I wish to get rid of windows xp and install windows 98 back into my pc. Will it self install or do I have to format(erase my hard drive first
2007-03-23 02:53:25 · 12 answers · asked by francis v 1 in Computers & Internet ➔ Hardware ➔ Desktops
you will need to fully format the hard drive as you cannot put a lower operating system over XP...
you might have to also create a new partition on the drive depending on if its NTFS,if it is then 98 wont go on your drive until you put it back to FAT 32....
personally if possible stick with XP as you will get all the updates ,and you wont with 98 or ME
2007-03-23 03:00:21 · answer #1 · answered by smudge2_k4 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Although Win\98 is a stable operating system, I would stay with Win\xp.
Microsoft no longer supports Win\98 and most of your new programs are now made for win\xp and Vista.
If you still want to install Win\98 I would advise backing up your data first and then re-format the hard drive with a fat 32 format and then you will be able to install Win\98.
You can still get security updates for Win\98. Microsoft no longer supports 98 but they will let you get what security updates there are. ( old security updates) Before you do your security updates you will have to upgrade your web browser to Explorer 6.
If you do decide to install Win\98 there is a site that has older programs that will work with Win\98. It's called Old Version. There you will find older programs that were written for Win\98 - Me.. Programs like messenger, and other programs.
http://www.oldversion.com/
http://www.oldapps.com/
I work re-loading computers and we have many customers who still use Win\98. It's stable and very easy to use.
One other thing.. Your going to need a Boot floppy.. This will allow you to :
1. fdisk................. the hard drive.
2. format C: .............. formats the hard drive
Unless you have a bootable CD that does it all for you..
2007-03-23 03:14:28 · answer #2 · answered by madwizard56 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
From the experiences I remember (I tried re-installing Windowns 98SE after I had to buy a computer with it on it)...you get an error message that basically states that you cannot 'downgrade' from Windows XP to a lower version of Windows. So you can't do it by just popping the cd in and having it 'overwrite' everything in windows. Apparently Microsoft, of course, built in some kind of little safeguard against that. Though I'm sure there's a way around that...I just haven't bothered with trying to figure it out anymore since I use XP anyway.
If you want to go back to Windows 98...you might want to make a StartUp disk (floppy disk was the usual method...you may be able to get it to work from a cd, though I haven't personally tested this method for boot disks). But that boot disk is pretty essential, even with a format, because your system is "dead" and doesn't even have basic instructions for how to operate it's components (such as the floppy disk drive or cd-rom drive...both of which get drivers installed from the StartUp boot disk to be able to function).
That being said...you would need a full format. I remember with Windows 98 when I did a format...I had to restart in MS-DOS and do a "Format C:" command because it wouldn't allow it in windows itself through an open DOS window. After your format the C: drive in DOS...you have to put in the boot disk and restart the computer, which will then read the drivers for the floppy drive/cd drive from the floppy or cd (still not sure about the cd, though...might want to find that out before doing so). After the drivers are loaded, you have to put the Windows 98 cd in the drive and use DOS to manually start the Windows 98 setup. Usually mine was something like "E:\setup.exe" or "D:\setup.exe". You have to figure out what the 'default' cd drive letter is when your system reformats. Sometimes your drive letters change without Windows software on the computer. "D:\" may go to "E:\" or "F:\" may go to "G:\", etc. I usually just start at "D:\" and work my way up the alphabet. ;-) Then from there, the Windows program sets up and installs as it normally should.
One more thing I would note is...if you have Windows XP and a fairly recent computer, you probably have that stupid second 'recovery' drive that you would have to figure out. Usually with Windows XP your cd drive (provided that you have only one) is E:, Your hard drive is C: and your recovery hard drive is D: . For that...I haven't personally formatted a recovery drive to know what it does and how it responds to that.
Also do keep in mind that Microsoft is no longer offering support to Windows 98...though I still personally like it better than XP. You can always beef up the security programs and such...Microsoft put a lot of unneeded stuff in Windows XP. It seems that with each operating system they put out, it takes about twice the memory (or more) than the previous Windows version, to run it. If you ran Windows 98 on one of these new dual-core gaming computers with about 2 Gigs of RAM...you'd think you had a supercomputer.
2007-03-23 03:20:57 · answer #3 · answered by sls.spec 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
if u want to install windows 98 without deleting windows xp u have to have 2 partitions on ur disk now install the windows 98 in a partition other than windows xp if u want only windows98 just format ur hardisk and install windows 98 further doubts u can contact me by messaging me to israel_ship
2016-03-29 00:53:44 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
why would you want to uninstall windows Xp and reinstall windows 98 on your PC? there are no further updates for Windows 98, not alot of programs are compatible anymore with windows 98. I suggest if you already have windows XP, stick with it....
2007-03-23 02:59:07 · answer #5 · answered by darling 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
now what are the format of your hard disk? ntfs or fat32?
if you had a fat 32 you just can reformat your hard drive and run the installer from win 98 CD.
the problem is if your hard drive with ntfs format,your hard drive will not read at the auto run on the installer of win 98 CD.
the simple one are you go to your friends computer, plug in there and reformat it with fat32.
2007-03-23 04:09:11 · answer #6 · answered by nomad 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Why would you want to downgrade?
Anyway you would need to erase your HD in order to put 98 on it. After 98 is on you can then make your computer a dual boot with XP.
2007-03-23 03:40:19 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
why on earth would you want to go back to using windows 98? its a horrible operating system. i'm not saying windows xp is the best either but it's far superior to win 98.
2007-03-23 02:58:46 · answer #8 · answered by Greg O 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the best way would be to buy a new gard drive, nothin fancy, just a little one to hold win98. unplug XP drive and plug in new drive and install. this way, you can switch when you want to and you dont have to worry about doing partitions or formats. its the least technical way
2007-03-23 03:02:52 · answer #9 · answered by Joe b 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hi. Backup any file you want to keep. Insert the Win98 CD and follow the instructions. I suspect you are either not getting good speed or lots of nag screens. I used Win98 for years and had good luck with it.
2007-03-23 03:01:20 · answer #10 · answered by Cirric 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