win 98 crash/ how to retrieve files in dos mode.

I'm going to reformat and reinstall win98 on my computer, but i want to retrieve my files (word, excel, access, etc). I dont know how to do this, please help. I think i need an extra slave drive and copy the files onto the slave drive and once the computer has been reformated and reinstalled with win98, i'll put the files from the slave to the reinstalled computer.

questions:
1. how to retrieve files in dos mode to slave drive

2. how to put files back into computer.

3. Please give me links or steps as to how to do this step by step.

all help will be appreciated.

 

If your machine is working in Windows now, simply copy the files you want onto floppies or burn them onto a CD if you have a burner. Then when you have reinstalled Windows and your apps you can copy the files back to your hard drive. If you cannot boot Windows you can boot to DOS with a startup disk, change directories to where your files are, and use the copy command to put them on floppy.
Copying in Windows is as easy as dragging and dropping the file onto your A: drive.
You could also install a second hard drive and set it up as a slave and copy onto it, but there really is no need to do so since floppies will do the trick.
This link provides information on DOS commands including syntax in case you are not familiar with them:


http://www.computerhope.com/msdos.htm

 

Hi,

In case you cannot successfully get into Windows:

Another option is to just re-install the Windows OS, without moving or changing any of the other files. All that you have to do is to boot-up your system using a Windows 98 boot-disk (make sure that it's the same version as your OS) and start the computer "With CD-ROM support". Then, at the C: prompt, type in

cd windows

Then type in:

ren win.com win.old

As soon as the computer renames the file, just type in D: (or whatever your CD-ROM drive letter is), and stick in your Windows CD and type in setup. (Remember to have your license key handy)
The Windows OS will be freshly re-installed, and your other files (programs, documents, and device drivers) will be remain untouched.

I have posted this method before, and have had other members of the forum claim that this method either doesn't work, or will cause a user to have to re-install drivers and/or programs.
This is NOT true. I've been using this method for a while now, on a couple of dozen systems and have NEVER had a problem relating to it.

Good Luck

P.S- Monk, that site is really good.