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upgrading windows

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by jbrewerii

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i'm trying to upgrade old windows 95 to windows 98 with an copy of windows98se cd,and it won't accept the product key code it came with,can some one help me please with key codes or instructions to uninstall win 95 and install win 98? please!!!!!!!!!!

5 replies

by maniacman

Although I doubt they'll be very willing to help you with an obsolete OS that's almost a decade old and will most likely laugh and hang up the call on you. You're more than welcome to try, but don't say I didn't warn you about their response.

by thechas

There may be a number of valid reasons that your W98 key is not accepted. My first question is what versions of W95 and W98 do you have?

If I remember correctly, you can only upgrade using either the retail upgrade version, or the full retail version. The OEM version of W98 requires a clean installation.

On the presumption that your installation is failing because of a bad upgrade path, here is how to perform a clean install of W98.

1. Back up your data files and account settings. Make sure that you have your ISP and mail settings printed out not just in a file. Go back through, and make sure that you have EVERY data file you might ever want from the system.

2. Verify that your hardware will support W98. My bare minimums (higher then what Microsoft requires) include 233 MHz Pentium MMX, 256 MB RAM, 16 GB HDD, 16 MB video card.

3. Download the Windows 98 version drivers for EVERY hardware device. Burn them to a CD, and copy them to a floppy if at all possible.

4. Make sure you have all your data files.

5. Boot up the system from a W98 startup disk. This is NOT the same as a bootable floppy.

6. At the DOS prompt, run fdisk if you want / need to change the partitions on the hard drive, or want to format the drive as a FAT 32 volume.

7. Format at least your primary boot partition. Use the Format c: /s command to make the disk bootable.

After the format is complete, insert the W98 CD, browse to the CD drive (d: enter). Type in setup and press enter.

After Windows is installed, install your hardware drivers.

Unless this PC is behind a strong hardware firewall, I recommend against connecting to the Internet with it. There just is not good up to date security software, and you run a high risk of virus or hacker infestation.

Chas

by jbrewerii

MY W98 WAS THE OEM CD. I ALSO FOUND A CODE TO OPEN THE INSTALL BUT IT FROZE ON ME IN HE MIDDLE OF THE INSTALL POSSIBLY NOT ENOUGH GBS IN HARDRIVE LIKE YOU STATED FOR A CLEAN INSTALL. I HAVE AN IBM THINK PAD 380ED THAT THE MOTHER BOARD WENT BAD AND I REPLACED IT AND IT WORK AGAIN SO I THOUGHT THAT I COULD UPGRADE TO A BETTER VERSION I MIGHT TRY JUST DIALUP ON THIS PARTICULR LAP. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME.

by thumbsup2

Don't even try dial-up internet access. Do not connect to the internet in any way, shape or form. Win98 just isn't secure enough, no matter what you do, for today's threats. The computer will only end up being a BOT used to compromise other systems.

If you must use a computer with an operating system that old, it should be treated as nothing more than a glorified typewriter/word processor with a few games to play. That's it. Besides, I'm sure you'll find that your ISP won't allow you access to the internet with the old operating system. They have to protect themselves, so they all have minimun system requirements, 90% of which are Win2K at best.

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