# Reverting from XP to 98, need help



## eq1987 (May 29, 2004)

Hi, I am going to try to install Windows 98 on my other computer. I tried doing a few things already, but I can't seem to figure out how to get it going. 

Might anyone here guide me through deleting the partition and setting up windows VIA MSN Messenger, or a messenger of your choice?

PM me your info, and I'll meet you online.

Thanks


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## donnieb6680 (Jun 1, 2004)

Hi, many times WIN XP might not let you perform the task. I tried it before, it stopped me and said that the windows version is older. Also, it is not recommended because depending on what kind of computer you have, some drivers may not work right with 98. Did your computer come with XP or is was that an upgrade?


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## norton850 (Mar 9, 2004)

The system that you want to replace XP with 98, what file system are you using? Do you have a win98 boot floppy?


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## doggard (Oct 18, 2002)

Is there an os already installed if so which?
If the HD is blank just set the bios to boot from the 98 CD and away you go.That is provided you have the 98 drivers for the board which many new ones are omitting from the installation CD.

BTW 98 is a very insecure system straight out of the box so dont forget to install a firewall before going on line to get the updates.


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## eq1987 (May 29, 2004)

O, actually the computer was originally 98, but I upgraded to XP Professional. I lost the discs, but my friend is going to lend me his.

Thanks


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## eq1987 (May 29, 2004)

Well, I guess he doesn't have his key anymore, nor do I. So I'm going to go with my Windows 98 copy. Might any of you help me go from Windows XP Professional to Windows 98?

I gave my win98 boot disk to a friend, but I could make another one from the net. I really want to delete the partition (NTFS), and create a new one. Then install it from there.

If anyone has experience, and probably 30 mins- 1 hour of spare time, please PM me. It's 6:40 right now, I'll be going to bed at 12. I can always do this tomorrow too.

Thanks


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## angel (Dec 2, 1998)

Create your boot disk. Boot to it and run fdisk - delete the partition(s). Assuming your 98 CD is bootable, remove floppy, insert cd and reboot. If doesnt boot to cd, alter your boot order in BIOS. The 98 installation can create your partition and format it for you.


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## eq1987 (May 29, 2004)

Heh, this is why i thought id need help..

I made a boot disk, it has 1 file on it. When the comp starts up, it just says to remove the disk and hit any key. 

How do I run fdisk?


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## angel (Dec 2, 1998)

How did you try to create the boot disk? If you downloaded a file, you have to save the file locally on a pc and then double-click it to create the floppy.


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## eq1987 (May 29, 2004)

Yup, it's on the disk


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## angel (Dec 2, 1998)

What's on the disk?
Did you download the file to a local drive and then double-click it following the prompt to insert a floppy?


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## eq1987 (May 29, 2004)

On the floppy is a file named "boot98". It's 846KB. That sound right?


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## angel (Dec 2, 1998)

YOu need to save that file to a local pc's hard drive and delete it from the floppy. Then double-click the file. This will extract the files needed for the floppy - you will likely be prompted to insert a floppy.


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## norton850 (Mar 9, 2004)

The format utility that came with the original Microsoft floppy for Win98 might not capable of removing the NTFS file system that you have on your WinXP hard drive. I honestly don't know what format utility is included on the boot disk from bootdisk.com or similar sites. You can try the remove non DOS partition option, but you might need something like this

DelPart


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## eq1987 (May 29, 2004)

Ok, I ran fdisk, and I can now modify the parition. Should I delete & create a new one?


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## angel (Dec 2, 1998)

If the fdisk you have will allow you to delete it/them, go ahead, the Windows 98 installation can create a new one for you.
(of course, ALL data will be gone)


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## eq1987 (May 29, 2004)

Well, that was a dumb question. I am going to delete the partition and recreate it, but i'm not sure which number to choose.
1. Delete Primary DOS Partition
2. Delete Extended DOS Partition
3. Delete Logical DOS Drive(s) in the Extended DOS Partition
4. Delete Non-Dos Partition


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## angel (Dec 2, 1998)

I wouldn't recreate it using fdisk, let the 98 install do that. 
What does fdisk show for your current partition setup (option 4 on the main menu, I THINK - could be wrong).


