Windows 98 Installation & Configuration Handbook

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- 2 -

Installing Windows 98 on a Desktop and Laptop


by Rod Tidrow

Using Windows 98 Setup

You learned in Chapter 1, "Preparing to Install Windows 98," that there are steps you take to prepare your machine for Windows 98. After you make these preparations on your machine, you are ready to start installing Windows 98. The following sections show you how to install Windows 98 from Windows 98 and Windows 3.x. You also learn how to upgrade from MS-DOS, Microsoft Windows NT, and IBM OS/2--three other popular operating systems.


NOTE: If you purchase a new computer, Windows 98 already might be installed on it. To determine whether it is installed, right-click the My Computer icon and choose Properties. On the General tab, look at the information just below the System: heading. It will say Microsoft Windows 98 if Windows 98 is installed. If it is, you can bypass this chapter.

After you prepare your computer for Windows 98, you can start the Windows 98 Setup program. Setup is located on the Windows 98 installation disks or CD-ROM. The Windows 98 Setup program uses a Setup Wizard that displays many dialog boxes and useful prompts to help you install Windows 98 on your system.


NOTE: You'll find valuable information contained in various text files (such as README.TXT and SETUP.TXT) on the Windows 98 CD-ROM or installation disks. Read these files for information that might pertain to your specific system hardware or software.

Taking Your System's Inventory

Before you start Setup, make a note of the following items' configuration settings (such as IRQ, I/O, and DMA information) on your system:


NOTE: The easiest way to determine your network configuration settings is to ask your system administrator for them.

Installation Options

Windows 98 provides you with several installation options from which to choose. Depending on the configuration of your system, you have the following setup options:

Upgrading Windows 95 to Windows 98

Probably your safest bet for getting a clean and trouble-free installation is to install Windows 98 over a copy of Windows 95. Windows 98 is designed to replace Windows 95 and does so by reusing configuration information about installed applications and Windows applets (such as Paint, WordPad, and other components). When you upgrade from Windows 95, the amount of data you must enter during the Windows 98 Setup is kept to a minimum. You do not have to fill out user information or which components to install, for example. After the file-copy stage of Windows 98 Setup completes, you do not have to input any other data until you are ready to start working in the Windows 98 environment. The only exception to this is if you have to enter a login password when Windows 98 reboots to finish the final setup stage.

When you upgrade from Windows 95, you have the option of creating a backup file of Windows 95 files in case you decide to uninstall Windows 98. When you do this, your previous Windows 95 installation is recovered, and all traces of Windows 98 are deleted from your computer. You need approximately 50MB of free space for this uninstall file (called WINUNDO.DAT), in addition to the free space devoted to Windows 98 installation files. You can place WINUNDO.DAT on your primary drive (such as drive C:), or on another drive or partition, if another is available.

If you have Windows 98 on CD-ROM, Setup runs automatically under Windows 95 if the AutoRun feature for your CD-ROM drive is activated (which it should be, unless you have explicitly disabled it). After you insert the Windows 98 CD-ROM, Setup tells you that an older version of Windows is installed and asks whether you want to upgrade to Windows 98. Click Yes to start.

If you have Windows 98 on a floppy disk, open Explorer and locate the Setup.Exe file on the first disk. Double-click this file to start Windows 98 Setup.

The Windows 98 Setup welcome screen appears, as shown in Figure 2.1.

FIG. 2.1 Installing Windows 98 begins at the Windows 98 Setup screen.


NOTE: If you are familiar with Windows 95 Setup, you will see that the Windows 98 Setup screen differs quite a bit from the Windows 95 Setup screen. On the left side of the screen are descriptions of the stages Windows 98 Setup will go through on your machine, including the estimated time remaining for the current stage.

Follow these steps to continue:

1. Click Continue. Windows 98 prepares to run Windows 98 Setup and looks at your system to determine whether other applications are running. If it finds other running applications, you're prompted to close them before continuing (see Figure 2.2). By keeping other applications running, you run the risk of certain shared files (such as dynamic link libraries and device drivers) not being updated properly.


