[b]CD Burner with Windows 98?[/b]

MadReferee · May 16, 2005

( First, if you have all the updates (windows update) on your computer, then you essentially have Win98SE. )

Not true.

There are several differences between W98 and W98SE that are not covered by Windows Update. You best bet is to take up the offer from a previous poster and either get a W98 to W98SE upgrade disk or a full copy of W98SE and install it over your current system. Make sure you get the serial number with the disk. Bear in mind that W98 and W98SE are no longer suported by Microsoft.

Ozarker · May 16, 2005

XP will use it's own built in drivers and treat a CD just like another floppy drive. Win 98 will not. To use a CD on a win 98 machine you must first install the drivers and program that came with your CD to make it work.

slowrev · May 16, 2005

Yep, but you can copy some stuff with win98 that you can't with SE.

Ben

MadReferee · May 16, 2005

( XP will use it's own built in drivers and treat a CD just like another floppy drive. Win 98 will not. To use a CD on a win 98 machine you must first install the drivers and program that came with your CD to make it work. )

The machine I am on right now is plain jane Win98 and has not been upgraded but has the latest Windows Updates. The reason I have it is that I have some old network print software that will not work on later versions of Windows.

The installation installed the generic CD driver and everything works just as it does on my Win98SE and Win2000 systems. I installed no special program to get the CD to work (the CD itself is a generic brand).

The real bottom line here is that Win98/SE is no longer supported and trying to get new software and hardware to work is really a waste of time. Upgrade your operating system to at least Win2000 and go from there. That is what I tell all my paying clients.

jwstewar · May 16, 2005

I agree with 98 supporting a CD drive as even Win95 would do that. Now back in the Windows 3.1 days and the CD-ROM ran off the sound - I digress - but I know that used to be a challenge to get to work sometimes. I also agree that Win98 updated is not Win98 SE.

Rusty: I have the jewel case that I'll send as well that has the CD-key on the back of it.

Rusty · May 16, 2005

Jim - Thanks for the Windows 98SE CD offer! I just sent you a PM. 98SE will allow me to use a flash drive, which was my original choice for ease of use and cost.

All - Thanks for all the comments and advice! FYI: my Windows 98 has all the critical updates, but not all the updates, I have 192 MB RAM (64 original + 128 added), my optical drive is a 4.8X ATAPI DVD ROM (factory install). Thanks, again!!! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Rusty

rcrcomputing · May 17, 2005

A burner will work fine under 98se. Though many new burners want at least a 400mhz machine.

If the disk you get is an oem copy. You will first need to boot from a boot disk and rename the win.com file to something else for it to do the upgrade. ie.
c:
cd\windows
ren win.com win.old

Then begin the install and it will upgrade your 98 to 98se.

On a side note, I always install from the hard drive. That way I'm not forever having to get the disk every time windows wants it. Before the installation, you would..
c:
md win98
cd\win98
copy d:\win98
Then just type in setup and hit enter

It may be easier for you to copy the win98 directory from the cd to the hard drive while you still have win98 up and running. In that case you could then restart in msdos mode and cd\win98 and type in setup. Much easier if your not a dos kind of guy...

RCR

rcrcomputing · May 17, 2005

BTW, Standard procedure here is to make sure the system is "clean" first. Install spybot and ad-aware and update/run them. Make sure your virus free. Consider d/l'ing the latest-greatest drivers for your system after the upgrade.

Also, to remove temp files cookies and run scandisk and defrag all by clicking one button, download my handy little batch file I wrote some time back. (Warning, this only works on 95, 98, and ME)
win 98 clean.bat

jwstewar · May 17, 2005

If was just looking at the CD for the 98SE upgrade. I noticed that it came with Media Player 6 and IE 5. That got me thinking about all of the patches and everything. I hope this works for you. After you install this, I'll be you have to download a bunch of updates. Hope you have a fast Internet connection.

jwstewar · May 17, 2005

What I'm sending him is an upgrade of 98 to 98SE that I had gotten from Microsoft. He doesn't need to do any of the rename or anything. Actually if he does, it'll have problems. You just boot normally, insert the CD and go.