I have been thinking about finally jettisoning Windows '98SE and going to XP. In your opinion should I do a fresh install by reformatting or will a simple upgrade be okay? And why? Besides a $100.00 difference are there issues from an upgrade, i.e. left overs from '98? Thanks.

I would recommend a fresh install. I have always heard bad things with the upgrades like left over drivers and things like that getting in the way later on.

My advise. Format then fresh install of XP.

[ 07-27-2004, 08:03 PM: Message edited by: T-D-C ]

T-D-C thanks for the quick reply. Have you ever formatted a harddrive? How hard is it?

Its pretty easy. If you get a new version of WinXp all you need to do is boot off the CD. It will then give you the options during the installation of Windows XP to format the hard drive before installation.

Then you just sit back and watch the installation.

Let me see if I got this right. If I get XP (full version and not the upgrade) and place it in my CD it will give options on a total reformat? Am I reading you right? This means it will first wipe out Windows '98 and everything that was under it (all remanants wiped out?) and then proceed to a new, fresh install?

Yes you are correct.

It will also give you the option to create new partitions or keep old partitions and just format them.

You can do a clean format and install with the upgrade version as well. You just need the original source disk for Win98 (needed anyway to do an upgrade install). All steps are spelled out for you in the installation process. Reformating an reimaging is not a difficult task. The software takes care of it for you.

***WARNING***
Back up and save all data that you want to keep. Don't worry about installed programs, but make sure you have the install packages and source disks for all software you want to keep. I doubt you have any special config scripts, but save those as well. After the reformat .... it all will be GONE.

Well the problem then is that I don't have the WIN98 disk. Looks like I'll have to spend money I was hoping I didn't have to spend. I had a certified Windows technician put this rig together for me and he is long gone. I appreciate the clarifications and advice.

Yeah if you don't have the Win 98 disk then your going to have to fork out the extra money. Sucks but you will probably get a cleaner install anyway.

You could get one of your friends or someone who is running on Win98 to create a bootdisk. Remember to ask him/her to copy format.exe and fdisk.exe to the bootdisk because you need at least one of them. format.exe is to format the hard drive, of course while fdisk.exe is used to delete the whole partition. Some people (like me) prefers to have an extra partition for NTFS while leaving the others on FAT32.

Be very careful when switching from Win98 to XP. Some of your old programs and drivers would need to be updated, it would be a huge pain to download all those stuff if you don't have broadband connections.

Mind you that some old games just refuse to run on XP, no matter what method you tried (compatibility mode, DOSBox and etc). If you still want to play older DOS and Windows games, you might probably want to seriously consider install XP as an alternate boot, a.k.a dual boot. The only drawback of dual booting is that it costs you more space, other than that, you old 98 and XP should be able to co-exist relatively peacefully, like what I am running on my PC. :D

[ 07-27-2004, 11:09 PM: Message edited by: Paladin2000 ]