Upgrading 98FE to SE with win 98 disk

[Kev Sharratt]

Hi

I had an old PC (now scrapped) on which I installed win98SE. I then lost the disk & despite a large amount of searching could not find it.

I was then given an old PC from work which had win 98FE installed. I had trouble getting it on my home network and was advised that with the spec of the machine 2K would run well. I purchased the upgrade but the PC was not compatible and I had to find the win 98FE disks at work re-install and recover from backup alot of my programs then would not work and had to be reinstalled from the disks and my position in various programs was lost.

Some time ago a gave some old games to a work colleage. He phoned last night to say he was going thru them & found my win 98SE install disk

Can I use the win 98SE disk to perform an upgrade as I don't want to lose my position yet again. There are programs I want to run but can't because they need SE but if I have got to do a fresh install & recover from backup I will just stick with FE

Any suggestions

Kev

[BipolarBill]

Originally posted by Kev Sharratt
Can I use the win 98SE disk to perform an upgrade Yes.

[Kev Sharratt]

Hi

I tried the disk, from memory these are the messages I got

After inserting the disk "This version of windows is newer do you wish to upgrade" to which I answerred yes

Then it checked the system

Then I got the message "Norton Antivirus will warn about overwriting a file and I must click continue"

Then it collected info

Then I got the message "This version of windows cannot be upgraded with this disk, please purchase the windows 98 upgrade disk"

Is there any work around for this?

Thanks for your help

Kev

[BipolarBill]

If you have an OEM CD, it won't work. You will have to reinstall from scratch.

[r8500]

Yep, no work around for OEM disks.

Now it becomes a question of if its worth it to you to format and start over.

[rraehal]

I have had success upgrading 98FE to SE with an OEM disk. You simply need to delete some files, boot off the CD and install. You can not do it from Windows.

These files should do it:
c:\msdos.sys
c:\io.sys
c:\command.com
c:\windows\win.com
c:\windows\himem.sys

Use ATTRIB -H -R -S FILE.EXT to make the files available to rename/delete in DOS. Make a backup copy just in case it refuses to upgarde. Deleteing these files makes the disk fail to see a previous version of windows. It will still use you registry if you force it to install in c:\windows. The setup will try to install in c:\windows.000.

[custer]

You know what they mean, don't you, mate? OEM = Original Equipment Manufacturer. It's meant only for the computer it was licensed for. Trying to use it for another computer is a violation of the license agreement and is not allowed. It's a copyright violation and no one here should be trying to show you how to use it on another computer.

You need the upgrade version or the full retail version which has not been used before.

Yes, there are ways around the copyright. But I don't think sysopt should be going there.

[BipolarBill]

It's not really about the copyright. He's free to install it on that PC if it's the only PC that it is currently installed on. It's just not capable of upgrading an older version.

[krazefinn]

OEM sold with any hardware only, meant for system builders. That is not the same as the branded OS custom made for/by large manufacturer systems, which ARE only licensed for a particular specific pc, which I think custer is refering to.

[rraehal]

I only buy OEM CD's. I did buy a 95 upgrade a long time ago. All of my systems are installed with a OEM disk except one. It has an install from a Dell Disk with a Dell only key.

In the case of a home built PC, you can buy an OEM copy of Windows with any hardware purchase. It does not vilolate the EULA as long as it is only installed on one PC. The EULA states it is for PC's without windows. Deleteing these 5 files effectively destroies the windows install. In this case only an OEM CD or retail CD will reinstall the system. A upgrade CD will fail requirements unless you provide another windows disk.

The OEM CD will not upgrade an install. Removing a few key files makes the OEM CD install because it does not detect a valid windows install. It will use the current registry and will only update drivers where needed.

[Kev Sharratt]

Hi

Interesting info, what 'key files' do I need to remove and will it format the hard drive (sounds like not)

Many thanks

Kev:)

[BipolarBill]

Please read rraehal's first post again.

[custer]

Just before I got into building, I bought a used 486 with Win95b on it. When I questioned the seller about the Windows disk he was being evasive so I purchased a new Win95b disk thru him. It was OEM and stated "For use only with a Dell PC'. It wasn't a Dell.

Well, Microsoft was paid and I didn't pursue it further. But after that I bought full retail versions. I don't know how Microsoft marks the OEM disks now but I don't want to see that "For use only..." printing again. If we're meeting the EULA, that's fine.

I give the client the disk and there's no question.

[oklahomadanny]

As a moderate novice, this post is just what I was looking for! My question is similar to this post.
I am using an eMachines 400ix running Win98 FE and have a scrapped Gateway that came with Win98 SE. I have the Restore disks (not OEM?) for both machines. Is it possible to put the SE version from the Gateway on my eMachines since it (Win98 SE) will only be on one machine? I understand these company specific restore disks makes for a cheap Windows install, with little or no room to be used on another machine, even after it has been scrapped out for parts. I would appreciate any advice members can offer on this question.

[BipolarBill]

I doubt it. The Win98SE installation is probably keyed to the motherboard BIOS. You're free to try though.

[oklahomadanny]

Thanks MADerator. Tried that but got the 'This CD is only for use on a Gateway computer' message. Are there certain files that can be copied off the Gateway disk to the eMachines to update to the Win98 SE? Anyone else have any solutions or ideas?

[BipolarBill]

If setup gives you that warning, it is looking for Gateway hardware and not finding it. You will not be able to install this version of Windows on that PC.

We cannot help you to work around this even if we could. We have advertisers on this site and we can't afford to irritate them.

[oklahomadanny]

Oops, didn't mean to ask anything illegal.:eek: BipolarBill, I just assumed from your previous post on the copyright issue that if you were only using this on only one machine it was OK. My mistake. Those copyrights are a complicated matter. Not meaning to do anything I shouldn't. Thanks for your insight.

[rraehal]

The difference is in the CD licensing.

Your Gateway has a branded OEM license. You or another user agreed that it wold only be installed on a Gateway. It has a Gateway custom license agreement.

I have the sdame situation with one of my Dell CD's. I agreed it could only be installed on my Dell.

The OEM disk I typically puchase are not branded. The license states they can be installed on one machine. Microsoft states the non-branded OEM cd's can only be purchased with new hardware. This is where the difference is in the licenseing.

[oklahomadanny]

rraehal, thanks for the clarification. Since the Gateway is a boat anchor, I can use the restore disk to play Frisbee with my dog, right? :p Makes you want to go out and buy an OEM.