considering downgrading to 98 due to 128 Mb RAM

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This is my Dad's old Dell Model No: MCM, Pentium III 548 MHz, 128 Mb RAM using
Windows XP Pro 2002, SP2. but it's a Korean version. As far as I can piece
together, this was working OK before but then became exceedingly slow.

Unfortunately I'm not positive if it came w/Win 98 originally or Win XP. I
think the installation CD's/manuals from two different computers are jumbled
together but I definitely have stuff for 98.

My Dad was told by a few people that he should just use 98 b/c it would be
more suitable for his purposes & this computer. But he bought a new computer
and I got this one. I hope to avoid buying more RAM just now and do not mind
a bare bones set up as long as I can use wireless connections & do
schoolwork. In English, preferably.

Is 98 still OK to use these days? This way, I would be using an English
version instead of XP in Korean. Would someone please advise me; I'd really
appreciate it.

Susan
 
Susan C. said:
This is my Dad's old Dell Model No: MCM, Pentium III 548 MHz, 128 Mb RAM using
Windows XP Pro 2002, SP2. but it's a Korean version. As far as I can piece
together, this was working OK before but then became exceedingly slow.

Unfortunately I'm not positive if it came w/Win 98 originally or Win XP. I
think the installation CD's/manuals from two different computers are jumbled
together but I definitely have stuff for 98.

My Dad was told by a few people that he should just use 98 b/c it would be
more suitable for his purposes & this computer. But he bought a new computer
and I got this one. I hope to avoid buying more RAM just now and do not mind
a bare bones set up as long as I can use wireless connections & do
schoolwork. In English, preferably.

Is 98 still OK to use these days? This way, I would be using an English
version instead of XP in Korean. Would someone please advise me; I'd really
appreciate it.

Susan
Click to expand...
That machine is marginal for Windows XP, both in CPU speed and RAM. It should be a blazing fast
machine with Windows 98SE on it. Yes 98 is still OK to use, (Try to get the SE version). Remember
you will have to remove all partitions from the hard drive, make new Partitions and format them in
FAT32. You will also need to be sure you have all the hardware drivers for the machine. FDISK on a
98 boot floppy will remove the NTFS partition if you remember that it is a non-DOS partition.

Windows 98 is not supported my MS anymore, but there is lots of help through these news groups.
 
Richard in AZ said:
That machine is marginal for Windows XP, both in CPU speed and RAM. It should be a blazing fast
machine with Windows 98SE on it. Yes 98 is still OK to use, (Try to get the SE version). Remember
you will have to remove all partitions from the hard drive, make new Partitions and format them in
FAT32. You will also need to be sure you have all the hardware drivers for the machine. FDISK on a
98 boot floppy will remove the NTFS partition if you remember that it is a non-DOS partition.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your quick reply, Richard. I thought I was just going to be
reformatting the whole thing, so wouldn't have to specify anything. I don't
know about partitions. And isn't there some way to get it back to the
original setup even if I don't have the CDs that came with it, or an initial
backup copy?
 
Susan C. said:
Thanks for your quick reply, Richard. I thought I was just going to be
reformatting the whole thing, so wouldn't have to specify anything. I
don't
know about partitions. And isn't there some way to get it back to the
original setup even if I don't have the CDs that came with it, or an
initial
backup copy?
Click to expand...

MUCH less effort to do a clean install , the NTFS partition mentioned may
come into play if XP was installed at some point (win98 may not be able to
"See" the whole HDD)
 
oops. I actually do hear beeps during startup, but not the 4-tone wav file
when Windows opens. Not sure if that changes anything.
 
thanks, Haggis. To clarify my plans:

1) Put all my documents on a flash drive, although not compacted (that's
what the utilities would do, as well as synching & advanced stuff?);
2) Either back up my PC-cillin or just make sure I have the subscription
number;
3) Use the diskettes (yes there's still a floppy drive!) for 98;
Would I then be able to upgrade that into 98SE, like Richard recommended?
There's a product key & certificate of authenticity on the manual.

Should I bother scanning for viruses/errors or using Eraser before
re-installing?
 
this was part of a question to another group but I think it will now be moot
if I re-install everything.
 
