Going from NT to 98SE ?

[jonnyquest]

I have an old Dell Latitude CpxJ laptop, with factory-installed Windows NT4,

and want to change the OS to Win98SE.

I have the Dell restore CD(Windows NT), and a Dell drivers CD, and a 98SE install CD.

Would also like to do all the various 98SE updates/fixes/etc. found in this forum.

What is the best/recommended/smoothest way to convert to 98SE?

Thanks!

[Monroe]

Hi ...

First of all, I also have a Dell CPxJ ... I really like that computer ... this is my 2nd one ... my first one went bad but I found almost a "new" one for sale on ebay, price wasn't bad, so I got myself a nice replacement ... I keep the first one for parts. Very easy notebook to work on. Dell manuals are out there.

I posted this info about Win 98SE updates to another message. I am going to post it again for you. It may be of help to you. With the Maximus Decim Cumulative Update ver.3.05 (New) you can have all the MS updates and more ... USB and such .... my other post ............

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Go to this "sister" forum dealing with Win 98SE and you will find all your updates there for Win 98SE plus extras.

... http://www.msfn.org/board/Windows-9x-Member-Project-f91.html ....

Look on Page 3 for this update by Maximus Decim ....

.... Maximus Decim Cumulative Update ver.3.05 (New!) .... inside that update is a list of what to put on your machine step by step after you freshly install Win 98SE. ... then look for

... Maximus Decim InternetExplorer 6.0sp1 Component Update 2.5a .... on Page 2 ... that will be on the list as one of the updates ....

I use Zone Alarm v4.5.594 with Win 98SE ... it works very well and later versions seem to be resource hogs and more than you need, this version is a good, simple firewall .... you can find that version on Google or at Zone Alarm itself .... get that first update and follow his (Maximus Decim) instructions and steps .... you can find almost everything else on that list at this site.

... http://www.mdgx.com/add.htm#HHU ...........

... This is another posting that I did late last year .... It also goes into detail about how I install Windows 98SE, using Maximus Decim's updates and then if you have access to Ghost 8.3 or Ghost 2003, you can make a copy that will save you time, if you have to redo a Win 98SE install.

My earlier posting .................

It's been awhile since I have done a fresh install since I have the Ghost backups ... I usually just run his (Maximus Decim) updates as they come out. So I went back to check his "order of install " list ... this is his list that comes in the current package ....

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Maximus Decim aka Maxud

The detailed description of the order of installation Windows 98SE, necessary updates

and components.

08/20/2008

1. Install Windows 98SE.

2. Install full installation Internet Explorer 6.0Sp1.

3. Install Maximus Decim Cumulative Update ver.3.05 (mdcu305e.exe).

for Windows 98SE English. Includes Official updates:

192425, 236926, 237493, 239887, 240075, 240664, 240896, 241052,

242004, 242193, 242928, 245272, 242975, 245682, 246817, 249146,

249635, 250514, 250876, 253697, 253711, 254660, 257630, 257821,

258191, 258680, 259253, 262232, 264650, 266772, 267304, 268064,

269601, 269874, 271701, 272621, 273017, 273727, 274113 274175,

274548, 275873, 276602, 277628, 278033, 278368, 280448, 281533,

283032, 284837, 288430, 288550, 290831, 293197, 295629, 305037,

306453, 306889, 307004, 308349, 309081, 310695, 311430, 311561,

313829, 315575, 318307, 319571, 321467, 323172, 323708, 329115,

329128, 811630, 823559, 827656, 896358, 896559.

Replaced with unofficial updates:

246387, 249973, 263044, 273468, 289635, 291362, 320798, 891711, 918547, 274370

(replaced with unofficial 304708), 314147 (replaced with unofficial 926247).

Replaced with ADclient: 245729, 293793.

Unofficial updates:

249824, 271277, 272991, 835732, 932590, KRNL386.EXE, CONTROL.EXE, SHELL32.DLL,

IFSMGR.VXD, OLE, HTML help, 951072, msimg32.dll.

Other updates:

Installer 2.0, VB6SP6 (replaced with unofficial VB6SP6), VB5SP3, VCredist,

Adaptec ASPI v.4.60(1021), part of ADclient, Explorer with 256-color tray icons,

DCOM98, TELNET, UNICOWS, 3D Control Libraries, GDIPLUS.

BHDD 3.1 - support for hard drives larger than 137 GB,

NUSB 3.3 - native (without installation of additional drivers for each type) support

USB flash drives, universal stack USB 2.0 (without installation of additional drivers

for each chipsets) with uninstall.

