I have an old PC that I have replaced and the OS is Windows XP. I have it set up in my work shop and what I would like to do is uninstall Windows XP and install an older OS — Windows 98, for which I have a disc. What I would like to know is first, can this be done and if so could someone please help me out with instructions on how to do it? Thanks.
I went out and checked and here is what I found. The operating system is Window XP Service Pack 2 and the hard drive is 74.5 GB (9 GB used and 65.5 free). The file system is NTFS and the RAM is 256MB.
Presuming so.. The RAM isn’t an isue – you’re obviously under the ’98 limit of 512 Meg (thus no need of tweaking ini files).
In truth you have more than enuff RAM for ‘9x/ME to wrk very happily… Any more is a waste – unless you’re into serious number crunching apps (spreadsheets and serious games etc….).
Boot up with a ’98 bootdisk – the one with the later Fdisk inculded; or even better an ME to bootdisk to same end (and that it also available at bootdisk.com as a download – and probably better to get that one anyway regardless)
Run Fdisk and inspect partitions; then opt to delete the non-dos partition (which is how dos/’9x/ME see ntfs…)’
Then (still using Fdisk) reconfigure the drive afresh… I suggest a decent size Primary for the OS etc…. and balance of drive (Extended partition/logical-drive) for data – only… I’d suggest 5Gig for OS etc; certainly no more than 10Gig…; as ‘9x/ME don’t need much room (unless you really stack up assorted apps/utils etc….).
Format both as fat32.
Then with the ’98 CD in the slot/drive… access it and run ’98 setup routine; install it to c: drive…
You may have to find the graphic card drivers anon; unless they happen to be included within the defaults sets in the ’98 itself. Initially you will be able to set system up using default vga drivers; and then go on-line etc. to locate the more advanced/complete set for the graphics card.
Fdisk routines…
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/255867
http://www.fdisk.com/fdisk/
http://fdisk.radified.com/
installing ’98 (and also ME)…
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/221829
http://www.duxcw.com/digest/Howto/s…
http://www.bestpricecomputers.ltd.u…
Remember that once you delete XP you have in effect a “new” blank drive… And thus the comments in the above links apply equally so.