TIP: Press Ctrl+Tab to switch to an open application. Be sure to save your work in that application, and then close it.
2. Click OK. The License Agreement screen appears (see Figure 2.3). Read the agreement and click I Accept the Agreement. If you click I Don't Accept the Agreement, you won't be allowed to continue installing Windows 98.

FIG. 2.2 Be sure to close all other applications before continuing to run Windows 98 Setup.

FIG. 2.3 You must choose to accept the license agreement before you're allowed to continue.

3. Click Next. The Checking Your System screen appears. During this stage, the following tasks are performed:


NOTE: When upgrading to Windows 98 from Windows 95, you do not have the option of selecting or deselecting optional components. Windows 98 Setup assumes that you want the same components installed under Windows 98. Later, you can install or uninstall components as necessary by using the Add/Remove Programs Wizard. You can read about optional components in Chapter 3, "Selecting Windows 98 Components."
4. After the preceding tasks are performed, the Internet Channels screen appears (see Figure 2.4). Select the country in which you reside to specify the proper set of Internet channels for you.

FIG. 2.4 Internet channels provide automatically downloaded information from the World Wide Web to your desktop.

5. Click Next. The Emergency Startup Disk screen appears (see Figure 2.5). The emergency startup disk is your life preserver in case you experience problems with Windows 98 after it's installed. You use this disk to start your PC and diagnose problems using files stored on the emergency startup disk. By taking a few minutes now and using one floppy disk, you insure yourself against potential problems.

FIG. 2.5 The emergency startup disk includes diagnostic programs and important system files.

You'll need a blank floppy disk or a floppy disk that can be reformatted. All files will be lost if you choose to reformat a disk. Also, be sure the disk is one used by the floppy disk drive that boots your computer (the A: drive).

6.
Click Next. Insert a floppy disk into your A: drive when prompted. Click OK to continue.


CAUTION: You also can click Cancel when prompted to insert a floppy disk if you do not want to create an emergency startup disk. This is not recommended, though, because you do not know when you'll experience problems while starting Windows 98. Go ahead and create the startup disk now and store it in a safe place. If you're installing on a laptop PC, you might want to throw a copy of this disk in your laptop carrying case.
7. Click OK after the Windows 98 Startup Disk dialog box appears, informing you that the startup disk is created. Also, remove the startup disk from your A: drive.

8.
After the Start Copying Files screen appears, click Next (see Figure 2.6). Windows 98 Setup begins installing files to your computer. This process can take between 30 and 60 minutes. If you're installing from a CD-ROM, you can sit back and relax. If, however, you're installing from floppy disks, you'll need feed disks into your floppy drive as requested.

FIG. 2.6 When Windows 98 Setup has enough information to start copying files, the Start Copying Files screen appears.


TIP: Watch the Estimated Time Remaining and file-copy progress items on the left side of the Windows 98 Setup screen to monitor the installation progress.

After Windows 98 Setup finishes copying files, Setup needs to restart your PC. It does this in one of two ways:

Your PC shuts down and restarts. Windows 98 then runs for the first time and updates your configuration files. Be patient, because this process might take a few minutes to complete.

The Windows 98 Setup screen appears after your files are updated. At this point, the Setting Up Hardware and Finalizing Settings stage begins. In this stage, your installed hardware is configured to work under Windows 98. If your devices were running properly under Windows 95, there should be no problems with them under Windows 98. However, if you do experience problems with a device, consult the chapter in this book relating to that device to fix it. Also, you might need to consult the manufacturer of that device to inquire about any new device drivers or system settings required to get the device working under Windows 98.

Your machine may restart a few times during the Setting Up Hardware and Finalizing Settings stage. After your hardware is configured, the following items are set up:


TROUBLESHOOTING: I was running Setup, and my machine crashed. Do I have to run Setup from the beginning again? Technically, no. Windows 98 Setup includes a smart-recovery mechanism that maintains a log file during Setup. If Setup crashes, the last entry in the Setup log identifies where Windows needs to start from to resume installation. However, the best answer for this question is yes; you should restart Setup from the beginning and install all the Windows 98 files again. This is because some files might have become corrupted during the system crash.