WIA 1.1 - Windows Image Acquisition. It allows seemless communication between image

acquisition applications and digital imaging devices (such as digital still cameras,

scanners and DV camcorders).

Optional components:

Zip-folders; Spider Solitaire.

4. Install PCIO98.EXE (it is included in MDCU)- patch IO.SYS for

change of the order of assignment of letters to hard disks.

5. Install DirectX 9.0c.

6. Install drivers for motherboard, sound card (preferably wdm-drivers),

net card, video card and other devices.

7. Install MDIE6CU - Maximus Decim IE6sp1 Component Update 2.5a.

Includes

Windows Script Update 5.6.0.8831;

917344 - JScript Security Update;

944338 - Unofficial Windows Script Security Update;

951066 - Unofficial Outloook Express Cumutative Security Update;

953838 - Unofficial Internet Explorer Cumulative Security Update;

905495 - Unofficial Security Update (MSIEFTP);

920670 - Unofficial Security Update (HLINK);

824220 - Unofficial Security Update (IMGUTIL);

886677 - Unofficial Security Update (MLANG);

896156 - Unofficial Security Update (MSHTMLED);

885258 - Security Update (PROCTEXE);

816362 - Security Update (MSHTA);

929969 - Unofficial Security Update (VGX);

891781 - Internet Explorer Security Update (DHTML);

908519 - Embedded Web Fonts Security Fix (T2EMBED);

918439 - Internet Explorer Security Update (ART Image Rendering);

816093 - Microsoft Java Virtual Machine update 3810;

Windows Roots Update;

IE advanced options;

WindowsUpdate.

8. Update Macromedia Flash Player for Internet Explorer.

9. Install MDDACU - Maximus Decim Data Access Component Update 1.5

Includes:

Jet ver.4.0sp8;

Jet40Repl;

MDAC ver.2.8sp1 (wiht MSXML 3.0SP7);

911562 - MDAC Security Update;

MSXML 4.0sp2;

927779 - Unofficial Update for MDAC ver.2.8sp1;

925051 - Unofficial Update for Jet 4.0sp8;

924191 - Unofficial Update for MSXML 3.0sp7;

936181 - Unofficial Update for MSXML 4.0sp2.

10.Install Windows Media Player.

For Windows Media Player 6.4 install 320920.

Or install Windows Media 9.0 and updates 816044, 917734

Install codecs WMP 10.0.

11.Install .NET Framework 1.1, and update 867460 (Service Pack 1).

12.Install .NET Framework 2.0.

13.Install SAPI 4.0, SAPI 5.1.

14.Install Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI)

and updates 282949, 260710, 285895.

15.Reinstall DirectX 9.0c.

And still!!! Basically, Windows 98SE supports work with

operative memory in the size up to 2Gb, but not all so is simple.

Therefore, if Windows 98SE that is installed on a computer

with operative memory greater than 512 Mb:

1.In BIOS sets the size of aperture AGP in minimal

Value (64 mbytes are usual) for economy of addresses.

2. Sets the maximal cache size from 512Mb up to 64Mb -

to whom as it is pleasant - too for economy of addresses.

For this purpose it is used MaxFileCache=xxx (where xxx -

the cache size in KILOBYTES) in section [vcache] a file System.ini

If all works and is left, if glitches proceed:

3.If memory has more 1Gb, we add MaxPhysPage=40000 if from 1Gb

up to 768Mb - MaxPhysPage=30000 in section [386enh] a file System.ini

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now I am thinking that you should do his #1 and #2 first and then if you want that Win 98SE Boot and Shutdown logo do it as #3 and then go back to his list and install his update package and the rest of what he has listed as he instructs. He has more knowledge than I do about Windows 98SE and I go with what he has on his list. I only run the Unofficial Windows 98SE Service Pack 2.1a as something extra ... I run the whole package and then it will be updated with Maximus Decim's update package. If you want that Windows 98SE Animated Boot and Shutdown Logo .... your machine will say "Windows 98 Seccond Edition" instead of just Windows 98 when you boot up and log off .... and it's colorful also! ... other than that, the Unofficial Windows 98SE Service Pack 2.1a could be skipped .... Now there is one thing I change ... I only put .NET Framework 1.1 and the updates on ... I don't install .NET Framework 2.0 .... I have it ready to install ... right now, I just use version 1 ... I am still wondering if I need version 2 for Win 98SE .... that would be a good thread for someone to start ... is version 2 needed for Win 98SE ... what benefits would there be? .... I do run into a program once in awhile that requires version 2 ... still researching all that .... would like to hear opinions. I also don't install #13 - SAPI 4.0, SAPI 5.1 ... I have them also stored away but do I really need those 2 downloads ... not sure what they do ... My computer seems to run fine without them ... I have been thinking, I may install both

