Thrush

iTrader: (1)

Right, Danny@RADesigns put up a thread in the Gen Dis forum saying he runs 98SE but is finding it harder and harder to find programmes that still support it, but rather than format and install a newer OS, he wants to just "upgrade" his OS, so as to keep all the programmes he has, along with files and other stuff I guess he has....

I have a Win 2k Pro CD that Graceland kindly sent me some time ago. Now the instructions Gracie sent me were for installing 2k onto a fresh, blank drive (as I wanted to format my drive anyway) but I fucked up (didn't read em lol) when I installed it from the CD and it installed 2k Pro as a secondary OS, and gave me the option of booting up into 98 or 2k when I started the PC.... It was a long while ago, but I think I remember being able to access all my old data/files from when I had 98, even when I booted into 2k, thanks to the dual OS on there....

I said to Danny I would send him the CD, as I thought he might be able to upgrade with it.

My question(s) here is/are:

If you install Win 2k as a secondary OS on a HDD currently running 98SE and are able to boot into 2k, and access all your old pics, docs, music, etc - can you copy those to a folder on the 2k OS and then uninstall the 98SE? Thus removing 98 from the HDD, leaving you with one OS (2k) but keeping all your stuff?

Or, alternatively, is this possible when working with 98;

Can you partition the HDD that 98 is installed on to show a blank "secondary" drive. Move everything you want to keep into this blank partiton, then install 2k over the top of 98 in the original partiton, without formatting the new partition you just made? So as not to lose the files. Then, when 2k is installed over the top of 98, boot up and copy all the files out of the seperate partition, back into the main partition, then delete the partition to have one single drive again?

User 32922

Personally i'd backup the data. format then install windows XP pro. Upgrading the OS i find never works that well

i know he doesnt want to do that but to be honest its by far the best option

dannyblackpool

how do i backup lmfao

Thrush

iTrader: (1)

To be honest, I agree... But if he doens't have a second drive installed to back up onto, it can be a PAIN IN THE ASS backing up onto CD's or blank DVD's... Specially if you don't have the install exe's for programmes that you use....

Eagle

iTrader: (2)

i would personally look at what prog's you feel you need to have .. then see if they are available to use on xp ...
to be honest xp is going to be the standard platform for a while .. also would it not b better to have a more uptodate machine ?
i was running 98 se for ages but just decided to swap over due to this reason..
there is a function that allows you to run older progs on xp that used older operating systems

http://search.microsoft.com/results....n-US&FORM=SSME

although you would need the original discs of installed stuff to start again , im sure some nice pc whiz kid could transfer all your pictures emails and other stuff to a new pc ... possibly install the old hard drive into a spanking new system ..

not really what you wanted to hear i suppose but i have had issues with updating the os on top of an older system...

now see someone prove me wrong

Thrush

iTrader: (1)

Danny - back up is basically you selecting what files you want to keep (pics, music, vids, files, doc's etc) and copying/burning them to a few blank CD's or DVD data discs.... This way, when you format the drive and install a nice fresh copy of Win 2k, you won't lose all your stuff, as you can put it back on from the discs you made...

If you have a second HDD installed inside the PC, you can copy the files over to that, format the C: drive, reinstall, then copy the files back again.

dannyblackpool

so would buying a cheap hd off fleabay be a good idea and copy all over?

Thrush

iTrader: (1)

Personally, if is was me....

I would buy a decent sized HDD (size denotes how much you use your PC and what you use it for. I have a 60gb main disk and an 80gb secondary disk - 140gb total - as I rip all my CD's onto the PC and use it to play all my music. I also store quite a few vids on here, and a fair chunk of porn if I am honest lol), and install it as a second drive - no OS on it, just storage only - shows up in MY COMPUTER as a storage device and everything on it is easily accessible.

Then I would transfer everything I want to keep over to it. Format the main drive, completely wipe it, and install XP on it. 2000 is fine, as XP is just a fanicer verison of 2000 anyway, but in the future, 2000 will eventually become obselete like 98, and XP will probably carry on a tad longer. That said, with the advent of 64bit systems, both 2000 and XP will probably last as long as each other while 64-bit takes over the world lol....

But I would stick a second HDD in there to use as storage, and also as backup. That way, if something should happen to your main disk - you get a bad virus and it fucks the OS and you have to reformat for example - you won't loose everything as it will be saved on the secondary disk Thats how I run mine as do many others.

As far as getting a cheap disk off ebay - I wouldn't risk it to be honest. Nowadays you can get a 120gb disk BRAND NEW off Ebuyer for less than £50! And that'll have warrenty. YOu run the risk of buying one from ebay that the guy is telling you it's brand new and works fine, you get it, turns out the be second hand, has bad sectors on it and you're screwed.... Buy one from EBuyer or Dabs etc : anything goes wrong - you send it back!!!

But in answer to your Q : yes, thats what I would do. Fresh install is always better than upgrade yes.

The disc I am sending you is capable of installing a full, new copy of 2000 Pro on your machine, tho to do it you will have to do two things. 1, you will need to make "bootdisks" with floppy disks! (you need 4 blank floppy disc and obviously a floppy drive in the machine. Secondly you will need to format your disk manually BEFORE loading up the bootdisks.

If you decide to do this route, post in here as someone will probably be able to tell you better than I can how to format your disk (as I can't remember off the top of my head ) and I can post up the instructions Gracie sent me for the 2k Pro install

DanRSturbo

What programs do you actually use ? It's mainly Dos based programs that 2000 and XP struggle with. Or some older games.

Slapping in a 2nd hard drive as a slave is a good option, then just move all your stuff across. Format the main drive, then install windows and move it back.

Backing up e-mails, favourites, cookies etc, can all be found on Microsoft's website.