OEM Windows 98 SE, what's the catch

I was thinking of reinstalling Windows98 SE. My older machine has 9 years
of activity on it and I've migrated most everything onto my newer XP
machine. I got to Windows 98 SE through upgrades from Windows 3.1 (I think)
to Windows 98 then to Windows 98 SE. I thought I'd purchase a Windows98 SE
CD so when I reinstalled I wouldn't have to go through the various
upgrades.

Went looking on EBay and see OEM versions for $25 or so. If you see a full
retail version in a box it goes for around $100. What's the catch with the
OEM packages that they are selling? , Where did they come from
(manufacturers dumping when XP came out?)? Are they legal (they always say
it will come with a piece of useless hardware makes me leery)?
Would it be okay to buy an OEM version or am I asking for trouble?

"T. Duprex" tduprexATlandmark.net wrote in message
...
I was thinking of reinstalling Windows98 SE. My older machine has 9 years
of activity on it and I've migrated most everything onto my newer XP
machine. I got to Windows 98 SE through upgrades from Windows 3.1 (I
think)
to Windows 98 then to Windows 98 SE. I thought I'd purchase a Windows98
SE
CD so when I reinstalled I wouldn't have to go through the various
upgrades.

Went looking on EBay and see OEM versions for $25 or so. If you see a full
retail version in a box it goes for around $100. What's the catch with
the
OEM packages that they are selling? , Where did they come from
(manufacturers dumping when XP came out?)? Are they legal (they always
say
it will come with a piece of useless hardware makes me leery)?
Would it be okay to buy an OEM version or am I asking for trouble?


You do not have to install any prior version of windows...
you can install Win98se directly..

If you have the full version it's as simple as just formatting your drive
(after your data is backed up of course) then installing.

If your win98SE cd is an upgrade version...
you will need to supply a qualifying product...

At that point you'd put in a win98FE or a win95 cd

not positive...but your win3.1 floppy may even do the trick


Now...to answer your OEM question...
the OEM cd's typically contain drivers and other software packages
particular to the machine for which they were originally intended...
but in general have a "generic" win98 folder on them.

If you run setup from the win98 folder
rather than the root directory of the cd...
you should get a "generic" win98 installation....
but I don't think you will need to buy one

"philo" wrote in message
...

You do not have to install any prior version of windows...
you can install Win98se directly..

If you have the full version it's as simple as just formatting your drive
(after your data is backed up of course) then installing.

If your win98SE cd is an upgrade version...
you will need to supply a qualifying product...

At that point you'd put in a win98FE or a win95 cd

not positive...but your win3.1 floppy may even do the trick

NB: it would be unsafe to reformat C:\ (i.e. lose all
the existing Registry) without testing beforehand whether
your instal routine would accept your "qualifying product" . . .
Different procedures apply if your Win98SE instal
routine loads from DOS or from Windows (95 or 98.)

--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)

You do not have to do each upgrade. If you have a W98SE upgrade (not
update) CD, you can install it to a blank hard drive and during the
installation process, it will ask you to insert a qualifying CD in the
drive. This could be your W98 or W95 CD providing you still have them.

A full retail version will install to a blank hard drive or do an upgrade.
An OEM disk is designed to be installed to a blank hard drive. The useless
equipment is a get around because an OEM disk is to be sold with hard ware.

For information on installing W98, go to:
http://home.satx.rr.com/badour/html/w98_restore.html

Information on reinstalling or upgrading with an OEM CD:
http://home.satx.rr.com/badour/html/upgrade.html


--
Regards


Ron Badour, MS MVP for W98
Tips: http://home.satx.rr.com/badour
Knowledge Base Info:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=kbinfo



"T. Duprex" tduprexATlandmark.net wrote in message
...
I was thinking of reinstalling Windows98 SE. My older machine has 9 years
of activity on it and I've migrated most everything onto my newer XP
machine. I got to Windows 98 SE through upgrades from Windows 3.1 (I
think)
to Windows 98 then to Windows 98 SE. I thought I'd purchase a Windows98
SE
CD so when I reinstalled I wouldn't have to go through the various
upgrades.

Went looking on EBay and see OEM versions for $25 or so. If you see a full
retail version in a box it goes for around $100. What's the catch with
the
OEM packages that they are selling? , Where did they come from
(manufacturers dumping when XP came out?)? Are they legal (they always
say
it will come with a piece of useless hardware makes me leery)?
Would it be okay to buy an OEM version or am I asking for trouble?