Again, Windows 98 Setup restarts your PC after the preceding items are set up. Windows 98 then starts for the first time (see Figure 2.7). If you need to test your Windows 98 installation or you have questions about running Windows 98 Safe mode, see the "Starting Windows 98" section, later in this chapter.

FIG. 2.7 The Welcome to Windows 98 screen is the first screen you see after Windows 98 starts.


NOTE: It's beyond the scope of this book to show you how to use Windows 98 and its various components. Click the Discover Windows 98 button on the Welcome to Windows 98 screen to tour Windows 98's features. Or, read Special Edition Using Windows 98, published by Que.


TROUBLESHOOTING: I can't boot into Windows. What can I do? Reboot your computer and press F8 to activate the Startup menu in MS-DOS. Select the Safe Mode option to start Windows 98 in Safe mode. Now you can boot into Windows and diagnose the problem. In many cases, you might have a device-driver conflict. To see if you do, select Start, Settings, Control Panel, and double-click the System icon. Select the Device Manager tab and review the device settings listed. If you see a big red X next to a device, select it and click the Remove button. Click OK. You'll need to reboot your machine to see whether this fixes your problem.

Starting Windows 98 Setup from Windows 3.x

One popular installation method is to install Windows 98 from Windows 3.x. When you do this, Windows 98 migrates your SYSTEM.INI, WIN.INI, and PROTOCOL.INI configuration settings and your Windows 3.x file associations into the Windows 98 Registry. The Registry entries in your Windows 3.x configuration are file and program associations. You need to preserve these to make your applications work under Windows 98.

Another conversion that takes place during the Windows 98 setup is that of Windows 3.x Program Manager to Windows 98 folders. Folders in Windows 98 have replaced program groups. You access program folders from the Start button in Windows 98.

By default, Windows 98 installs over your existing Windows 3.x. When this occurs, the applications installed are updated automatically. If, however, you decide to keep your existing Windows 3.x setup, you need to reinstall all your applications under Windows 98.


CAUTION: Before running Windows 98 Setup on Windows 3.x systems, disable all third-party memory managers, such as QEMM. Also, remove all third-party compression managers, including Stacker, from your system. You can leave Microsoft compression managers on your system, however, such as DriveSpace.

Use these steps to install Windows 98 from Windows 3.x:

1. Start your computer and run Windows 3.x. Make sure all applications are closed before running Setup.

2.
For installation from floppy disk, insert the disk labeled Disk #1 into the floppy drive. If you are installing from CD-ROM, place the CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive.

3.
From Program Manager, choose File, Run. In the Run dialog box, type the letter of the drive containing the disk or CD-ROM, a colon (:), a backslash (\), and the command SETUP. The following command, for example, starts Setup from a floppy drive labeled A:
A:\SETUP
4. Click OK. Setup starts, and the Windows 98 Installation Wizard initializes and begins installing Windows 98.

You're given the option of selecting the type of installation Windows 98 should take. You can choose from Typical, Custom, Portable, and Compact. Select one of these options to continue with the install process. Continue working through the Setup Wizard as explained in "Upgrading Windows 95 to Windows 98," earlier in this chapter.


TROUBLESHOOTING: Do I need to reinstall my programs when I install Windows 98? Windows 98 picks up program settings when you upgrade an existing version of Windows or Windows for Workgroups. If Windows 98 is installed in a separate directory, all Windows-based programs need to be reinstalled.

Starting Windows 98 Setup from DOS

If you do not have Windows 3.x installed on your system, you can install Windows 98 from DOS. Windows 98 first installs a mini-version of Windows on your system. The Windows 98 Setup program that runs is a 16-bit, Windows-based application, so it needs to use these files to execute. You cannot run install from an MS-DOS prompt from within Windows 3.x.

In cases in which you do not have MS-DOS installed, such as upgrading from IBM OS/2 or Windows NT, you need to install DOS on a partition and run the Windows 98 Setup program from the DOS partition.

