Can someone help with an older computer?

My parents have a 2000 HP computer that has Windows XP installed over Windows 98 and I'd like to completely clean the computer out and start fresh, probably only loading Windows 98 back since the computer is so old. Any suggestions on how to do this?

Thanks for any ideas in advance.

 

What resources do you have? '98 on CD? A startup floppy disk perhaps? (did 98 support installing from a bootable CD? I can't remember) Some useful details here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/221829

 

I hope she still has the Windows 98 cd. I know she still has the XP because I bought it.


I'll check out your link, thanks!

 

Dunno what the "2000 HP" has under the hood but in the pre XP timeframe I had built myself out of junk an AMD K6-2 450 MHz with just 192 MB of the old 72 pin PCxxx RAM, and IIRC a couple of 8 GB drives. It ran Win98 fine as far as Win98 goes, but it takes a lot of maintenance to keep it clean and it lacks a lot of current features.

When XP came out I got a corp XP Pro CD from somewhere, and I installed it and never looked back. Boot time was a little slow but otherwise XP ran circles around 98 in just about every way, and especially with regard to security and file system integrity.

XP's RMSR in '01 was 300 MHz CPU and 128 MB RAM, MSSR 233 MHz and 64 MB, and of course it is well known the "recommended" RAM figure was understated due to the high cost of PCxxx and DIMM modules at the time of introduction.

If the old dog has something near a P3 or Cel 500 and enough RAM I'd just reinstall XP.

 

I tried to do a fresh install last night and I think the computer is dead.

Here is what I read while trying to reload Windows 98:

Insufficient memory

C:\>REM to make a DOS Boot Diskette

See the file C:\DOSBOOT\DOSBOOT.TXT

Bad command or file name

Cannot find WIN.COM

run SCANREG

:|

 

OK Here goes:
In the BIOS make the floppy drive the first boot device
Boot from a floppy bootdisk, If you don't have one download from bootdisk.com
Run Fdisk and make sure there's only one partition, using all available space, on the c: drive
Format C: using the /s switch to transfer the system files to it.
Remove the floppy disk and reboot to the C:> prompt
Insert the CD with windows on it.
Change to the CD Drive usually on D:
Type 'setup' without the quotes
Windows should then install

Keith

 

I am not fluent in computer, but I will try my best to follow your instructions, Keith.
Thank you!

 

Here, I'll translate for you:
(1 Enter the BIOS, (look for text that reads: "Press Del to enter SETUP, press f10 for bios, etc.")
(2 Look for a menu called boot preferences, boot setup, etc.
(3 A list should appear; there should 3-5 items; chose one with the text "FLOPPY", "3 1/2 diskette", "3.5" disk", "Drive A:", etc.
(4 Move whatever the floppy drive is called to the top of the list.
(5 Insert your WIN98 bootdisk now.
(6 Exit the BIOS by selecting Save & Exit; Exit and Save Changes, or somthing similar.
(7 The computer will now reboot. A DOS prompt will appear shortly.
(8 Your screen should now have a line like this:

C:\>

with the cursor on it. first, type "D:" (no quotes), then press enter.
(9 Now the line should say:

D:\>

(10 now type in:

format C: /s

Then press enter. This will format the C: drive, and install basic system files on it.
(11 Insert your WIN98 install cd.
(12 Wait until the format finishes.
(13 Now type

E:

and the line will say:

E:\>

(14 now type:

setup

and press enter.

(15 Follow the instructions on the screen.

 

Thank you so much for breaking it down for me, Camo Yoshi!

 

No prob, I'm great at doing stuff like that. I actually have a 144MB RAM/5GBHDD/180Mhz laptop running Win95 at the moment. :mrgreen:

 

That's awesome ...do you have a Commodore 64 in your living room? That would be even more awesome...

Remember those, with the tape deck storage media, basically just a keyboard, a tape deck, and a standard television, and you had a computer...little dots racing across the screen as stand-in horses...

The good-ole days of computing...

 

Sadly, I don't have a C64 nor have I seen one in real life, the closest I've gotten is trying out jac64.

Though my Win95 laptop is good, it doesn't do everything I want it to, so I'm getting a AAO as a replacement! XD

 

I would imagine not. There is only so much that compatability mode will do...

 

True, Worms: Armageddon Demo doesn't run on Win2k/XP.

 

True, Worms: Armageddon Demo doesn't run on Win2k/XP.[/quote:1mq4tlzy]

Try Worms World Party: The same thing

 

I'll take your word for it.

 

Man I've been wanting to get an Amiga1200 by Commodore,
I keep losing on eBay though. Them damn people and their bots. :GRR:
@gentleart
Hey, if I had you desktop, I'd install freedos. Ever try it. It's freakin' fun!
Oh wait, you said you are influent with computers. Can you use DOS okay?

 

I have no clue about what that is. haha
I'll look it up though.
I ended up buying a cheap hard drive and installing it along with Windows.
I got too frustrated with the (two) free Linux-based OS that I tried and just installed Windows.
I have no idea if I partitioned the hard drive correctly and the old OS's may still be on there. I'm not sure how to tell.

 

You should try to find / upgrade to Windows 98 Second Edition, i.e. 98SE, if your current disk isn't that. The SE upgrade was from a very unstable 98, to a pretty good one for its time. I ran 98SE from 1998 to 2007 on an HP desktop with very little downtime. You should also check Filehippo or other resources for downloading older smaller versions of software for it, since it won't handle resource-heavy applications of today.