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## eq1987 (May 29, 2004)

What do you mean "setup"?

It's NTFS, 9.7GB, and Status is A (not sure what that means).

BTW, it was option 4.


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## angel (Dec 2, 1998)

setup - how it's configured. Maybe a bad word.

Anyway, on the delete menu, try option 1 but I think you may need option 4. If this version of fdisk doesn't do it, then you may need something else like what norton mentioned above.


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## eq1987 (May 29, 2004)

Ok, the first option said it didn't even exist. I tried the fourth, and successfully deleted the NTFS partition. 

Now I have four options, and sub-options to those, usually:
1. Create DOS Partition or Logical DOS Drive
2. Set active partition (doesn't work)
3. Delete partition or Logical DOS drive (already did this)
4. Display partition information

I think my only options number 1, so here's the sub-options for 1.
1.Create Primary DOS Partition
2. Create Extended DOS Partition
3. Create Logical DOS Drive(s)in the Extended DOS Partition


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## angel (Dec 2, 1998)

Now that you have deleted the partition, place your Windows 98 cd in the cd-rom, remove the floppy and restart. If your bios is configured to boot to cd, the install should start and let it create/format a partition for you.


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## eq1987 (May 29, 2004)

Ok, I began the install, and the setup told me to insert the boot disk, and restart. I did and I now i have 2 options.
1. Boot from hard disk
2. Boot from CD-ROM


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## angel (Dec 2, 1998)

Boot from CD-ROM


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## eq1987 (May 29, 2004)

Well, it's installing. Soon I should be on the desk top. 

Is there anything horrable about Win98 (eg. insecure)?


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## angel (Dec 2, 1998)

Glad to hear it!
So you are prepared, it's likely you are going to have to locate, download, and install drivers for some of your hardware such as video, nic, sound, etc. Is this a name brand PC? If so, what is the brand/model?

Any OS can be insecure if the proper steps aren't taken. Make sure you install any available security updates, install Antivirus (& keep it updated), firewall such as ZoneAlarm, and just practice safe computing.


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## eq1987 (May 29, 2004)

It's an ABS, http://www.buyabs.com/

Thank you very much for the help! I don't think I would have figured out I needed to extract the boot disk, lol. My bro was actually the one who created the original one.


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## eq1987 (May 29, 2004)

Gees, I guess I ran into some more problems I can't solve.

After the install, I configure stuff. Windows was looking for some files, but it couldn't find them, and some drivers. I canceled it, and went to the Desktop. After I configured internet, and opened IE, I still wasn't connected. I think I'm missing many other drivers too. My monitor is in 16 colors, and I can't change the resolution to 1024x800.

Any ideas how I could Explorer the disc and do it over again? Or something along those lines...


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## angel (Dec 2, 1998)

We need to know exactly what video card you have, what network card, etc you have to be able to locate the drivers. Assuming the original hardware is in the machine, the drivers should be available from buyabs's website. What's the exact model?


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## eq1987 (May 29, 2004)

Ok, I guess I didn't actually configure my modem. I skipped it because it wanted me to select it from a list. 

I'm sorry, but I'm not real sure where to find the network card =(. 
The video card is not showing up in Properties > Settings, it says Standard VGA...
I think it's like an 8MB ATI Rage

I know I can go into Run, and type something about DirectX to display all the video info, but I don't remember what it is...


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## angel (Dec 2, 1998)

What is the model of the PC (buyabs)? All drivers should be available on their site.
You may not have a network card, I didn't realize you are using dial-up. So, at the least, you need modem and video (and likely more).

If the drivers cannot be located on buyabs's site, you can try download Everest Home on another pc, burning it to CD or saving to a usb drive, putting it on the this machine and installing it. It will likely provide additional information on what you have.


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## angel (Dec 2, 1998)

Better yet, do you still have the disks that came with this pc?


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## eq1987 (May 29, 2004)

Actually I am using cable. I have a modem/router setup. I installed the drivers for both the modem and router.

