Installing Windows 2000/Upgrading From 1998

  • Thread starter Thread starter Joe
  • Start date Start date
J

Joe

Hi. I am having serious problems with my computer. It
originally came with Windows 2000 installed, but somehow
now has a very messed up version of Windows 1998 on it.
None of the drivers work. I was told by Dell technical
support to use their "System Restoration CD" to make the
computer like it was originally, but I don't want to lose
all my files.

Is there a way that I can buy Windows 2000 (or some other
version of Windows) and install it on top of my current
version of Windows? Will this correct the errors with the
drivers? My CD-ROM drive is not working, except when I
boot from it at start-up. Can Windows 2000 be installed
by booting the disk from start-up? Any info would be
appreciated before I go out and buy Windows 2000. Thanks.
 
It is possible to upgrade from Win98 but you are likely
to end up with an even more messed up installation.
If this was my machine then I would do this:

- Back up all my data files (you should do this every week
anyway; if you don't then you will get caught sooner
or later).
- Restore the Win2000 installation from the Dell restoration
disk, by booting from the CD. You may need to adjust the
boot order in your BIOS.
- Reload your applications
- Reload your data.

The easiest way to back up your files is to buy a 40 GByte
hard disk and install it as a slave drive. This will cost you
much less than a new Win2000 CD!
 
Thanks for the help. I'm going to try just reinstalling
Windows 2000 from the Dell disk, before I go out and buy a
copy. But I'm not entirely sure if it's possible. The
Dell tech support people seemed to think the restoration
disk just reloads the computer how it originally was.
They didn't say it was possible just to choose Windows,
for example, to install. But, I'll try and see if it
works.

As far as backing things up goes, none of the drivers or
plug & play devices seem to be working. I did buy an
external PNY drive. It was supposed to work without
installing any drivers. But, it turns out, it works for
all versions of Windows except 1998 (which I didn't
realize I had until after I bought the thing). I also
tried backing up my files on my D hard drive. The
computer came with C and D drive partitions. Some people
have told me the contents of the D drive should remain
unaffected, even by the System Restoration Disk. But
others have said using the disk will completely delete
everything on the D drive, like it was when I got the
computer. I'm really not sure what to believe and I'm
afraid to risk it. So, right now, I have hard copies of
the files I'd like to save on both the C and D drives.
And, I also used a program called "Backup" that's part of
the "System Tools" menu in Windows, to backup all the
files I want to keep. Of course, the only place I could
back those files up was on either the C or D drive, so I
chose the D. I now have a "backup job" with the files on
the D drive. This is the first time I've used that
program, so I really have no idea what the "backup job"
will do. Will it be fine even if the rest of the D drive
gets deleted? Thanks again for the help.
 
Here are a few replies:
- The Dell recovery disk will certainly wipe everything on
drive C:. If it leaves drive D: alone or not I do not know.
There are two ways of finding out:
a) Ask Dell
b) Get the spare disk I suggested in my first post, install
it, partition & format it so that you have drives C: and D:,
then try the Dell recovery CD.
You can also borrow an old disk. Ask your friendly computer
dealer.
- Keep in mind that buying a Win2000 CD costs you a fair bit
of money. You can save the expense if you use the Dell
recovery CD. On the other hand I object strongly to the all-
or-nothing approach that this forces you into. When I buy
a PC then I instist on a Win2000 CD.
- I know nothing about PNY drives.
- You can use the Win2000 backup tool to backup your files.
You should then restore a few selected files, to a different
location, to ensure that you backup worked.

There is an overall issue you need to deal with. You are
currently trying to put out fires left, right and centre. It would
be far better if you had a proper backup process in place,
one that backs up your files to an external medium once
every week. This time you might be able to save your
important data files. Next time you might not be so lucky.
 
