Uninstalling win 98

[MAKO]

If I uninstall Win 98 will I lose information stored in folders such as My
Documents and Programs etc? I have switched motherboards and now can not get CD burner software to load. Keep getting error message saying Wizard could not finish installation because computer has not been modified. It was suggested in another thread that I uninstall and re-install windows. Thanks

[Sylvander]

You cannot UNINSTALL Windows.

METHODS
1. Here http://tinyurl.com/h3a9 Whyzman suggested making a backup of all your important data then re-formatting the drive and re-installing the operating system.
This is a good plan when the O/S is Win 98 and IF you can make a backup [this is important because otherwise, yes you would LOSE ALL YOUR FILES not just "My Documents"].
The downside [a big downside it is too] is that you lose everything [except your backed up data] and must rebuild your software. I really don’t think it’s necessary to go so far and force a rebuild.
The upside is that all the registry information for the previous hardware does not exist in the Registry.
The space the old information occupies is wasted unless you intend to restore the previous hardware arrangement at some time. So a new install eliminates all that.
Whyzman thought it was the "Safe Bet" and I think he's right.
It's safer and cleaner too if your prepared to put in the work to rebuild.

2. The alternative is:
After installing a new motherboard [is this in yours or his] PC, do not attempt to boot from the HDD.
Instead you should boot from the Windows Startup Disk and re-run Windows Setup [“Setup.exe”] to repair the Windows installation. It should re-detect your hardware and install new drivers [or ask you to supply the “inf” file if it doesn’t have them on the Windows disk] for this new hardware [that will exist on new branches of the Registry hardware tree]. The registry makes different branches when new hardware is added so that every combination of hardware that has ever been in operation on this PC [has ever been detected and drivers installed] is catered for. If you go back to a previous arrangement of hardware, the Registry information for that setup is automatically used and Windows uses the appropriate drivers [provided you haven’t uninstalled them]. Hence it has no problem bringing the newly attached hardware into fully functioning operation. It’s complicated but it’s great when it works [and it does if you know the right things to do].

By the way:
Whyzman didn’t say to UNINSTALL.
He said “REFORMAT and load the OS allowing it a clean slate to configure to the new Motherboard.”

[MAKO]

Thanks for the info, to you and Whyzman:)

[Sylvander]

Did I [fail to] make it clear that with method 2 you do NOT lose ANY files.
Windows just detects the new hardware, installs any new drivers needed by the new hardware, and re-initialises and re-configures [to include the new hardware].

[MAKO]

No, I understand perfectly and will try tonight to boot from start up disc. Sounds like the answer to my problem. Thanks;)

[Budfred]

If you haven't already, make sure you back up important files first or you may end up regretting it...

[MAKO]

Well I used the startup disk and re-installed windows without problem. Unfortunatley the CD burner software still will not load. It continues to say the Wizard was unable to complete the installation, your system is not modified. Maybe my friend should just buy another burn software. Thanks for the help though, I've had enough.:rolleyes:

[Budfred]

You could suggest to your friend to try installing it in Safe Mode and see if that works. Also, if the friend has another CD burner software installed, it could be blocking attempts to install the new one due to conflicts.

[Sylvander]

Some software overwrites windows system files with updated versions needed to properly run the [in this case the CD burner] software.
Then if you re-run windows setup, it will overwrite the newer versions with the original older versions on the Windows disk.
Setup should warn you that it has found newer file versions and ask whether you wish to overwrite or not.
You may have told it to overwrite without being aware of the significance.
To fix this you need to uninstall and re-install the CD burner software.

You should not be so quick to give up!

What exactly do you mean by saying the software will not load?
If you mean that when you try to run the application it reports this error and cannot run, then that is exactly what I'd expect to see happen. It cannot run because, as it [almost] said, your windows files [appear to] have not been modified to the versions needed by the CD burner application.

[MAKO]

As it is now the Cd burner is nothing more than a player. I can not get past the loading of the burn software due to the install wizard stopping the process. There is currently no burn software that I can find in the system. The Cd player itself is functioning fine.

[malcore]

What burning software are you trying to install?

[mjc]

Do you have anything like TurboTax, ACAD, or some other copy protected software?

Certain copy protection schemes have been known to block the isntallation of burning software.

If you are willing, you could try using the hard drive manufacturer's diagnostics and zero fill the drive before reinstalling Windows (yes this would wipe out everything currently on the drive). Doing an over the top install, in a csae like this will not really help.

As a matter of fact....switching motherboards and then not being able to install burning software sounds exactly like a copy protection/activation issue. Some copy protection schemes track hardware changes, just like XP does, then after a change the it thinks is too much or "illegal" (made specifically for the purpose of defeating the protection scheme) it locks things down.

Remember, when the motheboard/cpu are changed you really have a
new computer...all the other stuff drives, sound, video card, etc are called peripherals for a reason....(they are not necessary for a computer to be a computer, neither is a case....), so, why not start out with a fresh clean install of the OS?