# Setup file sharing between Win 98 and Win 7



## Xilequith (Jun 24, 2010)

Hi. I have an old 98 machine with a lot of files on it that I need to access. I can't seem to get a USB flash drive or an external hard drive to work on it. I also don't want to put the HDD in another computer; I'd like to avoid opening it up. Is there a way I can setup a file sharing network between that 98 machine and a Win 7 machine I have? I have a wireless router with wired capability, but I've never hooked the 98 machine to a router and I don't know how to set it up with the network.


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## Squashman (Apr 4, 2003)

Follow these instructions for Windows 98
http://www.onecomputerguy.com/networking/tcpip.htm

http://www.onecomputerguy.com/networking/peer.htm

http://www.onecomputerguy.com/networking/sharing.htm


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## DoubleHelix (Dec 10, 2004)

I suspect networking Windows 98 and Windows 7 is a bit more complicated than simply setting up networking on Windows 98. I tried it with one of my VMs, and although the Windows 98 system "sees" the Windows 7 computer, it cannot browse it or open any of its shares. The Windows 7 computer can't see the Windows 98 computer at all.


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## Squashman (Apr 4, 2003)

If he just needs to get the files off he should be able to setup file sharing on the Windows 98 computer. Windows 7 should be able to access it. Just reading some links on the net some people have gotten it to work. But getting stuff from Windows 7 was an issue. They just need to pull it from 98 over to 7.

Personally I think the easiest thing to do is slave the HD to the Windows 7 computer. You literally could spend more time fighting the file sharing setup then it would to take the HD out and slave it.

Getting USB sticks to work on Windows 98 can be tricky. I have gotten it to work with my Sandisk drive. You need to install a driver on Windows 98 to get it to work. Finding the driver might take some digging. There are some generic drivers out there that many people have gotten to work if you can't find the actual driver for your stick. Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7 do not need drivers installed.


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## Xilequith (Jun 24, 2010)

I know. I would have loved to slave the HDD onto the 7 machine, but it's not actually my machine and the owner is way too computer illiterate to be comfortable with me digging around inside his computers. I ended up finding a driver for my Seagate 500GB external. I was concerned that Win 98 wouldn't be comfortable with 500GB, and I still am, but I'll just have to manage. I tried a SanDisk Cruzer flash drive but couldn't find 98 drivers, only 98SE drivers, and those didn't seem to work, although I could have done something wrong. But thanks for the help everyone.


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## Ed999 (Aug 19, 2008)

Here's some guidance for you about successfully using a 500 GB hard disk with Windows98. It is NOT a problem, provided you follow some basic precautions.

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/bridip/recovery.htm#14a


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