To start Windows 98 Setup from DOS, use the following steps:

1. Start your computer.

2.
For installation from floppy disk, insert the disk labeled Disk #1 in the floppy drive. If you are installing from CD-ROM, place the CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive.

3.
At the DOS command prompt, type the letter of the drive that contains the setup disks, a colon (:), a backslash (\), and the command SETUP. You can use the following command, for example, to start Windows 98 Setup from a floppy disk labeled A:
A:\SETUP
4. Press Enter. Setup starts, and the Windows 98 Installation Wizard initializes and begins installing Windows 98.

You're given the option of selecting the type of installation Windows 98 should use. You can choose Typical, Custom, Portable, or Compact. Select an option to continue with the install process. Continue working through the Setup Wizard as explained in "Upgrading Windows 95 to Windows 98," earlier in this chapter.


TROUBLESHOOTING: My icons in Windows 98 are black. Is this normal? No, this is not normal and might mean that the SHELLICO file has been corrupted. This file is a hidden file and is in your Windows folder. (Open Explorer, select View, and select Folder Options. Then select the View tab, choose Show All Files in the Hidden Files Folder, and click OK.) Delete the SHELLICO file and reboot your computer. As Windows 95 restarts, the SHELLICO file rebuilds automatically, and your icons should display correctly. If this doesn't work, reboot the computer and press F8 when your computer boots. From the Startup menu, select Safe Mode and start Windows. Shut down Windows and then reboot your computer again.

Migrating from Windows NT 4.0 to Windows 98

Most installations that have Windows NT 4.0 installed will want to run both Windows NT and Windows 98 in a multiboot environment. To set up Windows 98 in this situation, boot to MS-DOS, run Setup from the DOS command prompt, and install Windows 98 in a directory separate from that of Windows NT. This method keeps Windows NT intact on your system and enables you to choose to boot into Windows NT or Windows 98 when you start up your system. The downside is that you won't be able to run Windows 98 in FAT32 mode, because Windows NT doesn't support FAT32 file systems.


NOTE: If you decide to install Windows 98 in a multiboot environment with Windows NT, you must set the Windows NT file system to the file allocation table (FAT) system. You cannot run the NT file system (NTFS). In situations in which you need to have the NTFS installed (for file-level security, for example), you can set up Windows 98 and Windows NT on separate partitions or on separate hard drives.

For more information about setting up Windows NT, see Special Edition Using Windows NT Workstation 4.0 and Windows NT 4.0 Installation and Configuration Handbook, both published by Que.


Another way you can install Windows 98 with Windows NT is to set up different partitions for each operating system. This enables you to run Windows 98 with FAT32 file support on the Windows 98 partition and to run NTFS on the other partition, for example. You just won't be able to see the NTFS partition while in the FAT32 partition, and vice versa. You can use the MS-DOS command FDISK to set up the partitions and then run the setup program for Windows 98 from one partition and the setup program for Windows NT from the other partition.

If you want to install Windows 98 over an existing version of Windows NT, boot MS-DOS from a floppy disk and run the Windows 98 Setup program. This action disables the boot option for Windows NT. If you use this method and later want to restore the Windows NT boot option, you must use the Windows NT boot repair disk that was created when you initially installed Windows NT. When you run this disk, select the Repair option to repair the boot option.

Regardless of the option you choose to install Windows 98 with an existing Windows NT installation, you must reinstall all of your applications. This is because Windows 98 and Windows NT use different Registries. When Windows 98 is installed over a Windows NT installation, settings from the Windows NT Registry are not converted automatically to the Windows 98 Registry. For more information on the Windows 98 Registry, see Chapter 26, "Using Windows 98 Software."

Installing Windows 98 on an OS/2 Computer

To install Windows 98 on a computer running IBM OS/2, you must boot to an MS-DOS prompt and then run Windows 98 Setup from the MS-DOS prompt. To boot to an MS-DOS prompt, select the DOS prompt option from the Boot Manager or, if you are upgrading from an HPFS partition, use the OS/2 Disk 1 to boot to the DOS prompt.

