Installing windows 98 second ed.

[kim482]

Ok, I've read other posts on installing windows 98 second edition, but they just seem to be asking if it will erase anything. Now, I would like to know how to install it. All the other programs and games for my computer all you have to do is put in the cd and it's done. Well, I've tried that and it doesn't work. How do I install it? Do I have to reconfigure or reformat? And if I do, how do I go about it?? LOL I'm kinda slow when it comes to all this stuff, and I'm so very happy there are wonderful people who will help me !! Anyway, thanks for any tips.

 

[Katzy]

If you want to install Windows 98, you have to boot from the CD.

If you want to keep stuff that's already on the drive, just do it "Over the top". Best way, though, is to format. The installation process gives you both options.

Make sure your CD is a full installation one and not an upgrade or recovery one.

 

[iq454]

Hi,

Windows 98 is an Operating System, without it, you can't install any games the way you're doing it now or done before.

This means to me that you obviously have already got an Operating System installed, now, would that be Windows 95? Linux, Mac?

You see, if you already have an OS installed, lets say Windows 95, then you can only upgrade to 98se by either, buying an upgrade cd and inserting it without formating. If you've important information on the hdd and you don't have anyway of backing up, then this is the best way as it will only update system files.

The other way is HERE read the last post by me for fresh a install of 98se.

This stumped me, you refer to "re-format" I always thought if anyone knew how to format, then they would atleast know that an OS comes next, then Games and applications of sorts.

But if you didn't, now you do.

Regards

 

[Bob Cerelli]

In discussions with Microsoft, the standard Win98 CD was not bootable.

My preference is to copy the source files to a directory on the hard drive and then install from that directory. This way if the OS needs any drivers or files at a later time, you won't be prompted to insert the CD.

If you already have an operating system that will let you access the CD ROM, just copy the source files to that directory.

If you don't have an operating system, use a Win98, I have a section with instructions for creating a boot disk at http://www.onecomputerguy.com/install/floppies.htm.

There is also the generic one which you can download and extract.

There are a lot of the DOS utilities there that don't normally get added when you make one from Win98. For example Diskcopy, Doskey, Format, More, Sys, Edit, Chkdsk, Deltree, Extract, Fdisk, Attrib, Label, Mem, Scandisk, Scanreg, Smartdrv and Xcopy.

Then you can copy the source files to the directory on your hard drive and install from there.

If you need or want to format before copying you can do that as well.

 

[Katzy]

In discussions with Microsoft, the standard Win98 CD was not bootable.

Maybe not, Bob. But W98SE certainly was. At least the version I still have is...

 

[bearone2]

If you want to install Windows 98, you have to boot from the CD.

If you want to keep stuff that's already on the drive, just do it "Over the top". Best way, though, is to format. The installation process gives you both options.

Make sure your CD is a full installation one and not an upgrade or recovery one.

in all the times i've reinstalled 98se(over the top) i've never seen an option to do a full install or install over the top. win 2000, yes.

the option for the full install would require se to format and it can't do it by itself.

 

[Katzy]

Well now isn't that odd? Mine gives me the option to format. Weird. Not that I use it, now I have XP Pro, of course, but...

Hmmm...

 

[Bob Cerelli]

Seems like there is a bit of confusion about how Win98 can be installed.

You can reinstall Win98 over the existing version without losing current current configurations or installed apps. This can be done in two ways, from within Windows or from a DOS prompt.

You can also get the benefits of a clean install without formatting your hard drive. Just rename or delete the c:\windows and c:\progra~1 directories from DOS before starting the install. This will remove the current windows and "program files" directories, which are the only ones Windows will install applications.

XP, like other versions of NT, give you the option of formatting the hard drive very early on during the installation process. No version of Win9x gave that option that I am aware of.

 

[Katzy]

I agree wholeheartedly with all you say, Bob. Not having installed 98SE for some time, I'll acquiesce about it having a format option. I seem to remember it quite clearly, though. Maybe it's an old boy's memory playing-up, ay?

 

[bearone2]

Well now isn't that odd? Mine gives me the option to format. Weird. Not that I use it, now I have XP Pro, of course, but...

Hmmm...

perhaps the version marketed in europe is the difference, remember we did that tea thingy in boston and maybe uncle bill does have a stiff upper lip afterall.

