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Master Restore CD + Different Computer Upgrade. (long).



 
 
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  #1  
Old January 30th 04, 11:07 AM
W. Orr
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Default Master Restore CD + Different Computer Upgrade. (long).

Start of long story.

I used to own a Packard Bell (made circa 1995-96, P75, 800Meg HD,
etc...) that was having a lot of troubles with the HD (it seemed) so I
ended up pitching the entire system in 2000 (No one wanted it if it
wasn't working right and I didn't have the room to keep it sitting
around). I did keep, however:
-the HD (that I kept for myself in case it could be salvaged),
-the memory (which I put into someone else's computer)
-all the CDs and the Win 95 OEM Product Key COA .
Eventually I got a new Compaq and forgot all about those CDs and the
HD...

Now fast forward to today...

I'm looking at getting a very old laptop that I take it around with me
to work on little projects on the go, but it has no OS installed.

So I've been thinking...

I've been told that trying to use the MRCD to install all the PB OEM
Windows stuff is a big no-no (either a. "It Is Illegal", or b. "Will
fry a BIOS" Either way, too big a headache for me to deal with
worrying about.) The Master Restore CD (170366)* has a \Win95 folder
on it filled with CABs, Setup files, and so on (I want to say the
total size of the Win95 folder is about 35Meg). If I were to purchase
either a Win98 or WinMe _UPGRADE_ and attempt to install it, would
having the MRCD be enough for the Upgrade to upgrade, or would it
still look to the HD for versions of Windows OS to authenticate?

When I was upgrading to XP on my WinME system (compaq), I wanted to do
a clean, fresh, install on a new, blank HD, but it wouldn't recognize
either the Compaq Recovery or Restore CDs as having previous versions
of Windows, forcing me to restore WinME (and everything else) to the
HD via the Recovery/Restore CDs, then do the XP upgrade.

Thoughts?

My other option might be to just get the old HD working long enough
again to just try to copy its contents to the new laptop HD and hope
the drivers work.

*I also have a gray label restore CD (170520) that PB sent me about a
year after I bought the computer when I called them for tech support
about formatting and restoring the HD once, and the /Win95 folder is
there, too. I didn't see or notice any difference in actual features
in Windows while I using it back then.

Additionally, I also have a Win 95 Companion CD with, yes, ANOTHER
/Win95 folder with about 32Meg of files in it (that I've never touched
except to see the Weezer and Rob Roy videos.)

Would any of these be good for what I'm thinking of doing?

But in the long run, the FULL Win98 on eBay seems to be going for less
than the upgrades, so perhaps just ponying for the full version would
make more sense...

Thanks.
  #2  
Old February 3rd 04, 12:41 AM
Anthony
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Default


"W. Orr" wrote in message
...
Start of long story.

SNIPPED

I've been told that trying to use the MRCD to install all the PB OEM
Windows stuff is a big no-no (either a. "It Is Illegal", or b. "Will
fry a BIOS" Either way, too big a headache for me to deal with
worrying about.) The Master Restore CD (170366)* has a \Win95 folder
on it filled with CABs, Setup files, and so on (I want to say the
total size of the Win95 folder is about 35Meg). If I were to purchase
either a Win98 or WinMe _UPGRADE_ and attempt to install it, would
having the MRCD be enough for the Upgrade to upgrade, or would it
still look to the HD for versions of Windows OS to authenticate?


Yes you can authenticatte from the Master Restore CD, or the Companion CD

Also.....from ( http://www.netpathway.com/~kramer/companion.html )
The "Companion" CD has no setup file. You have to take the long way 'round
to install Windows with it.
(1) Copy the contents of the Win95 directory onto your harddrive into a new
directory.
(2) Copy dossetup.bin, oemsetup.bin, oemsetup.exe, setup.exe, setup.txt,
suhelper.bin, and winsetup.bin to the same directory (#1 above), from any
version of Windows95.
(3) Run setup from the directory you chose in #1, above.
FYI: setup.exe was intentionally omitted from the CD to prevent users from
installing OSR2 on another system. The CD should only be used for adding
and/or removing OS components. Yes, I think the "Companion" concept is a
ripoff, too.


When I was upgrading to XP on my WinME system (compaq), I wanted to do
a clean, fresh, install on a new, blank HD, but it wouldn't recognize
either the Compaq Recovery or Restore CDs as having previous versions
of Windows, forcing me to restore WinME (and everything else) to the
HD via the Recovery/Restore CDs, then do the XP upgrade.
Thoughts?


Probably Bill screwing with our life again...a copy protection scheme I
would assume.

My other option might be to just get the old HD working long enough
again to just try to copy its contents to the new laptop HD and hope
the drivers work.


Probably not a good idea, if you install from the Master Restore CD, the
copy to the laptop, PB put a lot of unneeded crap that you won't need.

MORE SNIPPAGE

But in the long run, the FULL Win98 on eBay seems to be going for less
than the upgrades, so perhaps just ponying for the full version would
make more sense...

Thanks.


Buying a Full Win 98 is the best bet, but you may want to play around till
you get it.

Regards,
Anthony


 




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