new lappie - do i re format troublesom desk top?

loopy_lass

ok, i just got a new lappie.. after having problems with my desk top. which hangs, fails to reponsd, throws pretty colours at me in long bars and generally plays the fool.

Its running on windows 98 and is rather chock a block, and has aol BB (i know i know) ... so do i re format this and install XP or do i take a big hammer to it?

if i re format, can i safely do this at home? or do i need a techie?

thanks loops

intel

Reinstalling win98

First thing to do is to backup any important documents or files
by saving them to CD or floppy disc.

Secondly, find out what drivers you have got for, Audio, Display
Modem, etc etc, you can find this out by entering device manager
Microsoft Windows 95, 98, and ME users enter the Windows device
manager by clicking Start, Settings, Control Panel, System icon,
and finally clicking the Device Manager tab.

If you have no Antivirus I recommend downloading AVG free,
and for a firewall I recommend SYGATE, download these
files and also save to disk. for later installation

If you have found the names of the drivers and manufactures
go to https://www.driverguide.com and get them there it is free to register.
and save the drivers to disk.

So now you need a win 98 boot disk so insert one floppy disk.
You can make a boot disk in Windows 95 or 98 by going to Control Panel
Add/Remove Programs, Startup Disk and clicking the Create Disk button.

So make sure you also have a full version of win98 in the CDtray
and the boot disk in the floppy slot.

Now restart your PC, you will be asked Iyou wish to start the machine with CD support
click yes to this, Now wait until everything has loaded from the floppy and
until you have A:\ on the screen when you get to this point type in format c:/s
so it looks like this on screen A:\format c:/s

And then you will be asked if you want to do this, so just hit Yes or OK
just follow the onscreen instructions, once done the PC will be fully formatted
now when this is 100% done restart the machine, by turning off the power
for 2mins then back on again.

Now with the Floppy still in the drive and the Win98CD still in the CDrom drive
start the PC up again, and as before choose Start PC with CD support.

Ok when all the drivers are loaded from the floppy and you see A:\ on screen
type \ if D is the drive letter of your CD rom which it usually is.

Now with \ on screen type setup.exe so the screen looks like \setup.exe
and you will be prompted to run windows click yes, and your install will
now begin.

Also if you have formatted the HDD or taken it out and smashed it up the other bits are very welcome here http://www.freecycle.org/display.php?region=United%20Kingdom then choose your district/city and then sign up by getting a yahoo account dont bin stuff as some folk will take it of yer hands and no money changes hands.

loopy_lass

how did u type all that soooo quick... i am hopin to use the xp disc i get with my lappie and put that on desk top... is it the same carry on? if not i intend on printing out your destructions and re installin 98, although ive been advised its not a cunning plan.

thanks for info... im impressed... :-)

loops

intel

loopy_lass wrote:

how did u type all that soooo quick... i am hopin to use the xp disc i get with my lappie and put that on desk top... is it the same carry on? if not i intend on printing out your destructions and re installin 98, although ive been advised its not a cunning plan.

thanks for info... im impressed... :-)

loops

The thing is that XP will in all probability not go on the old tower unit as I expect that the old PC is er um to old, so just do the above, and also if you try to register XP on another machine Microsoft wont accept it, there is a workaround but its a pain to do and I wont put it in a public forum.

So its the instructions above.

irnbru_2

loopy_lass wrote:

ok, i just got a new lappie.. after having problems with my desk top. which hangs, fails to reponsd, throws pretty colours at me in long bars and generally plays the fool.

Is the latop new or just new to you?

If your getting colour bars that could indicate a hardware problem.

intel

irnbru wrote:

Is the latop new or just new to you?

If your getting colour bars that could indicate a hardware problem.

Er she has a new lappie that is fine its the old Desktop that is a bit naff.


I think.

loopy_lass

yes correct. old desktop (4 yrs old) is one playing up... new lappie is to arrive shortly and is something the disability department at uni have obtained for me while i study.. so if that goes wrong i just return to uni n they deal with it..

so ill re install 98 then .... WOOT WOOT ... thanks a lot

loops x

irnbru_2

loopy_lass wrote:

yes correct. old desktop (4 yrs old) is one playing up

Ooops, mea culpa ...