Has anyone upgraded 98 to SE?

I'm thinking of uprgrading to be able to get a H.Sp.Internet connection.
I've been reading about the warnings and recommendations here, and how it may be hard to get the software, but assuming I can get it, I was wondering if anyone has had good or bad experiences with this that they can share.

My concerns are that my computer's performance will suffer, that it will create new problems, and that it will not be reversible if I want to go back to 98.

So, if you've done this, I'd appreciate comments on
why you did it,
how you did it (the cost, which CD or computer store), and
how satisfied you are with it.
Thanks a lot!

(FYI--My comp: 400MHz proc., 92MB RAM, Win 98 (4.10.1998), 265MB free)

"cruelas" wrote in message
...
I'm thinking of uprgrading to be able to get a H.Sp.Internet connection.
I've been reading about the warnings and recommendations here, and how it
may be hard to get the software, but assuming I can get it, I was wondering
if anyone has had good or bad experiences with this that they can share.

My concerns are that my computer's performance will suffer, that it will
create new problems, and that it will not be reversible if I want to go back
to 98.

So, if you've done this, I'd appreciate comments on
why you did it,
how you did it (the cost, which CD or computer store), and
how satisfied you are with it.
Thanks a lot!

(FYI--My comp: 400MHz proc., 92MB RAM, Win 98 (4.10.1998), 265MB free)

I don't think that thought has ever entered the mind of anyone; in fact, you
are the very first who's ever asked. BG
Actually, it is asked all of the time. See below and read to your heart's
content - there's at least 866 Q and A's. You *will* need to purchase a CD
(upgrade) from a source such as eBay, Amazon, your favorite local
establishment (if they have one) or the like. You can be assured that they
are not the most commonly available item, but they can still be had. Big
differences were ICS, and USB 2.0 support, and probably a few other items
now, which I don't recollect. All updates that were created since the advent
of W98 were standard in W98se setup Disks, so one didn't need to download
those updates. Some would say that W98 fully updated is ~ the same as W98se
(if you don't require ICS). A big question many have regards the
recommendation that you *need* W98se to install certain programs, but that
is not always the case. I would suppose if your W98 is fully updated, and
the system is up to par, one could install most programs slated for W98se.
It would mostly depend on the speed of the processor and Motherboard/Ram
capabilities. Is 400 MHz fast enough? I'm not sure. Sorry. 92 MB Ram, might
cut it, but a boost to 128 MB (or more) wouldn't hurt. I wonder, do you
actually have 356 MB Ram installed? Your FYI seems to lean that way. If so,
that would be plenty.

Someone will come aboard this thread who knows way more than I, and correct
any of my errors.

Google Win98.MS newsgroup with questions (and answers) about W98 to W98se
http://snipurl.com/76sd

A useful URL for future use:
http://snipurl.com/76si

If you can esily afford it, upgrade your hardware and get XP Home edition,
it's fantastic !

e.g. a PcChips M848ALU mobo / Amd based system box, with 512mb ddr333 / 80gb
hd / V92 dial up modem / dvd/cd/r/rw/drive/s can be assembled for under £260

regards, Richard


"cruelas" wrote in message
...
I'm thinking of uprgrading to be able to get a H.Sp.Internet connection.
I've been reading about the warnings and recommendations here, and how it
may be hard to get the software, but assuming I can get it, I was wondering
if anyone has had good or bad experiences with this that they can share.

My concerns are that my computer's performance will suffer, that it will
create new problems, and that it will not be reversible if I want to go back
to 98.

So, if you've done this, I'd appreciate comments on
why you did it,
how you did it (the cost, which CD or computer store), and
how satisfied you are with it.
Thanks a lot!

(FYI--My comp: 400MHz proc., 92MB RAM, Win 98 (4.10.1998), 265MB free)

One other thing: Most high speed *DSL* connections recommend the use of an
Ethernet connector rather than a USB connector anyway. So the Ethernet
connector comes from the phone lineto modem and from there one uses a
short Ethernet connector to the PC. Don't even bother to use a USB
connection with DSL. As for Cable Broadband, I haven't any experience with
it's use, so I cannot make any comment on what and how it connects.
--
LuckyStrike

--------------------------------------------------------------------
"cruelas" wrote in message
...
I'm thinking of uprgrading to be able to get a H.Sp.Internet connection.
I've been reading about the warnings and recommendations here, and how it
may be hard to get the software, but assuming I can get it, I was wondering
if anyone has had good or bad experiences with this that they can share.

My concerns are that my computer's performance will suffer, that it will
create new problems, and that it will not be reversible if I want to go back
to 98.