"blazing fast" ??? Be careful before you start anything an
make sure that you can still get updates for 98. In June Microsof
dropped support for it. Also, a new OS will give you speed for
while but I have found that they always slow down after about tw
months. :smirk:

Stev
 
Susan C. said:
Thanks for your quick reply, Richard. I thought I was just going to be
reformatting the whole thing, so wouldn't have to specify anything. I don't
know about partitions. And isn't there some way to get it back to the
original setup even if I don't have the CDs that came with it, or an initial
backup copy?
Click to expand...

You will need the Windows 98SE installation CD. A copy of Windows 98 drivers for the video Card,
the sound card, the modem, the wireless card and maybe the motherboard for USB. You will need a
Windows 98 boot floppy drive. You should look up how to use FDISK. If the XP installation
converted your Hard Drive to the NTFS format, you will have to remove these partitions before you
can format and install W98. FDISK will do that for you. I would recommend removing all
partitions, reinstall a total drive partition, format that partition. You do this from the boot
floppy drive. After the format, the boot disk should also give you access to the CD drive to
install Windows. After you have Windows 98 running, you install the drivers for your hardware.
 
After you install Windows 98SE, will you still be able to get Critical
Updates for it. Has MS removed access to get critical updates and patches
from their web-site.

Depending on how old your Windows 98SE is, you may not be able to get past
patches/updates. You need to check on that.

By the way, I'm entering this post reply on the following:

128MB RAM
Pentium MMX
MSI 5129 Motherboard
Windows XP Pro - all patches
Windows Live Messenger
Windows Media Player 11
Windows Defender Beta 2
PCTools SpamMonitor
MS Office 2000 - all
USB PCI Board
Jaton 1MB Video card
6.1 Sound Card
CD/DVD Drive
2 - 40GB Hard Drives

If I can have no problems with Windows XP Pro on this SYSTEM, your's should
be a breeeeeeze!!!!!
What do you mean that it is a Korean version? A Korean language pack, or an
International Windows XP Pro - Korea installation.

As far as 98 stuff on your system, this may have been a Windows XP upgrade
from Windows 98SE.
And by the way, RAM is dirt cheap right now, all you would need is to add a
chip or 2 and your up and running.

You say this is Dell Model No: MCM Pentium III 548Mhz.

Is this what Control Panel | System, General tab states? MCM?
As far as WiFi and Windows 98SE, you'd better check that out.
 
=?Utf-8?B?U3VzYW4gQy4=?= said:
This is my Dad's old Dell Model No: MCM, Pentium III 548 MHz, 128 Mb RAM using
Windows XP Pro 2002, SP2. but it's a Korean version. As far as I can piece
Click to expand...

Install English OS's if that's what you want to use and get support on.
 
Lawrence,
What do you mean that it is a Korean version? A Korean language pack, or an
International Windows XP Pro - Korea installation.
You say this is Dell Model No: MCM Pentium III 548Mhz.
Is this what Control Panel | System, General tab states? MCM?
Click to expand...

Ctrlpanel-system-gen says Win XP Pro 2002 SP2, nothing about Korean, nothing
about Model MCM. The MCM was from the CPU case underneath the S/N. In the
AddorRemove programs list are:

MS Office 2000 Professional
MS Office 2000 Premium
MS Office 2000 Disc 2
MS Office 2000 English Language Pack
Windows Installer 3.1
Windows XP SP2

Dad says the computer had 98 pre-installed, then my cousin installed a
Korean version of Office, using CD's bought in Korea. Then someone put in XP
but I don't know the specifics.

The Office programs have menus in Korean, which makes sense. But the Setup
screens are in Korean, too. So I don't know what it's asking if I try to
look at any configuration settings.

The speed is actually fine so maybe I just need Office in English. But will
that take care of the Setup screens, too??
 
btw, my Ctrl Panel no longer shows "Add or Remove Programs." I pretend to
delete a program from the Start menu, then when it says Are you sure...use
Add or Remove instead, then I use that link. Anyone know how to put it back?
 
<snip>

Windows 98, 98SE and ME were supported until July 11, 2006. Support is
still available via the newsgroups and from the web sites. Windows
Update will continue to function with all previous updates until at
least July 11, 2007.
 
