in the CD drive.
Type and enter
E:
Type and enter
Setup
(I always use Setup, Christer uses Install).

Follow the instructions (choose the location C:\Windows for installation).

This will copy all the major Windows files, redetect all the hardware and install the appropriate drivers and should install things like IE correctly.
...and... no data will be lost.

I think it would be a good experience for you to try. Reinstalling Windows is something you will probably come across in the future and considering that the errors are not subsiding, a good move I think.

Matt

 

Hey Christer,
I had to boot to a DOS prompt to check! Bet my memory is worse than your's

Matt

 

Hey, I'm still around.

I'm looking into the boot disk thing, and reinstalling it.
Something tells me that the computer didn't 'install' 98 right LOL

Anywho, when I get to dos, do I use the:
1) Windows 98 SE disk, for computers WITHOUT windows (The one I didn't use)
or
2) The 98 Upgrade Disk (The one I used_

~Jake~

 

If you would like to try the reinstall of Windows over the top of the current installation of Windows, try the upgade disk first (I don't think I've ever used a 98 upgrade disk though, I have Win 98FE, 98SE and 98SE "...without Windows "). You could try the "without Windows" disk but it might give an error because it was not originally installed.

Matt

 

It seems that you had a very early edition of 98, since you ended up with IE 4. The 98SE disk "without windows" can be installed quite easily. To do this, boot the computer with a startup floppy, choose 'with CDrom support'. When you see the A:\> prompt, type this command in first.
ren c:\windows\win.com win.old
This "without windows" CD when it commences to install looks for the file Win.Com. If there, it produces an error. By renaming it in this manner, the file doesn't exist, and it continues with setup.

Now install windows, it will be an overlay install in this manner.