Ticket Options

Question Profile

Question Details

TICKET ARCHIVE -> Windows ME freezing

joeltrf - Aug 19, 2006 - 8:56 pm

One month ago I added windows ME to a laptop that had win 98, and was probably a 2000 model Dell. I did this to try and wipe the system clean so I could give it to my sister, but that didn't work. The windows ME installed, and now the system freezes as soon as it finishes booting up, not even enough time to get into start to restore. I can start it in safe mode, but it does the same thing. I tried putting the windows ME cd in the drive, but I couldn't get it to boot from there either. I would like to take windows ME off, wipe the system clean, and just put windows 98 back on the computer. How can I do this?
Please help,
Joel

philippe99 - Aug 21, 2006 - 2:47 am

Hi and welcome to macosx.com

I think the following guide may help you:
http://www.usbman.com/Guides/Clean%2...%20Windows.htm

The basics:
* boot on a floppy with CD support (theoritically, when you installed W98, you must have created such a floppy for emergency)
* format c: /s
* use your Win98 CD for installing the OS

Caution: neither W98, nor Me is longer supported by Microsoft (security patches, ..) while the OS still undergoes attack from viruses/spam/spyware.
So if you machine can and if you can afford it, jump to XP.

And by the way, Me, is the worst OS redmond giant has produced: prefer W2000/NT or XP

Regards
Philippe

http://home.ptd.net/~don5408/win98/install/clean.html

joeltrf - Aug 22, 2006 - 8:48 pm

thanks so much. I put the 98 cd in and selected to replace ME, but system said there was one already installed, and couldn't take it. I bought a copy of XP, but the system doesn't have enough free space for it. Can I add more to a laptop? what kind?

philippe99 - Aug 22, 2006 - 11:21 pm

> to replace ME,
As I wrote, you have to format the drive (wipe it) before re-applying an older OS

>Can I add more to a laptop
Yes, you can replace the internal drive by a bigger; around 1$ per G; you better go to a PC shop with your machine so that th tech there can give more details on which model you can put on the machine and how

Please note that XP requires at least 256MB of RAM to run normally, 1GB to run smoothly

When you sum the price of the new drive, the price of the replacement if you're not tech-savvy and the (optionnal) extra RAM cost, I would compare this amount to the price of more modern (better CPU, better video, better storage...) laptop: here, in Europe, for a modern laptop for domestic use - I mean no intensive gaming but office, web, basic graphic manipulation, ...-, let's say 1.8GHZ/512MBRam/120G, such a machine is around 700$

So, in you case, to put back W98:
* boot on a floppy with CD support (theoritically, when you installed W98, you must have created such a floppy for emergency)
* !!!! format c: /s !!!!
* use your Win98 CD for installing the OS

Philippe

joeltrf - Aug 25, 2006 - 4:33 pm

Thank you so much for all your help! I'm sorry, but I havn't had a chance to try that yet. I am going to tomorrow. In just finding out about my mother having cancer, things have been crazy. Again, thank you! I will let you know if this works hopefully tomorrow

philippe99 - Aug 26, 2006 - 3:49 am

Well, Joel, take care of your mom first !
Computers and other materials can wait: health and family are the only important things.
Good luck to your mom.
Philippe.