The best thing is to put an additional module of RAM to bring it to 256
MB and then install XP Home or XP Professional. PIII is still good for
XP and I knw it because I have 10 machines running XP Professional on
PIII with 256 MB RAM.

Win98/SE is not a good OS in the curren environment where Spammers and
hackers are lurking in the wild. XP protects you from these evil
b@stards!!

hth
 
Plato said:
Install English OS's if that's what you want to use and get support on.
Click to expand...


The only problem I can see is that the keyboard may also be Korean and
so the keys may not match!! I know this because I had a Japanese laptop
and we installed English version of XP and the laptop keyboard was a
problem. With PC, I guess one can get the US style keyboard and it
should work. God knows if motherboard is also different!!
 
<snip>

Windows 98SE is fine if you have protections such as a hardware and/or
bi-directional software firewall, anti-virus and anti-spyware programs.
I put XP Professional to the test and remember that XP Pro. SP2 was
hacked but in this case it only had the weak Windows Firewall and not a
better bi-directional firewall like Zone Alarm Professional which
blocked a huge hit on my computer from China recently on the 98SE side.
The main issue with 98SE in my opinion is that it will be harder to
get current hardware and software that supports it since it is now in
non-supported status. The reason that I continue to use 98SE and XP
Pro. in a dual-boot is that 98SE is great for older DOS programs that
cannot run or run poorly on XP. In addition, you must remember that
hackers will be targeting vulnerabilities in XP Pro. more because that
is the current operating system that most people use. Also, since 98SE
has been out since 1999, Microsoft has had a great deal of time to close
out vulnerabilities in this operating system.
 
Thanks for your help, especially Dan. Does it sound right that 98SE is on
floppies, not a CD? And does it have that "snapshot" capability that allows
you to return to what you had at an earlier date?

Susan
 
Susan said:
Thanks for your help, especially Dan. Does it sound right that 98SE is on
floppies, not a CD? And does it have that "snapshot" capability that allows
you to return to what you had at an earlier date?

Susan
Click to expand...

You are most welcome. 98SE is on a cd. Windows 98SE does not have
System Restore. It allows you to go to an earlier registry but does not
have System Restore like XP.

-------------<The following is from PCR from the 98 general newsgroup>

"Setup.txt", located in the same folder as "Setup.exe", either on CD or
hard drive.

Get a Startup Diskette from
http://www.bootdisk.com/ , if you don't already have one from "Control
Panel, Add/Remove Programs, Startup Disk tab". Take either one that
applies to your system. Test the Startup Diskette. Put the diskette in &
turn on the computer. Put in a CD and "DIR" the CD. It will say which
letter is the CD. (Note: It may be necessary to enter BIOS Setup & set
it to boot the floppy drive above the hard drive.)

Here is what I know of those Installation CD's. The full list of
capabilities of each type of CD is as follows, says Harper. Each
requires a valid Product key. "Proof" means it must see you had a prior
version. So, if it isn't sitting there, expect to insert a floppy or
earlier CD.

FULL VERSION: Will perform either clean install or upgrade of existing
OS. Does not ask for proof of ownership of an earlier version.

UPGRADE VERSION: Will perform either clean install or upgrade of
existing OS. Will ask for proof of ownership of an earlier version if
one is not installed.

WIN98 SE UPDATES: Will only install if Windows 98 is present on the hard
drive. Cannot be used for a clean install at all.

OEM VERSION: Only installs on a clean, fresh-formatted hard drive. May
be customized to include or omit components that would be found/not
found on a retail CD.

Be sure of your ProductKey...
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
ProductKey "12345-12345-12345-12345-12345"

(1) "START button, Run, RegEdit"
(2) Click plus signs beginning left of "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE",
& ending left of "Windows".
(3) Click "CurrentVersion" in the left pane under "Windows".
(4) Look in right pane for ProductKey.

That is the one that was used to install your current Windows. Jot it
down, as it may work if different from the one on your Windows 98 Manual
or CD case.


-- Thanks or Good Luck, There may be humor in this post, and, Naturally,
you will not sue, should things get worse after this, PCR
 
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