Best way to do a fresh install of Win 98 SE??

[Bronze]

Since this forum seems to have some of the most knowledgeable members (and why I decided to join and jump in the fray), I thought I would ask the question. I am looking at upgrading a few components on my main machine (mobo, video card and sound card) and thought it might be a good time to clean up my hardrive. I have an IBM 9.1GB partioned as follows C: 3GB for Windows, Office, etc.; D: 2GB for Applications; E: 4 GB for Games, storage, etc.

**My question**

Can I just re-install Windows or should I format C: and do fresh install of W98SE?? How about the D: & E: drives??

I have gleaned some information from the forum and on the web, but thought I might get some more opinions/direction with a direct question.

Thought I would let you know what my systems look like. Mine is used mainly for actual work, surfing, some gaming and general screwing around with. Family is used for games and the internet. Hope to add an ASUS CUSL2-C, ATI Radeon & SB Live to my machine shortly and an IBM Deskstar 30GB to the Family machine.

MINE FAMILY
InWin 250W Enlight 7237 300W
Abit BH6 (ss) Abit BH6 (ss)
c566 @850 PIII 700E
MSI 6905 slotket MSI 6905 slotket
128MB Mushkin PC133 256 MB Micron PC133
CL TNT2 Ultra Hercules GeForce 2 MX
MX 300 SB Live! Value
3COM/USR 56k (ISA) 3COM/USR 56k (PCI)
Hollywood + -----
Pioneer 10x DVD ASUS 50x CD
Iomega 12.10.32 -----
IBM 9.1 GB Maxtor 6.4 GB & 3.2 GB IBM
Win 98 SE Win 98 SE
Sony 17? (Dell) CTX 15? (can?t have everything)

**2nd question**

Once I get the 30 GB, what is the best method to transfer the old harddrive to the new harddrive?? I have done it before (upgraded from a 3.2GB to the 9.1GB previously) but I can?t find the post that I had printed off.

Thanks!! And sorry about the long post.

 

[Insanity]

if your trying to get rid of ths Misc.. the best luck i have is the dreaded full format of c: i think you may have to format the rest as well i am not 100% sure on that.. as far as copying on HD to the next i hear PArtition MAgic helps with that...i am not saying this with certanty but i thought it might help you out in the right direction

 

[sohcrates]

format c: is always the best...but another option might be to boot off of a disk, kill the win98 directory, and THEN re-install 98 off the CD. this should allow you to salvage most of you're C:, while giving you a better win98 install

I would never suggest re-installing windows just on top of it's old self, unless you need to do so just to fix annoying startup errors or something.

as far as D: and E: , you should not have to do anything at all with them

in fact, if you want to fully format c: , you might have enough backup space on your D: and E: to copy what you want from C: over to them and go to town with a full format c:

 

[Bronze]

I think I found a post on another site that might work, let me know what you think....
1 - Delete all progs out of "Program Files" dir that will not work after a reinstall (normally big programs, and programs that use the registry a lot)
2 - Copy the C:\windows\command dir to c:\command
3 - Copy the win98 cd's main install dir to c:\win98 (so that you can install from the hard drive)
4 - cd c:\command, deltree c:\windows, attrib -s -h -r -a c:\*.*, del win 386.swp (-s system files, -h hidden, -r read only, -a archive)
5 - cd c:\win98, setup/is
6 - boot into windows, remove c:\win98 and c:\command
DONE

So do you think it would work???

 

[Shuxclams]

1) Create a boot floopy and copy "xcopy" to it.
2) Boot from said floppy
2) &quot;Format C: /s&quot;<enter>
3) &quot;C:&quot;<enter>
4) &quot;mkdir win98&quot;<enter>
5) &quot;E:&quot;<enter> (if E: is the CD drive)
6) &quot;cd win98&quot;<enter>
7) &quot;xcopy *.* C:\win98&quot;<enter>
8) &quot;C:&quot;<enter>
9) &quot;cd win98&quot;<enter>
10) &quot;setup /ie /iv&quot;<enter>
11) install install install.







SHUX

 

[Mday]

i format C:

and i have the installation files on another HDD or partition, and install it from there. much faster than CD.

and i generally skip the scandisk thing before the installation process.