That's torn it

[Kevin Milkins]

I have my first computer that is 9 years old PC that I bought from Tiny. It runs Windows 98.About 4 years ago I bought a laptop that runs Windows XP.
I have broadband with BT Internet and run that on my laptop. I wanted to set up a network with my pc found out I needed a Wireless Adapter, and bought a Buffalo 54Mbps* Wireless USB 2.0 Keychain Adapter.As best I can work out it will only work with Windows 2000 and onward. I thought I would be clever and load XP off my disc for my laptop on to my PC and about half way through loading I got a YOU CANT DO THAT sort of message and tied it all in knotts.
I have worked out how to get back to my pc window 98 but cant get rid of the bit of XP I loaded and no closer to creating a network. I would like to update my pc to about Windows 2003. Any takers for a little project that won't be to expensive.

[Bobinovich]

I'd probably recommend not putting XP on as a 9 year old PC is unlikely to run it without some hardware upgrading. Post the specs. of the old system (processor, memory & hard drive sizes) and we can soon tell you.

You also should not try using the Windows XP CD from your laptop to upgrade a Win98 system unless you have a separate COA code (label with 5 lots of 5 alpha-numeric digits), as it will continuously throw up an anti-piracy notice as an XP COA licence only supports a single PC.

If you take it back to Win98 you could add a network card (if your PC doesn't already have a network port) and run it to the router via an Ethernet cable. This shouldn't cause any major problems and will probably be an easier and cheaper option than the XP upgrade route.

[blueivy]

I have my first computer that is 9 years old PC that I bought from Tiny. It runs Windows 98.About 4 years ago I bought a laptop that runs Windows XP.
I have broadband with BT Internet and run that on my laptop. I wanted to set up a network with my pc found out I needed a Wireless Adapter, and bought a Buffalo 54Mbps* Wireless USB 2.0 Keychain Adapter.As best I can work out it will only work with Windows 2000 and onward. I thought I would be clever and load XP off my disc for my laptop on to my PC and about half way through loading I got a YOU CANT DO THAT sort of message and tied it all in knotts.
I have worked out how to get back to my pc window 98 but cant get rid of the bit of XP I loaded and no closer to creating a network. I would like to update my pc to about Windows 2003. Any takers for a little project that won't be to expensive.

Hi Kevin,

First thing, as you've just found out, you can't install Windows 2000 drivers on 98. You generally can't install any drivers from a later version on an earlier one, although the reverse usually (but not always) works. It's due to the way driver interacts with the operating system.

You need to put Windows 98 back onto the machine. If you've lived with '98 this long I'd recommend you stick with it unless there is a reason to upgrade (not being able to connect wirelessly isn't one). You'll find a huge number of viruses (and the vast majority of the new ones) simply won't be able to attack '98 so that's at least something :-)

Windows 2003 is a server operating system and I don't think that's what you're looking for. You're probably looking for XP? You'll need a licence for that which you may have a bit of difficulty finding as the stocks are dwindling and Microsoft are end of lifing the software on 30 June (although there is a campaign to get them to keep it on). You'll also need to make sure it's sufficient to run XP.

To create your network I would suggest you buy another wireless access point and get it working in what is called bridge / client mode. You can then connect the PC to the wireless access point through a normal network card and then connect the wireless access point to the existing router that you have. If you don't have a network card in the PC, I'd look on eBay for an older card and make sure there are '98 drivers for it.

I've connected a number of Linux boxes to the wireless network here using exactly this method. The wireless cards I had didn't have Linux drivers available so I set them up this way instead.

[Kevin Milkins]

It has a Intell Pentium II Processor,12.1 gb hard drive of which 8.82 is free, 98.0 mb ram, and no pc cards installed. The problem running it with an ethernet cable is the router is down stairs and PC is upstairs. An upgrade sounds like the best option,is that expensive and how do I go about that.
Also how would I go about uninstalling the bit of XP that I put on as it interfears with the start up.
Also thanks for your time.
Regards Kevin Milkins

[blueivy]

It has a Intell Pentium II Processor,12.1 gb hard drive of which 8.82 is free, 98.0 mb ram, and no pc cards installed. The problem running it with an ethernet cable is the router is down stairs and PC is upstairs. An upgrade sounds like the best option,is that expensive and how do I go about that.
Also how would I go about uninstalling the bit of XP that I put on as it interfears with the start up.
Also thanks for your time.
Regards Kevin Milkins

Hi Kevin,

I'd give upgrading that to XP a miss to be honest. The minimum specs are here (http://forum.caithness.org/go.php?url=http://forum.caithness.org/go.php?url=http://forum.caithness.org/go.php?url=http://forum.caithness.org/go.php?url=http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314865) for XP and while your machine meets them its not exactly going to be slick ...

