At 07:46 AM 5/22/00 -0700, you wrote: >This is possibly off-topic here, but if not, would you please be prepared >to instruct on re-installing the operating system? >a. Win95 on win95 Ah and the fun begins. Is the computer functioning at present, and if so what version and flavor of Windows are you using at "Present"? This gives the start or base from which to go ahead, and either do a clean install, or just reinstall Windows form the Setup Disk. If the system is still working, you can make a new startup disk using the Add/Remove Programs program. It will or should have the necessary files on it to run the CDrom drive. A clean install, starting with a reformatted disk is not always necessary to just clean up Windows. In either a clean install, or a reinstall, you will have to reinstall all your programs, as if the install is done correctly, you wipe out the registry, and have to reestablish it. On a reinstall, you can leave your programs on the disk, and all data. You of course must in all cases, make multiple backups of all data you cannot afford to loose. You must also check the backup disk, tape, or other device to make sure you got a good backup. As much as I hate the Zip disk system, I use it for backup, as you just use it as another drive, and copy the files to the disk, keeping the folder arrangement intact. This allows you to look at the disk with Explorer, and be sure you have good copies of the data. In many cases, if the computer is really messed up, and you have not practiced real good clean up procedures in the past, a clean install is probably best. If the computer is not working, and you do not have a good startup disk, it is much harder to recover. >b. win98 on win95 To do a upgrade to Win98 on a computer running Win95, and the computer is working, the upgrade disk is just inserted into the drive, and run the startup file on the CD. >What I have in mind is that there are presumably some files that the >system must have during re-installing. So FIRST erasing all windows stuff >seems dangerous. >If you boot up from a floppy - and then wipe out existing (troublesome >Windows) the cd drive will not work The only files to worry about is the data. Any files on the disk that are needed to run the computer will be loaded by the CD during the setup of the install program. >It may be that (about to be erased) the Registry files have to be dealt with The registry will be replaced in total. You can make a backup of it, but I have never been successful in doing a reinstall of any type, where the old registry would run. >It is a pain I MUST go through, and I am scared! Do not be scared, be cautious. This is the time you could really use the young neighborhood geek. Many of them are always bombing their computers trying to do the impossible, that they are experts at reinstalling. In general: Is the computer running? What flavor of Win are you running at present? Do you have the install disks? All upgrades to the Win files will have to be redone, and are a pain in Win95, slow and a pain, but much more easy with Win98 as you use the net and Windows Update. Even though you must reinstall all your applications, in many cases, the latest version will work for the install, rather than run through all the back versions. Your data will be in the right format for the version you have just been running lately. Jack

At 19:45 22/05/00 -0700, you wrote: >At 07:46 AM 5/22/00 -0700, you wrote: > >>This is possibly off-topic here, but if not, would you please be prepared >>to instruct on re-installing the operating system? >>a. Win95 on win95 > >Ah and the fun begins. Is the computer functioning at present, yes >and if so what version and flavor of Windows are you using at "Present"? 4.00.950.B >This gives the start or base from which to go ahead, and either do a clean >install, or just reinstall Windows form the Setup Disk. Is there a half way - i.e. wiping out the Windows bit, but not re-formatting drive C: and wiping it all? > If the system is still working, you can make a new startup disk using > the Add/Remove Programs program. >It will or should have the necessary files on it to run the CDrom drive. SHOULD is a word I hate. snipped >Do not be scared, be cautious. This is the time you could really use the >young neighborhood geek. Many of them are always bombing their computers >trying to do the impossible, that they are experts at reinstalling. > >In general: > >Is the computer running? > >What flavor of Win are you running at present? > >Do you have the install disks? > >All upgrades to the Win files will have to be redone, and are a pain in >Win95, slow and a pain, but much more easy with Win98 as you use the net >and Windows Update. > >Even though you must reinstall all your applications, in many cases, the >latest version will work for the install, rather than run through all the >back versions. Your data will be in the right format for the version you >have just been running lately. > >Jack This is great Jack - just the sort of help I have been searching for. David Lewin