.NET Framework 2.0 and SAPI 4.0, SAPI 5.1 ... I can always take them off by running the Ghost backup ... I'm just not sure I need them ... maybe someone can post some info on them ... not sure what SAPI 4.0, SAPI 5.1 do. Also, for #10 ... I use Media Player 6.4 and the update 320920 ... I add Media Player Classic with the "last" K-Lite codec package for Win 98SE and also XMPlay ... I like that little player, when you add the plug-ins and such ... small player but a good sound ... just my preference.

... http://www.un4seen.com/xmplay.html .....

After everything is installed, before I make a Ghost copy ... I run the system to check everything is OK, maybe a day or at least a day ... then I clean the registry, delete junk with some cleaners, CCleaner and such ... do a scandisk and defrag last and then make the Ghost copy ... want the new install to be as clean as possible to have for future use ... so that now becomes my "fresh install" if something goes wrong or my hard drive goes bad .... but all my settings and programs, updates are done ... just add newer updates as they come out or if I have to use the Ghost backup. You could do a Ghost right after you install Win 98SE and the above updates and then another one later on when you finally get your machine just the way you want it .... then if you would mess something up ... you wouldn't have to start all over again installing Win 98SE ... just start with the updates already installed.

Hope this is of some help ... this is what I pretty much do ... others may have things to add or ideas of their own ...

duffy98

Edited March 5, 2009 by duffy98

[submix8c]

What duffy98 said (and more if you search-and-read).

And be aware that you cannot install "over top" of NT4, It's new install (delete the NT partition after saving all your "good stuff" on CD or elsewhere) or nothing.

[jaclaz]

And be aware that you cannot install "over top" of NT4, It's new install (delete the NT partition after saving all your "good stuff" on CD or elsewhere) or nothing.

Why not?

If there is more than one partition (or the one and only partition is NOT NTFS) one can dual boot between NT 4.00 and windows 98 allright.

A page with most of the possible options explained:

http://thpc.info/dualboot.html

jaclaz

[submix8c]

Clarification - If dual-boot, ok, else no "change fromNT4/upgradeto98", nope! "Over the top" meaning "replace with different"/"upgrade path" type thing.

[jaclaz]

Clarification - If dual-boot, ok, else no "change fromNT4/upgradeto98", nope! "Over the top" meaning "replace with different"/"upgrade path" type thing.

jaclaz

[jonnyquest]

Thanks everyone for the prompt replies.

@duffy98:

I'll take some time to digest your very thorough post.

@submix8c/jaclaz:

I've found NT to be very un-useful. It doesn't do USB. And my wireless PCcard doesn't have NT software available.

In general there are more helps and tips available for 98SE issues and problems.

So, I plan to reformat my HDD and install 98SE only. Am I overlooking any reason to keep the NT installed?

I just need to sort out why the HDD is partitioned as a 2GB FAT partition and an 8GB NTFS partition and a 141MB 'unknown' partition.

Is there some laptop-specific stuff tucked away somewhere in one of those partitions?

[jaclaz]

I've found NT to be very un-useful. It doesn't do USB. And my wireless PCcard doesn't have NT software available.

Well, what do you expect from a OS that was out (and stable) in 1996?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_NT

Usb and wireless wasn't even existing at the time.

There are (unofficial) ways to support (up to a certain limit) USB devices on NT.

As well there are Commercial solutions to add PCcard support, but I doubt that anything "wireless related" is available.

Am I overlooking any reason to keep the NT installed?

If you are positive that you don't have anything (software) NT specific that you still might want to use, no. (I presume that ALL data has been backed up already).

How big is is your HD?

Since NT does NOT support FAT32, which is viceversa recommended for use with Windows98, and Win98 doesn't support natively NTFS, you would be probably forced to repartition/reformat anyway.

Knowing that I will be flamed for this do not expect the same stability of NT4 from Windows 98.

jaclaz

Edited March 6, 2009 by jaclaz

[jonnyquest]

This is a machine I just picked up recently, and my first brush with NT.

NT is too foreign to me, so any perceived stability gain/loss vs 98SE is not that big a deal.