any other tips on external hard drives
2007-12-15 23:38:02 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous in Computers & Internet ➔ Hardware ➔ Add-ons
If your PC is as old as your OS, the BIOS will NOT recognize hard drives that big. The limit is under 137GB. There's no such thing as hard drive drivers anymore.
Secondly, 98 doesn't support USB 2.9, and without that, the drive will be super SLOOOOWWWW.
But, if you can find USB 1 drivers AND partition it into two 80GB partitions, everything should work OK.
Want speed? Get a faster PC and OS. Linux Mint is a good alternative to 98, should run on your old PC and it's free, from:
2007-12-15 23:56:23 · answer #1 · answered by ELfaGeek 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Ahhh, don't listen to them, Win98SE isn't being attacked anymore (of course it isn't being supported or used much anymore either), but you can still update it @ Win Update w/ the proper URL link. USB Drivers is what you really need to look for, but Win 98SE can't even see that 160GB drive my friend.....It will be truncated I think at the very least. XP has a hard enough time seeing 160GB.
OK, 1st things first...Each hardware item, write down the manufacturer's name and model #'s (and any other stinking # u can find on the pcs), of each of the following...The motherboard, the sound card, the video card, the modem, the network card, any other card installed in the computer, info on all the drives installed, the printer/faxes/scanners, mouse, keyboard and Tower MFG., Model #, and Tag # if it has 1 and any other peripherals and hardware, the make, model, and slot type of the CPU. And then you can start the huge hunt that will take you from 1 end of the internet to the very other end looking for all those very well hidden hardware drivers...(ever seen that net zero commercial where the guy says "Whew...I finally finished the internet", to his wife? He sure as heck didn't do it w/ Net ZERO!)...Well, that's what you'll feel like when done collecting all those needed drivers. It can be done...I know, I became an expert of finding the most obscure hardware drivers...just about the time XP was released...(actually it was Win2K, but I still had to search w/ that 1 a bit more than today). Then once all the drivers are collected, pull most of that hardware out...leave the CPU, CPU cooler, mobo, and vid card, hard drive and CD drive, and floppy drive...everything else comes out. Update Windows first (after you install an old issue of Zone Alarm or you won't last 2 mins. on the net....Then the Mobo drivers, then Intel chip utility, then your AV, then vid card drivers, then add in the sound card, then drivers for sound card, then add in the modem, then modem drivers, then the other cards and drivers 1 at a time (don't forget to restart between all installs), then monitor driver (oh forgot to collect that 1 earlier), now set up the modem and internet connection to go get the monitor driver and you better update/reg your AV first...You tired yet...I am! Printer connect, drivers installed.....goes on, and on. Did a million of em. I can now build, partition, format & install, update, load all other programs, and ship 5-6 units of XP systems (Vista takes longer), in the time it used to take downloading the IE 6 update on dial-up for 1 unit.
Or...You can do exactly what the others say and go buy XP, insert it in the CD drive, reboot and install it, 90% or better of the drivers will be in the OS, a few you may search for...not many tho, and most of those will come up on Win Update as you update the OS. Or let me build you a new puter.
Don't laugh all...Guy came to me a few months back, lives in the boonies, still has dial up, 65 yrs. of age, only wants to read 4 e-mails once a week from his grand daughter and dump his million spam mails...asks me what computer he can get for $35.00...I sold him a super fast Win95 flat topper IBM desktop P1-Socket 7, 5.6GB HDD+a 3.0GB slave storing the Install/Startup files, and a blazing 128MB Dimm Ram installed w/ a 12.5K modem in it...He's actually happier than crap w/it. Go figure. Hey it was my very first build...I was proud of it, but it was just collecting dust in the garage and had a fresh Win95 install on it. Still runs great too he says.
Good Luck. And if you still want to learn how to do that install of all your Win98Se drivers I'll help you learn....just mail me.
I have to disagree w/ that poster above...Win98SE does support USB if the motherboard drivers are locatable, and always did quite well. I even have the 2.0 drivers for it still.
2007-12-16 00:31:39 · answer #2 · answered by cglrcng 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
hi mate
unlike windows xp,windows 98se requires drivers for all usb devices,this is because the usb standard had only just been developed when windows 98 was introduced,so the usb interface had to be slowly intergrated into the 98 operating system
however all manufacturers for external hard drives have downloads for older operating systems,for example go to http://www.freecom.com/ecsupportdetail.asp?serie=CLASSIC+SERIES&group=10821&interface=1082102 for a 98 driver for the freecom classic hard drives and go to http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/support/installation_assistance/installation_instructions/external_drives_&_personal_servers/ot for the 98 drivers for seagate and maxtor external hard drives
every manufacturer of external hard drives will have a support section on their website with drivers for older operating systems like windows 98se
any problems let me know
good luck mate !
2007-12-16 03:40:01 · answer #3 · answered by brianthesnail123 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
'Windows 98 does not natively support 137GB drives......'
Source: http://www.frihost.com/forums/vt-46099.html
Probably with Windows 98 you cannot address all the capacity of your hard drive, you must upgrade to the next Windows version for a 160 GB hard drive. Only 130 GB are detected by Win98 and you only can make partitions of those 130 GB, the rest are invisible. Windows 98 doesn't support the USB connector either. (I bet your external drive is an USB hard drive, only with USB ports).
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2704,2200475,00.asp
http://www.technical-assistance.co.uk/kb/usbmsd98.php
2007-12-16 00:01:24 · answer #4 · answered by Pichurri 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Win 98 is not or will not be supported anymore. Better to buy a OEM version of Win XP Pro. Cheaper than a boxed version.
It will self install and reformat your new hard drive.
2007-12-15 23:47:18 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You may only have have support for USB 1.0 hardware. The external harddrive you are connecting is probably a USB 2.0. You can purchase 2.0 USB cards that you can put in an empty PCI slot but I would consider upgrading the computer first. Anything older than 3 years, you'll have consistant problems with new hardware and software.
2016-04-09 06:35:09 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
dont bother if your online with W 98 your have a virus any day now.
upgrade to XP asap
or if not download Ubuntu for free
2007-12-15 23:45:54 · answer #7 · answered by whatanidname 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
windows 98 is no longer supported by most manufacturers you may have to upgrade sorry
2007-12-15 23:42:29 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
why on earth would anyone still be running Win 98?
2007-12-15 23:45:05 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Forget about drivers update your OS first
2007-12-15 23:41:09 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