Clean install of Windows 98

Windows 98 clean install and startup tweaks.

This information is online so I have access to it when I'm away from home and doing a clean install of the Windows 98 operating system on a computer.

First I backup all the files I want to save including emails and the email address book. If I save to a cd I have to remember to remove the read-only attributes after I restore them.

Backup and restore outlook express emails, and email address book

Next I identify all of the peripherals and acquire the device drivers for them. This would include the sound card, modem, video card, network card, monitor, printer, scanner, cameras, and anything else connected to the computer that requires drivers.

Then I make sure I have the full version of windows 98. Not the upgrade version. I have to make sure I have the product key for it. If I have the disk but don't have the product key I can find it this way:

press start

select run

type regedit

press ok

at the registry window press edit

select find

type productkey

write these twenty characters down

they are in five sets of five

Then I create a start up disk like this:

press run

select settings

select control panel

click on add/remove programs

select the startup disk tab

create a startup disk with a blank 3.5 inch floppy

Next I reboot the computer with the startup disk using cdrom support. Then I verify the windows 98 cd can be read like this:

at the a prompt:

a:\>

type: e:

at the e prompt:

e:\>

type: dir/p

press enter to scroll down

I should see a list of files and directories including a folder called win98

This is what I do to prepare a new hard drive for a clean install:

at the a prompt:

a:\>

type: fdisk

press: enter

select: enable large disk support

select: create dos partition or logical dos drive

select: create primary dos partition

select: use the entire drive

press: esc

reboot with the startup disk using cdrom support

This is what I do to prepare a used hard drive for a clean install:

at the a prompt:

a:\>

type: fdisk

press: enter

select: display partition information

write this information down

press: esc

select: enable large disk support

select: delete partition or logical drive

press: esc

If there are more partitions or logical drives delete them too

select: delete extended dos partition

press: esc

reboot with the startup disk using cdrom support

at the a prompt:

a:\>

type: fdisk

press: enter

select: enable large disk support

select: create dos partition or logical dos drive

select: create primary dos partition

select: use the entire drive

press: esc

reboot with the startup disk using cdrom support

Next I format the hard drive. This is how I do it:

at the a prompt:

a:\>

type: format c:

press: enter

After the hard drive is formated I start the windows 98 installation. I like to install windows 98 from the hard drive rather than the cd. This is how I do that:

at the a prompt:

a:\>

type: c:

press: enter

type: md windows

press: enter

type: md windows\cabs

press: enter

type: cd\windows\cabs

press: enter

type: copy a:\win98\*.*

press: enter

type: setup

press: enter

When the setup program gets to the part where it asks what directory I want to install windows in, it will have two options. Select the folder called windows. That is the same folder I have already created. Windows has no folder called cabs, so it won't overwrite the subdirectory I created called cabs.

I will need a blank 3.5 in floppy for the setup to create a new startup disk.

When windows is installed from the hard drive I will never be asked for the windows cd ever again, even if I add or remove windows features. The reason I put the folder with the cab files in the windows directory is because I like the root directory of c: to have the fewest amount of folders possible. Also the cab files are part of windows so I feel they belong in the windows directory.

Once the Windows 98 operating system is installed I like to do a few tweaks to make it faster. First I like to remove the windows 98 startup logo. This is how I do that:

open windows explorer

at the root directory of c: open the file called msdos.sys with notepad

under the text [Options] add these two values: BootDelay=0 Logo=0

save the file

Next I like to do a registry modification to make the start menu a little faster. This is how I do that:

press start

select run

type regedit

press ok

at the registry window open HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop

look for a value called MenuShowDelay

if the value isn't there right click in the unused area on the right

select new S tring Value

name the new value MenuShowDelay

double click on MenuShowDelay and change the value data to 0

reboot the computer

I like to do another registry modification to get rid of the shortcut arrows in the icons on the desktop. This is how I do that:

press start

select run

type regedit

press ok

at the registry window open HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile

delete the value IsShortcut

at the registry window open HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\piffile

delete the value IsShortcut

reboot the computer