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Summary: Reverting to Windows 98 from Windows XP and NTFS can be done, but it's a lot of work and not recommended.
I have a four year old Dell PC that originally came with a
Windows 98 OS. This past summer I had the local computer
repair shop upgrade to Windows XP-Pro which I now regret.
They installed XP without reformatting the hard drive so
Windows 98 still remains. I want to get rid of XP and convert
back to Windows 98. I read the uninstall instructions and it
says that Windows XP-Pro cannot be uninstalled if the hard
disk configuration has been changed: if FAT has been
converted to NTFS. NTFS is the current file system but I
cannot be sure if it was converted from FAT during the XP
installation or if it was originally set this way. The only
information that I have is the original generic manual that
came with the computer when I bought if from Dell. In the
manual it talks only about FAT file systems so I would assume
that FAT is the original file system and the computer file
system was converted to NTFS during the XP installation.
SO...my question is: Am I stuck with Windows XP or is it
still possible to uninstall XP and if so how would I go about
doing it without damaging the whole computer.
|
Well, it can be done. It's not easy, but it can be done.
But I don't recommend it.
•
Windows 98 doesn't support NTFS, period. So yes, if your
hard disk is now formatted with NTFS then it was converted somewhere
along the way.
It also means that your only real
approach to reverting to Windows 98 would be to backup or
save all your data, reformat the hard disk (with the FAT filesystem), and
install Windows
98. From scratch.
That's quite a bit of work, to be sure.
And in all honesty ... why?
Windows XP is such a better operating system than Windows
98. My recommendation instead would be to see if the issues you're
having with it could be addressed instead.
In the long run, I'm convinced you'll be much happier that way.
Related:
Article 970 | Posted January 4, 2005
•
I to went from Windows 98 to windows XP pro.and regret it for I have an old computer and now it just craws. I still have FAT 32.Can you walk me true puting windows 98 back on and removing windows XP?
Posted by: Frank at May 1, 2005 11:03 AMIt's the same approach as outlined in the article, except that the reformat isn't required, though I'd still recommend it.
Posted by: Leo at May 1, 2005 12:18 PMcan i install office 97 on my new windows home xp
Posted by: jim at May 30, 2005 4:20 AMSure!
Posted by: Leo at May 30, 2005 9:52 AMQuote:
Windows 98 doesn't support NTFS, period. So yes, if your hard disk is now formatted with NTFS, it was converted somewhere along the way.
It also means that your only real approach to reverting to Windows 98 would be to backup or save all your data, reformat the hard disk (with the FAT filesystem) and install Windows 98. From scratch.
Posted by: Tontza at December 1, 2005 1:14 PMThere's several commercial tools around which read+write ntfs partitions from DOS,and atleast
with one of them softs,you can install WIN98 on NTFS partition. period.
At the moment i am using windows ME and ive just bought xp home, but i have heard for what i use my computer for it is better with ME. i am still going to upgrade but is there a way to downgrade my computer if i dont get on with it? i havent got a setup disk for ME but i have a red recovery floppy disk for reverting it back to factory settings and was wondering if i would be able to use this to revert it back to ME if i wasnt getting on with xp?
Posted by: sammo at April 6, 2006 11:51 AMI beg to differ with Leo about "XP being such a better operating system" I concor with andy mortlock, in my experence a well tuned 98SE runs way more reliable and faster on the same hardware and much less trouble with spyware and viruses.
But sadly new software, new hardware and MS are dropping suport for 98SE.
If anyone knows where there is a good page for over coming most of XP's issues, I'd like to see it. Other then that, I'll be waiting and hoping for Vista
Posted by: James Watson at July 17, 2006 11:53 AMI spent hours with microsoft KB and had zero success. Your methode worked Great.
Posted by: Tom Bishop at September 20, 2006 10:40 AMThanks
Tom
about xp on of it's major down falls is no ms dos support what so ever xp is way better then me aka Mistake Edition 98 se is by far a better os then xp due to the following with xp
1. it slow at time even for new computers due to being a system resource hog
2. the updates a majorty of the updates that install can make a computer run even slower
3 look a the recommanded sys specs
microsoft should have put that for the mininuum
the one downside to 98 though is that a lot of new software does not support 98 or me for that matter
Posted by: Jimmy Cozad at October 10, 2006 1:09 AMon my computer i have i have the following O.S's 1. 98se
2. 2000 pro
3. xp media center ed 2005
4. vista beta2
all on the same 1 TB hardrive
and it works like a charm
by the way if there is any one who needs to use nfts with 98 heres a link to free software i use for my computer business
http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/
the software has more tools the a swiss army knife it like haveing a computer repair shop on cd if you have full version xp cd you can format you hd faster the by doing it the dos way heres how:
1 pop the 98 floppy in the disk drive if you need one to get one
click this link http://www.msu-hb.de/download/boot98se.exe
you can either save the file above or run it from the link
when it comes up go to start computer without cd rom support then when a:\ comes up type fdisk follow the prior instructions about fdisk
2 after using fdisk reboot the computer with xp cd now do like a normal install format the hd with a quick fat32 option watch the bar very carefully when the format bar has finished going a cross quickly restart the computer with only the floppy disk no xp cd
3 got start computer with cd rom support
4. once the floppy is done reading the driver it will tell you what cd roms you have
5. instert either your 98 98se or me cd in the drive type you drive letter usually d:\
6. under d:\ type setup the press enter
7. you ready to reinstall 98 98se me
some of the windows xp disk for gateway has a section that allows you to reformat the hard drive to fat32 partitions and allows you to delete partions. it a three disk set (driver, operating systems and applcations) it usually takes several times to get it to the screen that allows you to change the format. ive installed windows xp and im using your site to downgrade to windows 98 i've used your site to link to ultimatebootcd but i dont know what to select please let me know what to select so i download the right software
Posted by: danny at December 20, 2007 8:39 PM