On Feb 17, 6:02 am, "T. Duprex" tduprexATlandmark.net wrote:
I was thinking of reinstalling Windows98 SE. My older machine has 9 years
of activity on it and I've migrated most everything onto my newer XP
machine. I got to Windows 98 SE through upgrades from Windows 3.1 (I think)
to Windows 98 then to Windows 98 SE. I thought I'd purchase a Windows98 SE
CD so when I reinstalled I wouldn't have to go through the various
upgrades.

Went looking on EBay and see OEM versions for $25 or so. If you see a full
retail version in a box it goes for around $100. What's the catch with the
OEM packages that they are selling? , Where did they come from
(manufacturers dumping when XP came out?)? Are they legal (they always say
it will come with a piece of useless hardware makes me leery)?
Would it be okay to buy an OEM version or am I asking for trouble?

Regards your ebay trepidations - yes they are 'legal' as far as
selling used/new MS products can be on ebay. Useless hardware idea is
stupid, but there you are - take it or leave it. Thousands purchase
these products with no problems each and every week.

You would be fine buying an OEM version on ebay, but be sure it comes
with a valid product key number as some OS CDs sold there come with
just a license to use it and NO product key number as you are supposed
to use your own as you could BE a licensed OEM Windows installer and
most folks aren't anything like that. Just ask the seller or read his
offer carefully - it's quite clear if you are persistant about that
detail, my WinME upgrade CD came from ebay, so cheap I've forgotten
how much.

Price difference is likely due to collectors valuing complete sets -
you don't really need anything more than the CD and the product key
validation number. OEM version is fine, upgrade version is also fine
if you already have a valid 'full version' 95 CD for the validation
test where you clean install OEM 98. Install windows from the hard
drive also - it always works better and it's faster. Original source
for these OEM CDs are legitimate OEM Windows installers trying to
recoop their investment, so they are legal - that's the first thing
ebay checks.

I have a 1) Microsoft Windows 98 Upgrade disk (has a product key), 2)and a
Windows 98 Second Edition Update disk, and a 3)Windows Update service pack
1 disk. I never had a W95 I come up from a Windows 3 I belive, for which I
no longer have the disquette. What do I have to Purchase, better, what
should I purchase in order to do a reinstall?


You do not have to do each upgrade. If you have a W98SE upgrade (not
update) CD, you can install it to a blank hard drive and during the
installation process, it will ask you to insert a qualifying CD in the
drive. This could be your W98 or W95 CD providing you still have
them.

A full retail version will install to a blank hard drive or do an
upgrade. An OEM disk is designed to be installed to a blank hard
drive. The useless equipment is a get around because an OEM disk is
to be sold with hard ware.

For information on installing W98, go to:
http://home.satx.rr.com/badour/html/w98_restore.html

Information on reinstalling or upgrading with an OEM CD:
http://home.satx.rr.com/badour/html/upgrade.html

Nothing--I am pretty sure the W98 update disk will work as verification for
W98SE.

--
Regards


Ron Badour, MS MVP for W98
Tips: http://home.satx.rr.com/badour
Knowledge Base Info:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=kbinfo



"T. Duprex" tduprexATlandmark.net wrote in message
...
I have a 1) Microsoft Windows 98 Upgrade disk (has a product key), 2)and a
Windows 98 Second Edition Update disk, and a 3)Windows Update service pack
1 disk. I never had a W95 I come up from a Windows 3 I belive, for which
I
no longer have the disquette. What do I have to Purchase, better, what
should I purchase in order to do a reinstall?


You do not have to do each upgrade. If you have a W98SE upgrade (not
update) CD, you can install it to a blank hard drive and during the
installation process, it will ask you to insert a qualifying CD in the
drive. This could be your W98 or W95 CD providing you still have
them.

A full retail version will install to a blank hard drive or do an
upgrade. An OEM disk is designed to be installed to a blank hard
drive. The useless equipment is a get around because an OEM disk is
to be sold with hard ware.

For information on installing W98, go to:
http://home.satx.rr.com/badour/html/w98_restore.html

Information on reinstalling or upgrading with an OEM CD:
http://home.satx.rr.com/badour/html/upgrade.html