 

[Katzy]

Make it easy for us Limey half-wits, ay?

You may have a point, there...

 

[iq454]

No version of Win9x gave that option that I am aware of.

This is not true, win98se does have the option to format if you boot from the cd.

I seem to have a post missing, so ill say it again and again if someone is removing it..

Hes not installing 98, hes installing 98se, and obviously hes trying to upgrade to it, otherwise he wouldn't need to install it. Meaning he either has an older 98 standard version, or win95b. I hope hes not trying to install windows over a mac system . Cause he doesn't say what OS he has....lol

So, this means if he deletes windows and program files directories, then he has to install all his stuff again anyways, and this means, all his configuration settings for anything he installed previously wil be lost, so what's the point?

Which is sorta not the point of what hes trying to do, he wants to upgrade with a disk thats not an upgrade disk. And he thinks that it will just install like a game, only the upgrade disk can install like a game, not the full install disk.

Even if you delete these folders, it still wont let you install it unless you delete every single file in your system.

And he also doesn't say anywhere in his post that he cares for the games and files on his system, so format and load fresh, then just reload all your games and stuff, if you want to keep your stuff, buy the upgrade disk, or backup the stuff you want onto cd if you can, and then format.. I mean really, c'mon.

So he has to follow my guide for a fresh install, and it's step by step, and is not just all jargon, he is a noob remember?

 

[Bob Cerelli]

The point in being able to do a clean install without formatting is not so much worrying about the installed applications or configurations, but keeping any data or other files like drivers etc. that he may want to save. If you format this is all lost.

In addition to any data they may want to too keep, often vendors will leave critical drivers in the \windows\options\cab directory. If you rename the directory rather than formatting the hard drive, these drivers will still be available.

It all depends on what is on the computer that they might want to keep. Since this hasn't been specifically mentioned so I don't like to blindly make such a drastic recommendation without knowing first.

 

[iq454]

There are a lot of the DOS utilities there that don't normally get added when you make one from Win98. For example Diskcopy, Doskey, Format, More, Sys, Edit, Chkdsk, Deltree, Extract, Fdisk, Attrib, Label, Mem, Scandisk, Scanreg, Smartdrv and Xcopy.

Then you can copy the source files to the directory on your hard drive and install from there.

Now it would be good to tell the noob after hes copied the source files what file to click to even start the process? I mean, seriously, he doesn't even know how to install 98se. So what makes you think he knows what file to click once all the source files are copied? Which doesn't work anyways, as I said in the last post.

I mean seriously, where does he say he has 98 installed? it could be 95b or even a friggin mac

And you're wrong about the boot disk if you create it with 98, it will create a startup with everything you need ATPIT. Once he loads this disk from restart and chooses to boot from floppy, it will load all those commands you said it doesn't add into a virtual drive.

 

[Bob Cerelli]

I'm not sure why you are so negative and getting so upset. Makes it difficult to respond.

As far as what file to click on, if you are boot to DOS, you typically can't click on anything. You need to run the setup program. With Windows98, this would be the SETUP.EXE program in either the Win98 or Win98se directory.

This method of installing Win9x works fine and I'm not sure what situations or problems you have experience in running it's setup program. Without specific information it is difficult to give a specific solution. This can be used for either installing on top of the current installation or as a clean install. If you are changing operating systems, my general recommendation is for a clean install. Done it hundreds of times both ways testing Win98 years ago for Boeing with no issues.

Given the section that the post is in, I was assuming he did not have a Macintosh computer. As far as what other operating system might be installed, by renaming the two directories it wouldn't make any difference.

I must admit my ignorance and do not know what "ATPIT" is so can't address this issue.

There are two easy ways to copy the source files to the hard drive:

1. As long as you can boot to your existing OS, you can simply copy the source files to a directory on the hard drive from within the OS. Then you can boot to DOS and start the install and everything will be there.

2. If that is not possible, as noted, the previous link for creating a boot disk has an image you can use to create a Win98 disk that has generic CD ROM drivers that will work for most manufacturers. So far I haven't found one that it won't work on but I can't claim it will work on all since I certainly can't test it on all.

Again, all this is to point out that you do not necessarily need to completely format the hard drive just to get the benefits of a clean install. You still may want to format but at least do it for accurate and correctly informed reasons.