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Win98se install question


pjmac35

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Simple question but a little background necessary. I have an old unused computer in the loft and about a year ago tried to start it up and found it wouldn't work, so planned to cannibalise what I could later. However, on tidying the loft last week I found it was in fact working after all, so I thought I would get a wireless network card or a USB one and get it on my existing (1 Desktop and 1 laptop) network. On checking, I discover that all I have left in the way of disks etc is a Win98 disk and a Win98se disk. The Win98se disk has a hologram of a Globe with a smaller version within a square. It says, "For distribution with a new PC only.For product support contact the manufacturer of your PC" and under this says SECOND EDITION. The Win98 disk is just that, and is what is currently installed on the machine. Now I would like to reformat the HDD and install Win98se but have no Product code, all I do have is:

Product Code for the verson currently installed (obtaind from the Registry)

Win98se installation disk (with no product codes)

A copy of Windows 95, on floppies. (perhaps to prove ownership?)

Can I just reformat and install Win98se from CD and if I do, will I need a Product Code? and if this succeeds, will I need all the drivers for M/B, Graphics card etc.?

Regards and thanks in advance

pjmac35

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Not really sure if the FE Key will work on the SE CD (maybe? haven't tried lately). I think they use the same method of Product ID generation...

Got a spare HDD (500mb or larger) to try it on before "wiping" the HDD with FE on it?

Win95 won't help installing FE/SE since they're OEM (not Upgrades) - clean installs only.

Edited by submix8c
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The Win98 FE serial will not work. You will need a working Win98 SE key. With Win98SE being EOL more than 6 yrs I do not think there is a way to retrieve you original if you lost it, nor getting a replacement. That is why you can download MS Win9x legacy updates without the usual validation. Legally questionable but ethically not (as you HAVE a legit copy all right), you can either

get someone else's unused serial and do not use win9x for any business (was not the plan was it)

OR

buy an old retail copy of Win98SE for a few bucks.

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I have installed Windows 98SE on a freshly formatted drive and inadvertently typed in the key for FE. It was accepted.

If I were you I'd use partition saving(free) to image the drive and then format and give it a go. This assumes you have

a way to archive the image. If it doesn't work just restore the image.

http://damien.guibouret.free.fr/en/index_frame.html

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