new OS on mature Dell laptop

[fixrupr]

Just acquired a Dell latitude LM (laptop), which is in operating condition running Win 95.

Specs:
Pentium133
1.34G hard drive (enough for our purposes)
40mb ram

Am new to both Dell and laptops, and do not wish to trod into this project and end up with a nonworking laptop.

I wish to format/install win98se (retail), because the drive currently has much useless stuff w/o uninstall progs.

Information at Dell site is nonexistent re 98 on this laptop.

Am concerned re drivers specific to this model, and w98.

Has anyone been there, done that? (Using drivers on w98 CD.)

I just received a call from previous owner. He found w95 driver disks. Are these likely to work for w98se?

This laptop has spent it's life in Canada. Should I store it in the freezer when not in use?

[diurnal]

I would not reformat unless you have a driver, restore,or application disk with all drivers on it. And if its not for 98se i wouldnt attempt it because youll probably never find the drivers online. I would wait and see if he can find the driver disks.

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Sledgehammer will save the day!

[sea69]

hi

1st off I would go here and get all the drivers onto floppies.

Then proceed as per instructions at the dell site.


edit: forgot to mention- All Canadian dells must be put into the microwave for 8.9 minutes to thaw.




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sea1_69@hotmail.com

homepage

[This message has been edited by sea69 (edited 01-02-2002).]

[fixrupr]

Thanks guys,
Problem is that Dell site (per Sea's link) has nothing re 98 and this machine. ("No downloads match the criteria you selected") Though all 95 drivers are there for download.

What do you think of the following course of action?

1) Using parallel crossover cable, copy existing drive to partition onto host PC (desktop)

2) format Dell drive and attempt clean install 98

3) if #2 fails attempt 95 install then upgrade to 98

4) if #3 fails attempt 95 clean install

5) if #4 fails reinstall copy made in step one, and try to remove the junk the hard way.

Question: Are there any weird things I’m not aware of re Dell peculiarities ( ie: Compaq “secret partition”)?

Sea,
Microwave trick worked, eh! But when in MS Word it inserts "eh" at the end of all sentances, eh. Can we do anything aboot that, eh?

[mjc]

While the machine should handle 98, I think that you may be in for a slow ride if you do it...98 is much larger than 95 and will probably be much slower.

Also what drivers are you needing (yeah everything), because you might be able to find out if there are separate drivers for 95 and 98 by looking up a "known" device and seeing if it lists separate drivers....many drivers will work for both, I have even seen some driver updates say as being for Win9x (and include ME)...so I think you may have a prety good chenace using the Dell 95 drivers.

As far as hidden little Dell secrets...none that I know of, but my experience with Dell is limited to desktops, so I'm not sure about their laptops.....

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mjc
Links list:Computer Links

Celts are the men that heaven made mad, For all their battles are merry and their songs are all sad.

[fixrupr]

Thanks mjc,
Am also concerned with size of 98, but intentions are to do very minimal install.

Only progs will be MS Word, IE explorer (or Opera), Eudora. No surfing just p/u web mail when out of town. I have 95 and can use it if problems arise. The wife will use it around the house, as a word processor most of the time.

Bottom line: maybe 98 will not be an upgrade, but will find out.
Will post back with results.

In the meantime, any other suggestions/opinions would be helpfull.

Question:
Have noticed large price spread re replacement battery.
Can anyone recommend a reputable vendor?

[mjc]

If you are thinking about using Opera or Eudora I would go with 98lite and get rid of IE.....that will trim the size of the install dramatically.

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mjc
Links list:Computer Links

Celts are the men that heaven made mad, For all their battles are merry and their songs are all sad.

[fixrupr]

Thanks mjc,
Never B4 heard of 98lite. Thanks for the link!

[fixrupr]

Update:

Installed Win98se w/o a problem.
W98se CD had all drivers required.

Many thanks for the help!

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"Uh, this is only temporary...unless it works."
------ Red Green------