When you are using the Boot Manager in OS/2 and you start Windows 98 Setup, Setup disables the Boot Manager. This way, Windows 98 can restart your computer and automatically boot into Windows 98 to complete the installation process. After Windows 98 is installed, use the following steps to re-enable Boot Manager:

1. In Windows 98, choose Start, Run, and enter FDISK in the Run field.

2.
From the FDISK list of options, select Option 2, Set Active Partition.

3.
Enter the Boot Manager partition number, which is the 1MB no-MS-DOS partition. It usually is the first or last option.

4.
Exit FDISK.

5.
Restart your computer. Boot Manager is restored.


TIP: If you no longer want Boot Manager to start after you install Windows 98, you can remove it. Do this by booting to MS-DOS from Boot Manager and running FDISK. Next, select the MS-DOS partition as your active partition. Exit FDISK and restart your computer.


TROUBLESHOOTING: I plan to use a floppy disk to boot MS-DOS on my OS/2 computer to run Windows 98 Setup. Is there anything I should do first? Yes; before you run Windows 98 Setup, rename the AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS files OS/2 uses before you run Windows 98 Setup. If you do not rename these files, you will not be able to boot OS/2 after Windows 98 is installed.

Installing Windows 98 on a Freshly Formatted Hard Drive

Windows 98 can be installed on a freshly formatted hard drive. This way, you can delete everything from your hard drive using the FDISK command from MS-DOS and rebuild your system from the ground up by using Windows 98.

To do this, use the following guidelines:

See "Partitioning Your New Hard Disk Drive" in Chapter 10, "Installing and Configuring Hard Disk Drives," for more details on partitioning a hard disk.

Starting Windows 98

After Setup installs Windows 98 and configures all its options, Windows 98 starts. Figure 2.8 shows the Windows 98 Welcome screen, which includes helpful suggestions for navigating Windows 98.

FIG. 2.8 The Welcome to Windows 98 screen is the first screen you see after Windows 98 starts.


TIP: If you do not want to see this screen the next time you boot Windows 98, disable the Show This Screen Each Time Windows 98 Starts check box in the Welcome dialog box. To show this screen again, double-click the Welcome application in the Windows 98 folder in Windows Explorer.

Testing Windows 98 Setup

Before you use Windows 98 for the first item, test to see whether it is installed properly. Shut down Windows and restart it by clicking the Start button at the bottom of the screen (this is called the taskbar) and choosing Shut Down. The Shut Down Windows dialog box appears (see Figure 2.9). Make sure the Shut Down option is selected and click OK. This begins the Windows 98 shut-down procedure, which you must perform whenever you want to exit Windows 98.

FIG. 2.9 The Shut Down utility in Windows 98.

When a message appears on your screen telling you it's OK to turn off your machine, press the reset button on your computer. As your PC reboots, watch the screen to see whether you notice any errors. If Windows 98 starts, your system probably works fine, and you can start using Windows 98.

If your system doesn't start, or if you get a DOS screen, your setup has encountered some problems. You can start Windows 98 in Safe mode and fix the problem.

Configuring Laptop Utilities

Windows 98 provides some utilities designed to make working on laptop PCs easier. The following sections show you how to configure Briefcase, Direct Cable Connection, PCMCIA and infrared support, and power-saving devices. Although all of these except the PCMCIA and infrared utilities can be used on desktop PCs, they are mainly used on laptop or other portable systems.

Briefcase and Direct Cable Connection

After Setup finishes installing Windows 98 and you have tested it, you can configure Briefcase and the Direct Cable Connection applications.

An option installed during the Portable Setup installation is the Windows 98 Briefcase. Mobile computing users who have both a portable and desktop PC spend several hours a week transferring files from one machine to the other. Part of this time is devoted to ensuring that the most current file is copied and being used each time the file is modified. Briefcase enables users to synchronize files and copy them between their PCs if they have a network or use the Direct Cable Connection. Briefcase helps eliminate the possibility of errors and overlooked files that users work on.

