• | The "Microsoft Windows 98 Upgrade" product. This upgrade product is available on CD-ROM. When you use the Windows 98 Upgrade version, you must have a copy of the previous version of Windows on CD-ROM or on floppy disks for the compliance-check procedure during Setup. Make sure that you have your qualifying version of Windows on CD-ROM or on floppy disks before you run Setup. Note that you must also have a Windows 98 Startup disk to install this product.For additional information about how to create a Windows 98 Startup disk, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 187632 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/187632/EN-US/) How to Create a Windows 98 Startup Disk that Supports FAT32 |
• | The "Microsoft Windows 98 for PCs Without Windows" product. This version is available on CD-ROM. A Windows 98 Startup disk is included with the product. |
Minimum Hardware Requirements to Install Windows 98
• | 486DX 66-MHz or faster processor (Pentium recommended) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
• | 16 megabytes (MB) of memory (24 MB recommended) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
• | 195 MB of free hard disk space (the required space may vary from 120 MB to 295 MB, depending on your computer's configuration and the options you choose to install) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
• | CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
• | 3.5-inch high-density floppy disk drive | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
• | Video adapter and monitor that support VGA or higher resolution | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
• | Microsoft Mouse or compatible pointing deviceSystem Updates, Device Drivers, and Other ConsiderationsCMOS Antivirus UtilityIt is important to disable any CMOS antivirus utility that is enabled on your computer before you run Setup. If you are not sure if this feature is enabled on your computer, view the documentation that is included with your computer, or contact the computer manufacturer.Drive Overlay SoftwareIf your computer uses drive overlay software to enable large hard disk support, the drive overlay software must be installed before you install Windows 98. To install the drive overlay software, view the documentation that is included with the software or contact the software manufacturer.System Updates and Device DriversTo ensure that your hardware and software is compatible with Windows 98, verify that you have the latest drivers, Basic Input Output System (BIOS), or patches for your hardware and software before you run Setup.If your computer uses proprietary hardware and you try to install Windows 98 on a clean hard disk, you may receive error messages. Before you install the retail or upgrade version of Windows 98 on your computer, check with the hardware manufacturer and verify that there are no known issues. Also, if your current version of Windows was preinstalled on your computer and was bundled with a software package that is on a Restore CD-ROM, you may not be able install the programs that are on the Restore CD-ROM. If this is the case, use the hardware manufacturer's Restore CD-ROM to install Windows 95 and the included programs first, and then run Setup from the Windows 98 Upgrade version. View your original hardware documentation if you are not sure how to run the Restore CD-ROM. WARNING: When you run the Restore CD-ROM, it may delete all of the data on your hard disk. Real-Mode CD-ROM SupportThe Windows 98 Startup disk contains generic CD-ROM drivers that work with most CD-ROM drives. The Windows 98 Startup disk contains generic, real-mode ATAPI CD-ROM and small computer system interface (SCSI) drivers that can enable CD-ROM drives after you boot from the Windows 98 Startup disk. These CD-ROM drivers are not guaranteed to work with all CD-ROM drives. They may work as a replacement driver if the real-mode CD-ROM drivers that are included with your CD-ROM drive are not available. If these drivers do not work with your CD-ROM drive, view the documentation that is included with your hardware, or contact your hardware manufacturer.How to Prepare the Hard Disk for the Windows 98 Installation ProcedureWARNING: The following information applies to preparing an empty hard disk for the installation of Windows 98. If you use the following steps on a hard disk that is not empty, all of the data that is on that hard disk is deleted.Before you install Windows 98 on an empty hard disk, you must first create a primary partition and then format a file system on that partition. Each allocated space on the hard disk (primary partition or logical drive) is assigned a drive letter. Windows 98 supports the FAT16 and FAT32 file systems. When you run the Fdisk tool on a hard disk that is larger than 512 MB, you are prompted to choose a file system. The FAT16 file system has a maximum of 2 gigabytes (GB) for each allocated space, or drive letter. For example, if you use the FAT16 file system and you have a 6-GB hard disk, you can have three drive letters (C, D, and E), each with 2 GB of allocated space. The FAT32 file system supports drives up to 2 terabytes in size and stores files on smaller sections of the hard disk than does the FAT16 file system. This results in more free space on the hard disk. The FAT32 file system does not support drives that are smaller than 512 MB. For additional information about the FAT32 file system, click the article numbers below to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 154997 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/154997/EN-US/) Description of the FAT32 File System 118335 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/118335/EN-US/) Maximum Partition Size Using FAT16 File System More information about file systems is also available in the "Getting Started" manual that is included with the Windows 98 CD-ROM.For additional information about the Fdisk tool, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 66706 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/66706/EN-US/) The Four Steps Needed to Make a Hard Disk Usable How to Partition the Hard DiskAfter you decide which file system you want to use, run the Fdisk tool:
How to Install Windows 98After you partition and format your hard disk, you can install Windows 98:
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