Windows 98 SE over W98 FE

FZWG · #1 May 21st, 2003, 04:51 PM

Appreciate some assistance.

Friend has PC (Dell) with W98 first edition.

Is it possible to install W98 second edition (full version) over W98 first edition without losing whatever programs were installed?

If so, how?

Thanks for your help.

**GretaP** · #2 May 21st, 2003, 05:22 PM

Usually when attempting this you would receive an SU0168 error message ("Your computer already has an operating system installed which cannot be upgraded by this version of Setup. You need to obtain the W98 upgrade")

There is a workaround for this, but it does not work in all cases:

Either while in Windows or from a DOS prompt, rename the win.com and winver.exe files to something like win.old and winver.old
You then have to attempt the install of WIN98SE via DOS by booting from the startup floppy disk and running Setup. If you receive the SU0168 error message, it isn't going to work and you'll have to do a format/install in order to install WIN98SE.

If it IS going to work, you will be asked if you want to install to the directory WINDOWS.000
Do NOT choose to install it to WINDOWS.000, opt for other directory and get rid of the .000 in order to install it to WINDOWS directory.

PostCode · #3 May 21st, 2003, 05:27 PM

Yes you can.

The easiest way to do this is copy the .cab files from the CD onto the hard drive. The location of these files on the hard drive is usually c:\windows\options\cabs. If there are already .cab files located here, then you can either put the cabs in another location or delete the ones currently there. The ones that are currently there are from the first edition of Windows 98. The .cab files are located in the \win98\ directory on the CD. Just copy everything in that directory, not including any subdirectories, into the directory on the hard drive.

Reboot, pressing F8 after you hear the single beep, and select command line fro the boot menu. Once the system boots to a dos prompt type in the following:

cd windows

Then rename the win.ini file:

ren win.ini win.xxx

Now, move to the cabs directory:

cd options\cabs

Type int he following and install Windows 98:

setup

Hope this helps.

FZWG · #4 May 27th, 2003, 06:30 AM

Thanks for the info.

**GretaP** · #5 May 27th, 2003, 01:30 PM

You're welcome. Please let us know whether it worked for you or not.

FZWG · #6 May 28th, 2003, 03:14 AM

Well, now the owners of the PC (Dell Dimension XPS R450 w/384MB RAM) want to install Me.

Right now what we are looking at is finding an Me driver for the following:

STB nVidia TNT 16MB 3D AGP video card
TBS Montego II A3D PCI Sound Card
US Robotics 56K Voice Modem

The Dell site has no WMe support for this PC.

Also concerned about whether a BIOS update is needed, although the 17GB Maxtor HDD will remain.

Would there be any other reasons to consider a BIOS update, other than HDD limitations?

The board on this PC is an Intel SE440BX AA696089-407 with a 100MHz bus clock. The BIOS: 4S4EB0X1.10A.0019.P09 is dated 08/14/98

Appreciate any suggestions or comments

**jtdoom** · #7 May 28th, 2003, 06:29 AM

Hi

you can use the win98 drivers

FZWG · #8 May 29th, 2003, 03:35 AM

Thanks for the info.

Hopefully, that will be the case. However, have read that the drivers on the PC may be Dell OEM drivers.

Need to check a few things out.

**jtdoom** · #9 May 29th, 2003, 07:43 AM

hi again

get the montego drivers at DELL downloads, using the DELL model number found on the back of the machine

ditto for the modem (i thought they used amquest...)

for the nvidia, you can use nvidia reference drivers
http://www.nvidia.com/view.asp?IO=win9x_44.03

FZWG · #10 May 31st, 2003, 04:22 AM

Thanks, jtdoom.

That is exactly what I'll do. Long download, that nVidia Detonator FX. Have dial-up.