Re: win xp to 98

Tech-Archive recommends: Repair Windows Errors & Optimize Windows Performance

From: Patti MacLeod (pam120_at_nospamshaw.ca)
Date: 04/01/04 

Date: Thu, 1 Apr 2004 06:31:45 -0500

Hi tandral,

Since the current partition on which XP is installed has been formatted
NTFS, you would have to first delete that partition, then create a Primary
DOS partition, format it FAT32 and then install WIN98. If your XP install CD
was supplied by DELL, in all honesty, I don't know if you could use it in
order to simply delete the partition in preparation for installing WIN98 (I
have never used the XP install CD supplied by DELL or any other OEM) or if
it would immediately launch into setup for XP.

Another option would be to boot from your WIN98 install CD (if it's
bootable), invoke FDISK at the command prompt, say Yes to enabling large
disk support and Yes to enabling large disk support for NTFS, select the
option to Delete partition or logical DOS drive then select the option to
Delete Non-DOS partition. Once the Non-DOS partition has been deleted, press
Esc to return to the first menu. Opt to Create DOS partition or Logical DOS
drive, then opt to Create Primary DOS partition. Respond Y to "Do you wish
to use the maximum available size for a Primary DOS partition and make the
partition active?". Once the Primary DOS partition has been created, you'll
need to restart the computer before formatting. Format the newly created
partition and install 98.

If your WIN98 install CD is not bootable, you could use a WIN98 startup
floppy disk to invoke FDISK, do the deletion and creation of partition,
format the partition and install 98. If you don't have a startup floppy
disk, you can d/load the file to create one from here:
http://bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm
Click on the link for Windows 98 SE OEM, and d/load the file to hard drive.
Put a formatted floppy disk in the drive and then double-click on the
d/loaded file in order to create the startup floppy disk.

One thing that I would strongly advise, before formatting and installing 98,
is to ensure that you have d/loaded and saved to removable media any device
drivers that you'll require (eg., modem drivers, NIC drivers, sound card
drivers, video card drivers, etc.) for 98.

Regards, 

-- 
Patti MacLeod
Microsoft MVP - Windows Shell/User
"tandral" <anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:16a7701c417bf$ff2c4420$a301280a@phx.gbl...
> Hi guys,
>
> I would like to know how hard it would be to go
> from win xp home ( from dell ) to a retail copy of win 98.
> As much as I love windows xp, windows 98 works much better
> for the programs I use. Basically my question is can I
> switch from ntfs to fat 32    and be able to install
> windows 98 or am I suck with windows xp? Also would I just
> boot from the windows xp cd and format or boot from the
> win 98 cd and format.
>
> Thanks in advance =)
>
> Tan.

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