# I Need to Transfer Data from Windows 98 to Windows XP



## Daniel238957 (Jan 7, 2008)

I'm going to need to transfer files from my old folder on my old eMachines PC running on Windows 98, to my new eMachines running on Windows XP. That's going to be difficult for the reasons you know, and for the reasons you don't: which is that my disk drive has stopped working on that computer EONS AGO, so I can't use anything related to that; but ... I badly need to do this. I really need everyone's help on this. I have no idea where to take the first elementary step.


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## TheOutcaste (Aug 8, 2007)

Depends on what you mean by "the drive has stopped working on that computer EONS AGO". If it has a hardware problem, like it won't power up, there's not much you'll be able to do short of sending it to a data recovery company, unless you have an identical drive and can swap the circuit boards yourself. And no guarantee that would fix it either. If it's just a software issue, where the OS files are corrupt and it won't boot, it shouldn't be a problem.

Easiest way to get the files will be to connect it to the new PC, either with an external enclosure or connecting it internally. How to connect it internally will depend on how the new PC is configured and what types of drives it has and how they are jumpered, if they are IDE and not SATA.
The old drive is probably an IDE drive, so it has jumpers that need to be set properly so it will get along with other drives it is connected with.

So you need to decide how you want to connect this old drive to the new PC as the first step.

Jerry


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## Daniel238957 (Jan 7, 2008)

I'd prefer to connect them externally. What do I need to connect them. Just tell me what it is and I'll find it and buy it.


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## TheOutcaste (Aug 8, 2007)

Lots of options, just search for external USB enclosure.
You need to make sure it matches the drive you are going to put into it, IDE or SATA, 2.5" (laptop size) or 3.5" (Desktop size) -- this thread has pictures of the two drive types: http://forums.techguy.org/miscellaneous-tech/753626-transferring-files-using-enclosure.html

Newegg and tigerdirect both carry many types, as do many other retailers. Just search for ide enclosure.

Your local computer/electronics store should have them as well.

This item is a one size fits all troubleshooting tool -- no enclosure, but works with Laptop drives, IDE, and SATA, I've found it very useful.

HTH

Jerry


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## Antiapplekid (Jul 24, 2008)

You can always use Windows Easy Transfer


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## TheOutcaste (Aug 8, 2007)

Um, that would be nice, but Windows Easy Transfer doesn't work on Win98, only WinXP SP2 and later according to Microsoft.


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## Daniel238957 (Jan 7, 2008)

Thanks for your help. I'll look into this and try it. 

I may come back here to ask more questions, though.


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## Daniel238957 (Jan 7, 2008)

Wait! Do I need to take my hard drive out, then? I thought I was just connecting something to the back or front of my PC towers.


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## TheOutcaste (Aug 8, 2007)

If you can't boot the old Win98 system, then you will have to remove the Win98 drive and put it into an external enclosure, then connect it to the XP system via USB/firewire.

You wouldn't have to open the new XP system. Unless you really want to

Jerry


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## Daniel238957 (Jan 7, 2008)

No, it works. It just doesn't have an operating disc drive. What made you think it wouldn't boot up?

By the way, I spent some time at Best Buy yesterday, and they were of little help. I need to get this done before November 8th!

I found a portable storage device that works for my Windows 98 desktop which is listed as "USB 2.0, compatible with 1.1." It's recognized by my computer, but it requires a software driver to be downloaded from the manufacturer's website, and I don't have any Internet access on that computer, which used to run on a 56k dial-up modem, and I now get my Internet and phone service from Comcast Cable. So, if you know of a way I can get Internet access that way, it would be nice to know; but I seriously doubt I can make that happen. 

What I'd like to do is just connect that computer to my new one, and transfer my files from there to here. I thought that there was a way to do that. The Windows 98 "Help" within that computer speaks about doing something like that with some type of cable.

So, what should I do?


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## dlsayremn (Feb 10, 2008)

By disk drive do you mean the hard drive or a cd drive?

You mean by using a crossover cable, but you need an ethernet card on both machines.


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## TheOutcaste (Aug 8, 2007)

Daniel238957 said:


> No, it works. It just *doesn't have an operating disc drive*. What made you think it wouldn't boot up?


If it doesn't have an operating disk drive how can it boot?
Also from your first post:


Daniel238957 said:


> ... which is that my disk drive has stopped working on that computer EONS AGO, so I can't use anything related to that;..


Did you mean it doesn't have an operating _*CD-ROM*_ drive? We've been talking apples and oranges then.

Most USB devices for Win98 will require a driver, You can download it to the XP system, but if the CD-ROM isn't working on the Win98 box, you're left with using a floppy (if both systems have one) to copy the driver. If the driver is too big for one floppy, WinZIP/WinRar and the like can split it into smaller files. If your XP system doesn't have a floppy, perhaps a friend can download it for you.

Does the Win98 PC have an Ethernet card? If so connect it to your modem long enough to download the driver. (unplug the modem for 30 seconds, power it up, when the lights shows it's reconnected to the internet, boot the Win98 PC. Do the same to switch back to the XP box)
Better yet, get an Ethernet crossover cable and connect the two PCs together that way. Much faster than copying to an external drive, then reading them off, especially with USB 1.1 on the Win98 system. Though having an external drive around for backups is always a good idea.

If it doesn't have an Ethernet card, get one and install it. They can be found for $5-$10. Same problem with drivers though, most will be on CD, not a floppy. If the Win98 cab files are on the hard drive (Most store bought Win98 systems are setup that way), a card that Win98 already has drivers for would work. The cab files are usually in *C:\Windows\Options\Cabs*. You can also search the hard drive for *win*.cab*; there will be about 45 of them.

You could also sign up for a dial up account just long enough to get the driver.
You could even transfer the files via FTP either directly to your XP system, or upload them to your Comcast file storage area (drag and drop using IE). Dial up would be much slower than USB though.

You can always get a new CD or CD/DVD drive for the old PC. They can be found for new for $15-$20.

Still might be easiest to just move the drive from the Win98 system to the XP system long enough to copy the files.

HTH

Jerry


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## DoubleHelix (Dec 10, 2004)

You don't need to mess around with anything related to Windows 98.

Just take the hard drive out of the old computer, connect it to a USB enclosure, and plug it into the new computer. It will automatically be detected, and you can just drag and drop your files from the old drive to the new computer.


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