So, if you've done this, I'd appreciate comments on
why you did it,
how you did it (the cost, which CD or computer store), and
how satisfied you are with it.
Thanks a lot!

(FYI--My comp: 400MHz proc., 92MB RAM, Win 98 (4.10.1998), 265MB free)

Her equipment will not be a good candidate for an XP upgrade.

"RJK" wrote in message
...
If you can esily afford it, upgrade your hardware and get XP Home edition,
it's fantastic !

e.g. a PcChips M848ALU mobo / Amd based system box, with 512mb ddr333 /
80gb
hd / V92 dial up modem / dvd/cd/r/rw/drive/s can be assembled for under
£260

regards, Richard


"cruelas" wrote in message
...
I'm thinking of uprgrading to be able to get a H.Sp.Internet connection.
I've been reading about the warnings and recommendations here, and how
it
may be hard to get the software, but assuming I can get it, I was
wondering
if anyone has had good or bad experiences with this that they can share.

My concerns are that my computer's performance will suffer, that it will
create new problems, and that it will not be reversible if I want to go
back
to 98.

So, if you've done this, I'd appreciate comments on
why you did it,
how you did it (the cost, which CD or computer store), and
how satisfied you are with it.
Thanks a lot!

(FYI--My comp: 400MHz proc., 92MB RAM, Win 98 (4.10.1998), 265MB free)

You can try ebay for either a Win 98SE Update disk (less expensive) or a
Win98SE Upgrade Disk (more expensive)
The only difference is that Update disk requires you have Windows 98
installed or have the disk to verify the installation.
Be sure that any disk you get comes with a valid Key Code. Some sellers of
the Update disk state you can use the existing Key Code from our 98, that is
not true.
Either disk should save all of your existing software and data files, but to
be safe, backup your data files and locate all those programs disks.
I upgraded two of my own machines, and as a consultant, I have updated at
least 5 other machines without a major problem. But these computers were
not having problems at the time of the upgrade. If you computer is having
problems, it would be better to do a clean install.

"cruelas" wrote in message
...
I'm thinking of uprgrading to be able to get a H.Sp.Internet connection.
I've been reading about the warnings and recommendations here, and how it
may be hard to get the software, but assuming I can get it, I was wondering
if anyone has had good or bad experiences with this that they can share.

My concerns are that my computer's performance will suffer, that it will
create new problems, and that it will not be reversible if I want to go back
to 98.

So, if you've done this, I'd appreciate comments on
why you did it,
how you did it (the cost, which CD or computer store), and
how satisfied you are with it.
Thanks a lot!

(FYI--My comp: 400MHz proc., 92MB RAM, Win 98 (4.10.1998), 265MB free)

If you intended to say that you have only 265 MB of free disk space left,
then what you need to do is get another hard drive, first. You simply don't
have enough room left to be upgrading your system, unless it's really full
of junk you can get rid of. You barely have any room left fot the system you
have now. (But be sure the new HD is compatible with your system. The really
new, huge and fast ones may over-tax your power supply, cooling, even not
play well with your motherboard. A 5600 RPM drive, with an 8MB cache, and
80GB or under, would be ideal.) Then buy an "OEM" Windows 98SE CD on eBay,
or from a local shop if they have one, and while you're at it, get the
Windows Security Update CD from Microsoft (it's free and takes a week or two
to arrive.) http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/cd/order.asp

The OEM Windows 98SE disks are more commonly available (Upgrade disks are
becoming scarce, I hear) and will clean install with no hassle. Your system
is a very good candidate for SE (though not for anything newer.) You could
use a bit more RAM, but so long as you aren't doing RAM intensive stuff
(image *editing*, massive database processing, etc.), you're even OK in that
department.

The procedure would be to install the new HD in place of your old one, then
install Win98SE and reinstall apps. Tune it all up, then add back your old
drive (remember to jumper it properly, either as Master on Secondary IDE
channel or Slave on Primary channel), resulting in a storage drive that
contains all your old personal files. Move those into your new system,
eventually allowing yourself to clean the drive completely, then use it for
TEMP and Temporary Internet Files (and even for the swap file if the HD is
large enough.)

There is much more that you could do to set up a really decent machine
during all this, but I'll not go into it unless you indicate that you're
really interested. It's time-consuming (for me, that is.) Things like
partitioning the new drive into several smaller units, how to perform the
install to best end up with a lean, mean machine, etc.