To use Briefcase, double-click its icon on the desktop to start it. There are no configuration settings for Briefcase, except for those related to setting up a network connection or the Direct Cable Connection. After you start Briefcase, drag and drop files and directories from Explorer or your desktop to the Briefcase (see Figure 2.10). This is much like carrying a briefcase or attaché to the office: You stuff your papers and folders into your briefcase to carry them home or on a trip, or back to the office. Windows 98's Briefcase extends this concept to the electronic platform.

FIG. 2.10 You can use the Windows 95 Briefcase to help you synchronize your files from your portable PC to your desktop PC.


NOTE: For more information on using Briefcase, see Que's Special Edition Using Windows 98, Platinum Edition.

Another feature that mobile users can use is Windows 98 Direct Cable Connection. This feature enables users to hook together two PCs using serial or parallel-port cables. With Direct Cable Connection, you can share folders, files, or printers with another computer without being on a local area network (LAN). This is handy if you transfer files from a laptop PC to a desktop PC, but your laptop does not have a network adapter. If your other PC is on a network, however, the connected PC (in this case, the laptop PC) can access the network and share files or network printers.

By default, Direct Cable Connection is installed during the Portable setup (it's also installed by default during Custom and Typical setups). After Setup installs Windows 98, you need to configure the Direct Cable Connection for each computer you hook together. To do so, use these steps:

1. Choose Start, Programs, Accessories, Communications, and click Direct Cable Connection. The Direct Cable Connection Wizard starts (see Figure 2.11).

FIG. 2.11 Use the Direct Cable Connection Wizard to hook two computers together using a serial or parallel port.

2. On the first Direct Cable Connection screen, you need to specify which computer you are configuring. You have two choices:

Select Host or Guest.

3.
Click Next.


TIP: Host and guest PCs must use the same port connections, such as LPT1, COM1, and so on.
4. Specify the port to which you want to connect. You can use serial (usually, COM1 or COM2) or parallel (usually, LPT1 or LPT2) ports (see Figure 2.12).

FIG. 2.12 Select the type of port each computer will use.


NOTE: If you need to add a port to your computer, click Install New Port. Windows 98 searches your system for the new port and configures it. If Windows cannot find a new port on your system and you recently installed one, shut down Windows 98, reboot your system, and retry this option. You also can run the Add New Hardware Wizard from the Control Panel and add the new port using that wizard.
5. Plug in the cable to the port you specified in step 4.

6.
Click Next. If you set up your PC as the guest computer, skip to step 15. Otherwise, continue to step 7.

7.
You now must specify if you want to enable the guest PC to share printer and file resources on the host machine. To do this, click the File and Print Sharing button to start the Network Control Panel. If you've already configured this for a network connection, you don't have to set this up now.

8.
In the Network dialog box, click File and Print Sharing. Select this option so that your PC can share files and a printer with another PC.

9.
In the File and Print Sharing dialog box, you can choose to have the guest computer share only the host's printer, the host's files, or both. Click OK. If you are prompted to restart Windows, do so.

10.
Click OK in the Network dialog box.

11.
Click Next in the Direct Cable Connection Wizard.
If you do not enable file or printer sharing, a warning screen appears. Click OK and then click Next again to go to the following wizard screen. If file and print sharing is enabled, this screen is bypassed.

12.
The host computer is now configured. To add a layer of security to the connection, you can require that the guest computer input a password to access the host system. To do this, enable the Use Password Protection check box and then click Set Password (see Figure 2.13).

FIG. 2.13 Use a password to help keep intruders from accessing the host computer from the guest computer.


TIP: Be sure to share this password with other users if they are accessing the host computer via Direct Cable Connection.
13. In the Direct Cable Connection Password dialog box, enter the password and re-enter it to confirm the spelling of it. Click OK.

14.
If you have not done so already, configure the other computer as the guest system. Otherwise, click Finish to initialize the host machine.

15.
To configure the guest computer, make sure the Direct Cable Connection Wizard is running (see step 1) on the guest machine and click Guest. Then click Next.


