I need some advice on starting my whole system from scratch. What is the best way of doing this? I have been confused by terms like 'Partitioning' and BIOS updating. Basically i want to update my memory, Graphics Card and sound card and then start from the beginning. I run Win98SE. I appreciate that there may be some advice already on this site...But can I find it? Can I ####!!!! Many Thanks Benno
Hello To update your memory and Graphics card in Win98 you don't need to do anything to you harddrive as this operating system will reconize these chages. But if you do what to start fresh then Formating your harddrive is a good Idea. Partitioning means to split your hard drive into many sections to increase usable space or to run multiple operating systems like Windows and Linux. I strongly recommend not updating Firmware or changing your BIOS, this is very delicate thing and easy to have problems. So install all new hard ware, start up your system with the Win98 startup floppy in the A: drive. Say you want CD rom support and go into a C: prompt. Then type in "format C:" with out quotes and it will ask if you are sure. This is the last posible momemt to stop. After clicking ok all data on the C drive will be lost and formated. After format insert the Win98 Cdrom into you drive and Instal windows. IF your harddrive is larger then 8GB you will need to format your drive using your hard drive software so that a file insert can be added so Win98 will know that the drive is larger than 8GB. Also if you want to partion the drive you will need this software. Good luck
Prisoner, I do appreciate that...but you've scared the living daylights out of me. So....I think I'll stick to just installing the Hardware. One more question though...when installing a newer graphics card....will I need to unistall all the old stuff from the previous card? If this is a stupid question...then I am stupid!!! Benno
dmarcs2k No questions are stupid, only the ones that are not asked. Sorry I didn't mean to scare you, I tried to give you enough information for different things you may do. Formating a harddrive is really an easy thing to do, and with Win98 is a good thing to do every one to two years to improve speed of the drive. When you delete or erase a file in Win98 it dosen't do the best job and leaves a very small eraze sector. Formating cleans up the drive completely. For Video card, I am not too sure what you are asking. I am assuming that you video card came with special software or programs and you are wondering if you need to delete these? I would first just install the new video card, reboot the computer and see if windows detects it (if brand new probally not but thats why hardware always comes with instalation disks) run the instalation and see if any files come up saying already installed. IF that is the case it will tell you if the one you are installing is older or newer the one on you computer, if it is newer then install it. After everything is instaled then you could surf your harddrive and clean up space if you don't use any previous files. But I would first get every thing up and working. Computers are your friend, don't be scared.
What are the specs of the computer that you wish to upgrade? In some cases it may be more cost-effective to just buy a new faster one with all the newer components.
I have a windows 98SE, 1.2Ghz Athlon with 256MB of SDRAM. Why is it when I tried to upgrade my ram by 512MB it doesn't seem to accept it. It recognised the memory initially but then just kept showing a screen saying Windows Security...please restart computer. Have I upgraded the memory by too much!!!? Really apprehensive now about building a new one. If someone can talk me through it...I'll give it a go...but stuff like BIOS, CMOS and all that sort of jargon just does me in!!! Cheers Benno
Hello If it initally reconizes the memory, then most likely its not too much. Typically if too much or not at the right speed (adding 133 chip in a 66 bus) then it will just report no memory or only the amount that is fused to the mother board. I am not too sure why you are geting a security error. What did you add to get that error? If you remove what you added and put back to inital state do you still get the error? Try Upgrading just the memory and start up and see if get that error, then try with the video card update. I don't know too much about the Athlon, as I have always been an Intel person. Keep me posted.
I had already installed the graphics card with no problem but on adding the memory, that is when it went wrong. I took the memory out and the problem stopped. I have checked the memory and the ref manual of the ASUS motherboard and definately installed the correct memory...so it is not user error (well, i suppose it is because i wasn't switched on to the fact that 98SE can't take that much memory..700+MB) I took the advice and instructions and re formatted the hard drive, installed everything with the most up-to-date drivers and (touch wood) it seems to be working better than ever....so your advice is very much appreciated. NOW I would really like to try to fix up my own system....with all the stuff that I really want...a good graphics card, sound card, loads of memory etc. I know I have asked alot, but can you advise me as to where to start and if possible what the best make up would be (I'm looking to get a Radeon 9700 pro graphics card and Audigy 2 platinum) your advice would be very much appreciated.....you will be a friend for LIFE!!!! cheers benno
Glad to hear every thing finally worked out. Depending on how cheaply you can buy individual compents, I would follow the advice msb5150 and buy a new computer will what you want. Given the current depresed state of the US economy, most coperations are very cheap with some of the most top of the line componets. My Toshiba 2450 Notebook is still curently the fastest for thickness on the market and I bought in March 1 2003. I am running P4 2.8Ghz and an other is 3.06Ghz but twice as thick and 4 pounds heavier. So I would look at full packages first, these will also give you ideas if you do want to build one on what you may want.
