StarDestroyer.Net BBS

Is there anyway to reinstall windows 98 without losing any of my files. Say like MP3s, game files and shit like that? This is my last resort to fixing my Galaxies problems.

Yes. Just don't reformat your hard drive. Install windows over your current windows install, and you should be fine.

I would back up as much as I could, however, just to be safe.

Upgrading Windows is generally a smooth process, but I don't know about downgrading. I'd definately back up anything important.

Howedar wrote:Upgrading Windows is generally a smooth process, but I don't know about downgrading. I'd definately back up anything important.

Re-installing an existing OS != downgrading. Unless he has Windows ME or XP and is trying to install 98 over that, there's no problem.

Reverting to a previous version of windows from the one you currently have is a BAD idea. Even rolling back to Windows 98 from Windows 98 Second Edition can cause some serious fucking problems.

Reinstall Windows 98 into a seperate directory. Instead of Windows pick Windows2 or Win98 or something like that. If you keep your files in someplace besides My Documents or some Windows directory ( ie: you keep your files in C:\Data or D:\Data ) you can just overwrite your existing install.

Remember that reinstalling Windows will break links to installed programs like Office, Winzip, etc.

Hotfoot wrote:

Howedar wrote:Upgrading Windows is generally a smooth process, but I don't know about downgrading. I'd definately back up anything important.

Re-installing an existing OS != downgrading. Unless he has Windows ME or XP and is trying to install 98 over that, there's no problem.

Reverting to a previous version of windows from the one you currently have is a BAD idea. Even rolling back to Windows 98 from Windows 98 Second Edition can cause some serious fucking problems.

Thats what I thought he was doing, cause I can't read for shit.

I think Ive got Microsith's patch to make this Windoes 98 SE, but it might be SE from the start anyways.

Cal Wright wrote:I think Ive got Microsith's patch to make this Windoes 98 SE, but it might be SE from the start anyways.

Check the install, and check the disc you're using. Make sure they are the same version, or you risk fucking yourself with a chainsaw.

And I'd still burn anything important. OS installation is not to be undertaken lightly; bad things can happen.

In the future, consider having your operating system on one partition and the data on another partition. That way, if it comes down to reinstalling, you can easily flatten the OS partition without worrying about the data.

Cal, your best bet is to either copy the files to another drive partition (if you already have other partitions set up) or to borrow another hard drive and drop what you can onto it. You CAN install 98 on your drive without loosing any data, however you might run into some slight glitches. (Ran into a couple of glitches when I re-installed XP instead of re-formatting and doing a fresh install when I got my new mobo a little over a month ago.)

Hell, you might want to consider burning your mp3s to CD-R if you have a burner.

I do have a CDRW and a 6 gig HD hooked up. I need to learn how to partition my hard drive though. It's a fucking whopper at 80gigs (hey, that's big for me man!) and it's not partitioned. I've been told about the beauty of doing this, and it seems apparent that if I did, reinstalling wouldn't be bad at all. Can you format a partition without affecting the rest?

I've done a LOT of Windows 98 reinstalls, and I can tell you that the last thing you want to do is an upgrade install over an existing install. All the same crap will be carried over, so whatever was your problem originally will be a problem in the new install.

Your best bet is to burn everything to CD, then fdisk the drive and create several partitions (one for Windows, one for programs (optional) and one or more for documents). Then format the partitions, install Windows, and copy your data back.

Cal Wright wrote:I do have a CDRW and a 6 gig HD hooked up. I need to learn how to partition my hard drive though. It's a fucking whopper at 80gigs (hey, that's big for me man!) and it's not partitioned. I've been told about the beauty of doing this, and it seems apparent that if I did, reinstalling wouldn't be bad at all. Can you format a partition without affecting the rest?

You can probably use PartitionMagic to do it. I haven't used it, so I can't walk you through it.

Free resizer at http://www.zeleps.com/
Won't resize NTFS though. Semi-user friendly, but read directions carefully, and don't run off of hard drive, use boot floppy. I've used it on my sister's win98 computer to split the HDD into 2 partitions (though this is now getting annoying due to space limitations. I'm going to make it single partition next time and store data on my computer through the home "network"(really just 2 computers hooked with a crossover since I'm excessivly cheap)(Isn't it interesting or annoying how I nest parenthesis?))

I do believe there is a free linux based NTFS resizer, but it's probably dangerous. You can possibly go to your library and look for a book with a version of partition magic included with an outdated linux distro (found one with caldera(now sco) openlinux(I HATE SCO)). Might also be included on utility disc for those "learn how to fix computer" books.

If your HDD is more than 50 % full, just resize as much as you can, move everything you can over, rinse, repeat, and hope FS does not combust. Try downloading 7-zip at www.7-zip.org and compressing uncompressed stuff like stuff which are not mp3s before burning to CD-

Cal Wright wrote:I do have a CDRW and a 6 gig HD hooked up. I need to learn how to partition my hard drive though. It's a fucking whopper at 80gigs (hey, that's big for me man!) and it's not partitioned. I've been told about the beauty of doing this, and it seems apparent that if I did, reinstalling wouldn't be bad at all. Can you format a partition without affecting the rest?

Just use the drive utility provided by the manufacturer. I'd leave about 5 gigs for Windows, a large partition for your data, and atleast 2 gigs (your LAST partition) for your swap file.

Note: Repartitioning your drive WILL destroy any data on the drive so I highly suggest you backup whatever you can onto the 6 gig drive and then disconnect it entirely.