It seems like everything I do, I am asked to "insert the win98 SE disk" to search for a file, and it never finds it, some of these files are (if it helps):
msnpb32.dll

dfs.vxd
vredir.vxd
vnetbios.vxd
choosusr.dll
vnetsup.vxd
IENOSTUB.dll
icmp.dll
dhcpcsvc.dll
inetmib1.dll

and more...


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## eq1987 (May 29, 2004)

Oofta, I think it might be easier to start-over/reinstall win98 tomorrow. I gotta hit the sack. 

Thank you for your help angel!


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## doggard (Oct 18, 2002)

Copy the windows cab files to a folder on your drive so that when it asks for the CD you can just point it to this folder instead of having to keep inserting the CD.
You will need all the drivers for your hardware or the system will not function correctly if you dont have them everest system tool [google search for it] will give you the relavent information pertaining to the makes and models installed.
Install a firewall before you connect to the internet via your network it can take less than *thirty minuites* for an unprotected system to become infected.


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## eq1987 (May 29, 2004)

Actually, I insert the disk, and it still can't find the files. Where is the "cab" folder?

How about I get a firewall first thing on the net? I'd have to order one off the net, which would take days to get here.


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## doggard (Oct 18, 2002)

The cab files are in the install folder of the windows 98 CD
As you already have a connection on another PC just download the freeware zonealarm or Sygate firewall and install that on the PC.


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## eq1987 (May 29, 2004)

Hey, when I boot up, I get an error message (before anything happens, before windows). It says something like, Windows might need this file to do this and that..

it says this for a few files, I think these are the files:

dfs.vxd
vredir.vxd
vnetbios.vxd
vnetsup.vxd

Then after the windows load screen, a window pops up saying a dll is missing for networking. It was something like msnb1.dll? That's not the exact name, and I'm away from my win98 computer ATM. I can get the exact name if need be. Anyways, do you know what all those errors are and how I can fix them?


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## doggard (Oct 18, 2002)

The messages are appearing because the install did not complete correctly thus you are missing network connections so reinstall the OS and have all the correct hardware drivers to hand .


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## eq1987 (May 29, 2004)

Ok, I already started. I encountered my first error. Windows told me to "put the windows 98 Second edition disk in". I did, and it says, "The file 'dhcpcsvc.dll' on the Windows 98 Second Edition CD-ROM cannot be found. 

This happened after configuring my computer (enter user, serial, etc), on start up. It gives me the option to "skip this file", and I think there are quite a few files after it that do the same. My disk is very clean too?

Any ideas what's wrong?


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## eq1987 (May 29, 2004)

Hmm, well, I went to the net and found these files to download. They aren't too big, so I've been putting one on a floppy disk at a time, then having it copy from the disk. 

Then I ran into a problem. After the first 8 dll's, a file called "networks" popped up, without the .dll.

Anyone have a clue as to where I can get it?


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## Stone Dog (Jul 11, 2002)

Eq1987, did you ever figure this out? I am having the same problem (missing .dll and .vxd files, even when inserting the Windows 98 CD).


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## eq1987 (May 29, 2004)

Hey, I didn't see your reply. You probably don't need help now. My computer got some horrable stuff & explorer.exe got messed up. Couldn't even boot. Probably could have used command prompt to replace explorer.exe, but the PC needed a new install anyways.

I am re installing Win98 SE again. I thought I posted the solution on here, guess I didn't! Dang! Now I need it again, hahaha. I remember I transferred like 10 cab folders into the WINDOWS folder, and it worked nicely. I think they are named Net1-10 or something like that.


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## eq1987 (May 29, 2004)

I knew I posted it somewhere. It was in a different topic I made. My post was



> I got it! I found on Google that those files are located in Cabinet folders. I opened Net7 through Net10.cab, and copied them into System32. Configured my internet and it worked!
> 
> So, if anyone comes upon those problems, I'd advise searching their CD-ROM for "cab", open Net7.cab through Net10.cab, copy all the files into C:\WINDOWS\System32
> 
> Thank you all for your help.


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