Reinstalling Windows 98

IF I USE A CD TO INSTALL THE 98 WINDOWS AND I ALREADY HAVE ONE INSTALLED! Does this mean I have two now or does it just replace the first one? Thanks. M

 

JONES

Thanks for the reply. I think maybe I wasn't clear. I already did the deed and I don't remember where it went - probably the default - another thing strange - all my display settings were kept. I did a recover once on my old computer with the 95 and it always started with the default display. Anyway. I more thing - I was thinking of unistalling windows and starting over - this time with no os to start. What do you think? thanks. m

 

MCHAAK,

Sounds like you installed over the top of the other one. The next time, a clean install would be best. Just format your drive and load 98.

Mike

 

Overtop does sound right.

But I disagree with formating and starting new.

There are several pros and cons for it.

Booting to the 98 startup disk and re-installing is very close to a clean install but at the same time preserving most settings, drivers etc.

And even if an overtop intall does not go quite right you still have lost nothing. And usually save a lot.

For a clean install you need to ( or should ) make sure you have all needed drivers saved some place other than the C: dirve.

Also it is good to have the Windows setup files on the HD in a partition other then C: and then boot to a floppy and run setup from that folder.

Internet Explorer will need to be re-installed. Any and all e-mail ( OE ) will need to be redone. And if there is an Internal Modem involved that can be a problem also.

On a clean install ALL software will need to be re-installed. With an overtop very little ( if any ) will need re-installing.

And in the case of 98 First Edition a LOT of updating has to be done either way.

So the choice is really up to the user whether they want to go through all the hassle of a clean install.

BillyBob

 

This MS KBA should help:

"How to Reinstall Windows 98 "

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;250928

 

Hey irdreed! Thanks for your reply - but I checked and it seems that they do not advise to try to uninstall my 98 if I have the 32BAT? The compression thing done on my system - so I guess that is that. But thanks anyway! kingsr1 M

 

but I checked and it seems that they do not advise to try to uninstall my 98 if I have the 32BAT? The compression thing done on my system

Could you explain that a little more. I believe you mean FAT32.

I have un-installed and reinstalled, re-installed overtop with Fat32 with no problems.

Is it possible they are referring to the drive being converted from Fat16 to Fat32 using the Windows conversion tool ? Which BTW I NEVER use anyway.

I have heard that converting the drive that way may create problems.

With me all partitons are auto formated in Fat32 as they are all over 2gig.

Otherwise I have had no problems whatsoever with Win95b and up and Fat32. Install, reinstall, format or what ever.

BillyBob

 

I think you read enough to confuse yourself. What was meant by uninstalling 98 is if you had 95/95a installed, then did a direct upgrade to 98, then converted the drive from FAT16 to FAT32. If you then uninstalled 98, you would have 95/95a again but 95/95a does not work with a FAT32 file system. You would end up with nothing.
However 95b does support FAT32, but 95b was not really sold outright.
So if the system only had 98 to begin with, to uninstall it, you would format the hard drive and install again.

I have done the above direct upgrade, no problems. And I have also used the FAT32 drive convertor, no problems with it. I was nervous about using it, so I experimented with my F drive first. If I had a problem, it was the last logical partition, easily deleted and recreated.
It went off without a hitch. I have since done a clean install of 98SE, with the drive in the above mentioned FAT32 file system. No file or drive problems have surfaced. I am fine with a drive with four 2gb partitions.
But I would have to add, all this was done with a well maintained operating system and good hardware.

 

62!? I finally did try to unistall - scary - and it just did not do it - probably just as well for me. I have the "black thumb" with computers I think. M