NOTE: If your PC has previously been configured as a host computer, click Change after the Direct Cable Connection Wizard starts to change the configuration. You also can change from guest to host by clicking the same Change button.
16. Select the port to which you want to connect. Remember, the port on the guest computer must match the port on the host machine.

17.
Plug in the cable and click Next.

18.
Click Finish to start using the Direct Cable Connection.


NOTE: See Que's Special Edition Using Windows 98, Platinum Edition for information on using Windows 98 Direct Cable Connection application.

Configuring Windows 98's PCMCIA Support

Windows 98 supports many Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) cards (also known as PC cards), including modems, network adapters, SCSI cards, and others. Windows 98 PCMCIA drivers are 32-bit, dynamically loadable virtual device drivers and consume no conventional memory. Windows 98 enables you to plug in your PCMCIA card in your computer and start using the card immediately. You are not required to shut down and restart your PC for it to recognize the PCMCIA card. (You must have Plug and Play-compliant drivers for this feature to work properly.) If you have a PCMCIA network card, for example, you can plug it into your computer and Windows 98 does the rest: It detects the network card, loads the drivers, and connects to the network.

PCMCIA card installation is performed automatically by Plug and Play if Windows 98 includes supporting drivers for your PCMCIA card and socket. If your card is not configured by Windows 98, you'll need to start the PCMCIA Wizard and set up the card manually. When you run the PCMCIA Wizard, Windows 98 modifies your AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS files by removing the lines that start the real-mode driver and adds a line that enables the PCMCIA socket.

To see whether your PCMCIA socket is detected by Windows 98, do the following:

1. In the Control Panel, double-click the System icon. In the System Properties dialog box, select the Device Manager tab.

2.
Select View Devices By Type and see whether the PCMCIA Socket listing is included with the list of devices. If it's not, you must run the Add New Hardware Wizard from the Control Panel (see Chapter 5, "Installing and Configuring New Hardware and Software," for details on setting up hardware). If the listing is included, you should be able to use your PCMCIA device.


NOTE: Some legacy PCMCIA cards are not supported "out of the box" with Windows 98. If your PCMCIA card is not included on the list of supported cards, contact the card's manufacturer for updated installation disks for Windows 98.

Once you get your PCMCIA device working, you can display the PC Card (PCMCIA) Properties dialog box (see Figure 2.14). Here, you can remove a PC card, control the way in which the Properties dialog box displays, and have Windows 98 display a warning if you remove a PC card before stopping it. On the Global Settings tab, you can set the way the PC card uses memory and specify whether you want to disable PC card sound effects.

FIG. 2.14 Use the PC Card (PCMCIA) Properties dialog box to control your PC cards.

Configuring Windows 98's Infrared Support

Infrared devices are wireless transmitters and receivers that use infrared signals to transmit information. Some common devices include network adapters and printers. You can use Windows 98's Infrared Monitor to keep track of the infrared activity on your PC. You can find out, for example, when a device is outside the range of your computer. Infrared Monitor also can tell you the status of your device, set the identification of your device, and set infrared device options.

To display Infrared Monitor, you need to install an infrared device using the Add New Hardware Wizard, as described in Chapter 5. After a device is installed, open the Control Panel and double-click the Infrared icon. Or, double-click the Infrared Monitor icon on the taskbar. The Infrared Monitor dialog box appears (see Figure 2.15).

FIG. 2.15 You use Infrared Monitor to control the way your infrared devices operate.

On the Status page, you see the status of your devices.

On the Options page, you can choose from the following options:

On the Preferences tab, you can set the following options for controlling the behavior of Infrared Monitor (see Figure 2.16):

FIG. 2.16 Set Infrared Monitor properties from the Preferences tab.

Finally, you can enter a name and description of your computer on the Identification tab (see Figure 2.17). If you have a network already set up on your system, the Computer Name and Computer Description fields are filled in with the computer's name. Any changes you make here are also reflected on the Network Properties Identification tab.

FIG. 2.17 Establish a name and description of your computer.

