i was given a laptop with windows 98..old huh? How much would it cost to update it?

Question

its a Dell latitude i think pentium 1 or 2

Answer 1

Laptops are too expencive to upgrade the hardware in them, It should be able to run fine with windows 2000 so I would suggest trying to get a copy of that, and using that. If you can't just stick to 98 because it is only any good for word processing and web browsing and 98 will do the job. You won't even get parts to upgrade it with anymore.

Answer 2

Processor: Intel Pentium-3 M 1200
Memory: 256 MB
Hard Drive: 20 GB
Optical Drive: CD Drive
Floppy Drive: 1.44 MB Floppy
Display: *14.1"
Software: Win 98 or Win 2000 Pro

If this is your notebook then just the cost of the OS. I wouldn't go higher than 2000 but why would you want to get rid of 98, that was a really good OS, much better than ME and more efficient than XP home.

Of course there are about 20 different Dell "latitude" notebooks, they still make them, so a little more information would have been helpful.

Good Luck

Answer 3

The first question you should ask is... what are you going to use it for ? If it is simply going to be used for browsing the web, word processsing, or checking e-mail then maybe you could learn to live with Win 98. If you need to play games made in the last 5 years or so or if you just have to have the latest... then Win 98 won't do.

The problem is that any laptop made which came shipped with Windows 98 probably has the following:
- Less than 128 MB of RAM and probably not expandable beyond 256 MB of RAM.
- A hard drive with less than 10 GB of space.

So the first problem eliminates Windows XP and Windows Vista as options.

If you wanted to and your laptop supports at least 128 MB, you could upgrade to Windows 2000.

You could get more memory, a bigger hard drive, and a Windows 2000 upgrade (from 98) for under $300 if you looked around.

Answer 4

Those things have to be junked. No microsoft upgrades on those any more after July 2006. Here is why. You can upgrade a Win 98 to XP but here is the catch. You need at least 4 GB of hard drive to just load in the XP. and another 6 to 8 just to run the XP programs that are available. You do not have that im sure. Remember it takes about 2GB alone for that new System Restore on XP.

Then the problem is even further, you need at least triple your existing RAM just to run that XP

So you can see those things are junk. I have 3 of them just sitting in the garage.

Here is another problem. That Win XP upgrade, even the Home version, it costs $100 everywhere and that thing has a Microsoft Product Seal on it. So when you use it ONCE on a computer it registers with Microsoft and that disc cannot ever be used again to upgrade another old Win 98 or ME or 2000. Microsoft got smart with that one. Just warning you dont go buying those XP upgrades on Ebay or anywhere elese because they probably have been used once and they are useless after that.

Its just part of the problems of owning a computer. That Win98 is an UNSAFE system, that is why they got rid of the thing. That ACTIVE X on there lets snooping, viruses Worms and these smalll aplets get into the thing. Those varmits on Net are getting smarter and bypassing even the best of Antivirus and antispy.

Junk the things even XP wont be serviced in about 2 years.

Answer 5

It depends you need to go in to a computer shop and ask for a estimate. I cant tell you much because you did not say what kind of proccesser it has or if it was a pentium 2 3 or 4 or how much ram it had.

Answer 6

Around $200 for xp home.

You might be able to get it for less if you have the Windows 98 Code on the windows 98 software (ussually on the software CD case) currently installed on the laptop.
http://www.windowsmarketplace.com/details.aspx?view=info&itemid=3268640&WT.mc_id=0107_49&wt_svl=20114a&mg_id=20114b

Answer 7

If you have a laptop with Win98 on it, the processor is probably too old to support a newer system like XP. You would actually be better off just investing in a new laptop. You would have more memory, it would be more portable, and it would operate better.

Answer 8

Laptops aren't easy to upgrade if possible at all. Seriously, the cost might come close to the price of a new laptop. My backup computer here is Win98 machine. Its great for surfing and email. So its not broken, don't fix it.

Answer 9

First question should be _can_ it be upgraded.

Remember that win2K needs at least 512M ram to be usable. If your laptop doesn't have 512M ram, figure that in the cost

And the processor should be at least 400mhz to be usable. You probably can't upgrade the processor.

Then figure the cost of the new O/S ($100 or so).

If it has win98 now, you probably can't even consider winXP or vista.

Answer 10

i probably wouldnt bother, either stick with Win 98 or get a new laptop, its gonna cost a bomb to upgrade