Upgrading from crashed W98 possible?

[Guest]

W98 just crashed (symptoms below), and this seems like a good opportunity to
upgrade to XP. But will the upgrade version recognise the crashed W98 or do I
have to pay for the full version?

Symptoms are that when I log in to a W98 user, the "file psapi.dll cannot be
found". Clicking OK leaves me with an empty desktop and with no access to
task bar, start button or anything else.
Installing the file psapi.dll under C:\windows\system did not help.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

W98 just crashed (symptoms below), and this seems like a good opportunity to
upgrade to XP. But will the upgrade version recognise the crashed W98 or do I
have to pay for the full version?

Symptoms are that when I log in to a W98 user, the "file psapi.dll cannot be
found". Clicking OK leaves me with an empty desktop and with no access to
task bar, start button or anything else.
Installing the file psapi.dll under C:\windows\system did not help.

Upgrading a damaged version of Windows 98 to WinXP is equivalent
to adding a second floor to an earthquake-damaged single-storey
dwelling. Don't!

Your best option is to back up all your data files, then allow
the disk to be formatted during the installation of WinXP.
If you have an upgrade CD then it will prompt you for your
Win98 CD at some stage. You won't need a working Win98
installation on the hard disk.

 

[Hans-Georg Michna]

W98 just crashed (symptoms below), and this seems like a good opportunity to
upgrade to XP. But will the upgrade version recognise the crashed W98 or do I
have to pay for the full version?

Symptoms are that when I log in to a W98 user, the "file psapi.dll cannot be
found". Clicking OK leaves me with an empty desktop and with no access to
task bar, start button or anything else.
Installing the file psapi.dll under C:\windows\system did not help.

Lars,

in my experience this always works. However, there is no
guarantee.

It is also possible that the original Windows 98 CD is enough to
be able to use an update version, but I haven't done this, so I
can't be sure. Does anybody else know?

Hans-Georg