Thanks again for the reply. Something I forgot to mention
is that the computer is a Dell Latitude laptop, so I'm not
sure if the hard drive can be removed or the slave drive
can be installed or anything like that. Especially while
leaving the current hard drive in place. Even it is was
possible, I don't know the slightest thing about
installing hard drives. Based on some other comments, in
the Windows 98 board, I decided to go out and buy a
Windows CD. They aren't selling 2000 anymore, so I bought
the Windows XP upgrade disk. Supposedly, this will
reinstall Windows without deleting anything that's
currently on the hard drives. The Dell people told me
this is definitely a Windows problem, not a Dell problem.
So, I'm hoping simply reinstalling Windows solves it. If
not, I guess my only option left is the Dell System
Recovery CD. Or, maybe I'll try a new slave drive. Is it
possible on laptops? I agree with you that it's annoying
that Dell didn't include a Windows disk with the
computer. When I bought it, I honestly never even thought
about it. The PNY drive, as far as I can tell (this is my
first experience with one), is like a Zip drive, except
small enough to take with you in your pocket. It plugs
into the computer by the ISB port, or whatever it's called
(the same one that printers usually plug into). And, it's
not supposed to need drivers, for all versions of Windows
but 98.

As far as the backup tool goes, do you know if it's
supposed to keep the backup job there no matter what? For
example, even if the Dell Recovery Disk deletes everything
else and makes the whole rest of the computer exactly like
it was when it was purchased, will the backup job stay
unchanged? Or, is the program only supposed to be used to
backup files onto a PNY drive, a Zip drive, a floppy disk,
etc, for safekeeping? If this is the case, the program is
totally useless to me, until I get those external things
working.

And, if nothing else, this whole ordeal has definitely
taught me a lesson. From now on, I plan on using the PNY
drive, a burned CD, AND my laptop's hard drive to backup
everything I want to keep. Before this, I never realized
such enormous problems happened for no reason whatsoever.
Thanks again for all the help. This board is a
lifesaver. I don't understand why the Dell tech support
people can't be so helpful, and offer other tips besides
just deleting and reformatting the whole computer.
 
See below.


Joe said:
Thanks again for the reply. Something I forgot to mention
is that the computer is a Dell Latitude laptop, so I'm not
sure if the hard drive can be removed or the slave drive
can be installed or anything like that. Especially while
leaving the current hard drive in place. Even it is was
possible, I don't know the slightest thing about
installing hard drives.
Click to expand...

Laptop disks can be removed and can be installed in
a desktop PC, using a suitable adapter. If you're not
experienced with hardware then this is a job for your
PC service man.

Based on some other comments, in
the Windows 98 board, I decided to go out and buy a
Windows CD. They aren't selling 2000 anymore, so I bought
the Windows XP upgrade disk. Supposedly, this will
reinstall Windows without deleting anything that's
currently on the hard drives. The Dell people told me
this is definitely a Windows problem, not a Dell problem.
So, I'm hoping simply reinstalling Windows solves it. If
not, I guess my only option left is the Dell System
Recovery CD. Or, maybe I'll try a new slave drive. Is it
possible on laptops?
Click to expand...

You can't have slave drives on laptops but you can use
things that plug into the USB port - provided you have
the appropriate drivers.

I agree with you that it's annoying
that Dell didn't include a Windows disk with the
computer. When I bought it, I honestly never even thought
about it. The PNY drive, as far as I can tell (this is my
first experience with one), is like a Zip drive, except
small enough to take with you in your pocket. It plugs
into the computer by the ISB port, or whatever it's called
(the same one that printers usually plug into). And, it's
not supposed to need drivers, for all versions of Windows
but 98.

As far as the backup tool goes, do you know if it's
supposed to keep the backup job there no matter what?
Click to expand...

Backup.exe creates a file at the location nominated by
you. If the Dell recovery CD overwrites the drive where
you keep your backup file then you obviously lose it.

For example, even if the Dell Recovery Disk deletes everything
else and makes the whole rest of the computer exactly like
it was when it was purchased, will the backup job stay
unchanged? Or, is the program only supposed to be used to
backup files onto a PNY drive, a Zip drive, a floppy disk,
etc, for safekeeping? If this is the case, the program is
totally useless to me, until I get those external things
working.

And, if nothing else, this whole ordeal has definitely
taught me a lesson. From now on, I plan on using the PNY
drive, a burned CD, AND my laptop's hard drive to backup
everything I want to keep. Before this, I never realized
such enormous problems happened for no reason whatsoever.
Thanks again for all the help. This board is a
lifesaver. I don't understand why the Dell tech support
people can't be so helpful, and offer other tips besides
just deleting and reformatting the whole computer.
Click to expand...

Dell, like other hardware suppliers, must be competitive and
must show a profit. To spend time educating their customers
would be nice but it would eat away all their profits. Furthermore,
many PC users only think about backing up files after they
have been hit, same as many only install a virus scanner
and firewall after they have been infected.

 
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