Go for the wireless bridge option if you can't run the cable. It's the easiest and least pain free.

What are the problems you are getting at startup?

[Kevin Milkins]

Cheers for that.
It sounds a bit scientific for me so I will have to sit and read it a couple of times. Any clues on how to rid myself of the XP start up issue I have and how to unistall it?

[blueivy]

Cheers for that.
It sounds a bit scientific for me so I will have to sit and read it a couple of times. Any clues on how to rid myself of the XP start up issue I have and how to unistall it?

Hi Kevin,

It's not technical at all. It's just like you plug in your Buffalo Wireless Key. See a quick diagram below (which I hope comes out).

PC | ------ | Wireless Access Point | ... wireless connection .... | Your Router | ----- [The Internet]

You setup the Wireless Access Point just as you would your Buffalo Wireless Key - you connect it using some setting to the router so that you now have a wireless connection to your router between the two. Then you connect your PC to the Wireless Access Point using a network cable which is just like plugging the Buffalo Wireless Key into your PC.

The Wireless Access Point needs to operate in a special way to do this and it's called either Bridge Mode or Client Mode (I've seen it called both). Not all wireless access points will do it so you need to check them out before you buy. If it supports either of these modes it will say so. If it doesn't it won't.

If you are capable of setting up your Buffalo Wireless Key, you are capable of setting this up.

[matelot79]

Any clues on how to rid myself of the XP start up issue I have and how to unistall it?


I used to dual boot win98 and win 2000 and then 98 and XP, so I presume you are meaning the boot option screen where you have the options of,
Windows XP setup
Windows XP
Windows 98
If that is the case there is 3 files you have to get rid from your c: directory, you will need to show protected operating system files as they are hidden. 2 of the files I can remember no problem and the other one I’m pretty sure off but don’t quote me on it. So don’t get rid of them completely until you are sure the computer is running as best it can, the files are,
Boot.ini
NTDETECT.com
and the other (hopefully) was ntldr
I’m sure, if not someone will be able to correct me, hope this helps.

[Kevin Milkins]

Hi Paul
I never did get as far as setting up the buffalo key because it supports Windows 2000 and onwards and my system is Windows 98. I have made a note of what you have advised and I think I will be able to work that one out.
The main problem I have just now is ,How do I get rid of XP that has part installed ?
Regards Kevin.

[blueivy]

Hi Paul
I never did get as far as setting up the buffalo key because it supports Windows 2000 and onwards and my system is Windows 98. I have made a note of what you have advised and I think I will be able to work that one out.
The main problem I have just now is ,How do I get rid of XP that has part installed ?
Regards Kevin.

Hi Kevin,

When I said 'just as you would install the Buffalo Wireless Key' I was meaning just as you 'would' have done rather than had done. I assumed if you were setting up the wireless key you understood how a wireless network works?

Before we can tell you how to get rid of the XP part, you need to tell us what the 'XP part' is, how you know it's there and how is it showing itself to you?

If it's what Matelot79 said above (ie. it's the boot menu at the start) don't remove any of the files immediately as suggested as this will cause you problems. Removing the files is correct, however there is another step before you can remove them safely.

[Kevin Milkins]

By gum I think I have sorted it . I put in the original Windows 98 set up disc and went through the set up from the start and it seems to have done the trick. I will look at the wireless network when I can get my head around it ,but thanks everybody that have given your time to help me with advice it is very much appreciated.
Regards
Kevin Milkins

[matelot79]

Lucky you choose to keep the disc drive as FAT32 (or 16) instead of converting to NTFS when you tried to install XP. Best command that Microsoft ever had was format C:\ and then just press y y y.