It's almost impossible to imagine that your would want to go back--there are
very few, if any, technical differences between the original Win98 and SE
that would cause you to find SE intolerable--not like there are between
98/98SE and later versions (or 95, for that matter.) But even if you do
decide SE isn't working for you, whether temporarily or permanently, until
you start deleting the files from your old drive, its a simple matter to
switch back to using that system. Just swap the drives (or even shell out
$30 for BootIt NG, a partitioning app and boot manager, and then you can
choose which system to boot at startup.)

--
Gary S. Terhune
MS MVP for Win9x

"cruelas" wrote in message
...
I'm thinking of uprgrading to be able to get a H.Sp.Internet connection.
I've been reading about the warnings and recommendations here, and how it
may be hard to get the software, but assuming I can get it, I was wondering
if anyone has had good or bad experiences with this that they can share.

My concerns are that my computer's performance will suffer, that it will
create new problems, and that it will not be reversible if I want to go back
to 98.

So, if you've done this, I'd appreciate comments on
why you did it,
how you did it (the cost, which CD or computer store), and
how satisfied you are with it.
Thanks a lot!

(FYI--My comp: 400MHz proc., 92MB RAM, Win 98 (4.10.1998), 265MB free)

"Gary S. Terhune" wrote in message
...
If you intended to say that you have only 265 MB of free disk space left,
then what you need to do is get another hard drive, first. You simply
don't
have enough room left to be upgrading your system, unless it's really full
of junk you can get rid of. You barely have any room left fot the system
you
have now. (But be sure the new HD is compatible with your system. The
really
new, huge and fast ones may over-tax your power supply, cooling, even not
play well with your motherboard. A 5600 RPM drive, with an 8MB cache, and
80GB or under, would be ideal.)

Just a though but on his system it is unlikely that the BIOS on the
motherboard will allow bigger than a 32GB hard drive. I realise that there
are ways to get around this but it could invlove additional expense. BB

Perhaps with a BIOS flash the user could support the hard drive that Gary
Terhune indicates but 7200 RPMs is the standard now and I would also want to
make sure the user has a strong enough power supply as well as a new hard
drive and new ram. It is almost getting to the point that researching a new
system may be worthwhile even though I still like 98SE better than XP
although XP has some features that are nice that 98SE does not have and XP
is also able to run some hardware and software that is for Windows 2000 and
XP only. I will repeat the best solution is to have a dual boot system with
98SE and XP but for your needs stick with upgrading 98FE to 98SE since you
do not have enough power to run XP very well if at all.

"Bob B" wrote in message
...

"Gary S. Terhune" wrote in message
...
If you intended to say that you have only 265 MB of free disk space
left,
then what you need to do is get another hard drive, first. You simply
don't
have enough room left to be upgrading your system, unless it's really
full
of junk you can get rid of. You barely have any room left fot the system
you
have now. (But be sure the new HD is compatible with your system. The
really
new, huge and fast ones may over-tax your power supply, cooling, even
not
play well with your motherboard. A 5600 RPM drive, with an 8MB cache,
and
80GB or under, would be ideal.)

Just a though but on his system it is unlikely that the BIOS on the
motherboard will allow bigger than a 32GB hard drive. I realise that there
are ways to get around this but it could invlove additional expense. BB

"RJK" wrote in message
...
If you can esily afford it, upgrade your hardware and=20
get XP Home edition,
it's fantastic !


I knew there was something fishy about that kid.


-----Original Message-----
Her equipment will not be a good candidate for an XP=20
upgrade.

"RJK" wrote in message
...
If you can esily afford it, upgrade your hardware and=20
get XP Home edition,
it's fantastic !

e.g. a PcChips M848ALU mobo / Amd based system box,=20
with 512mb ddr333 /
80gb
hd / V92 dial up modem / dvd/cd/r/rw/drive/s can be=20
assembled for under
=A3260

regards, Richard


"cruelas" wrote in=20
message
news:B4D15979-7654-4891-BA31-
...
I'm thinking of uprgrading to be able to get a=20
H.Sp.Internet connection.
I've been reading about the warnings and=20
recommendations here, and how
it
may be hard to get the software, but assuming I can get=20
it, I was
wondering
if anyone has had good or bad experiences with this=20
that they can share.

My concerns are that my computer's performance will=20
suffer, that it will
create new problems, and that it will not be reversible=20
if I want to go
back
to 98.

So, if you've done this, I'd appreciate comments on
why you did it,
how you did it (the cost, which CD or computer=20
store), and
how satisfied you are with it.
Thanks a lot!

(FYI--My comp: 400MHz proc., 92MB RAM, Win 98=20
(4.10.1998), 265MB free)




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