Configuring Power-Saving Devices

Windows 98 provides power-management control over monitors and hard disks to help conserve energy and battery power (on laptops) when these devices are not being used. You can set up power schemes that let you quickly change between power-management settings if you change locations often.

Open the Control Panel and double-click the Power Management icon. The Power Management Properties dialog box appears (see Figure 2.18).

FIG. 2.18 Windows includes settings for turning off idle monitors and hard disks.

To change to a different preset power scheme, select a scheme from the Power Schemes drop-down list box. You can select Portable/Laptop, Home/Office Desk, or Always On. You also can save your own setting by changing the Turn Off Monitor and Turn Off Hard Disks settings and then clicking Save As. Give your new scheme a name and click OK. Your new scheme is available in the Power Schemes drop-down list box.


TIP: Delete a scheme by selecting it in the Power Schemes drop-down list box and clicking Delete. Click Yes when asked whether you're sure you want to delete the scheme.

To show the power meter on the taskbar, select the Advanced tab and select the Show Power Meter on Taskbar option. You then can double-click the Power Meter icon to display the Power Management Properties dialog box.

Using Windows 98 in Safe Mode

With luck, your computer starts and you have no problems running your new Windows 98 installation. Many times, however, Windows 98 encounters a problem (such as a Registry setting missing or corrupted) during startup that it cannot fix. When this happens, you need to run Windows in Safe mode from the Startup menu. You can display the Startup menu by pressing F8 during the boot process. Press F8 when the instruction Starting Windows appears. This usually appears after your system checks the internal RAM on your system. Windows 98 also starts Safe mode automatically if it detects a problem with the startup files.

The Startup menu has the following options from which to choose. Depending on your specific setup, you may or may not have the same settings:

When Safe Mode is selected from the Startup menu, it bypasses startup files, including the Registry, CONFIG.SYS, AUTOEXEC.BAT, and the [Boot] and [386Enh] sections of SYSTEM.INI. Table 2.1 shows the files that the three most common Safe Mode options bypass and initiate. As the table shows, Safe mode does not load all the Windows drivers. In fact, during Safe mode, only the mouse, keyboard, and standard Windows VGA device drivers are loaded. If you are using other drivers, such as a Super VGA video driver, they are not available in Safe mode.

Table 2.1  Files Loaded During Startup Menu Options

Action Safe Mode Safe Mode, Command Prompt Only Network Support
Process CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT No No No
Process Registry information No Yes No
Load COMMAND.COM No Yes Yes
Run Windows 98 WIN.COM Yes Yes No
Load HIMEM.SYS and IFSHLP.SYS Yes Yes No
Load DoubleSpace or DriveSpace if present Yes Yes Loaded if Safe Mode Command Prompt Only option is selected
Load all Windows drivers No No No
Load network drivers No Yes No
Run NETSTART.BAT No Yes No

After Windows 98 starts in Safe mode, you can access the configuration files, modify configuration settings, and then restart Windows 98 normally.

Creating and Using the Startup Disk

Setup lets you create a startup disk. Regardless of how well you think the Windows 98 Setup program is going, always choose to make a startup disk. The startup disk is your life preserver in case you experience problems with Windows 98 after it's installed. By taking a few minutes now and using one floppy disk, you insure yourself against potential problems.

You'll need one floppy disk to reformat when the startup disk is created. Because you will lose all the data on this disk, make sure it does not contain anything important. Your PC must be able to boot the floppy disk from the floppy disk drive, which is the A: drive.


NOTE: Many older PCs have 5 1/4-inch floppy disk drives as the A: drive. Many users, however, have abandoned the use of 5 1/4-inch floppy disks. If your A: drive is the 5 1/4-inch drive, you must use this size floppy disk as your startup disk. You cannot change Setup to create a startup disk on the B: drive.

The startup disk is a bootable floppy disk that stores several system files (more than 1.2MB). In case you need to use the startup disk, place it in your floppy drive and reboot your machine. You are presented with an MS-DOS command line that provides utilities and maintenance instructions to help you recover your installation.


NOTE: The startup disk has limitations. It cannot be used to provide access to a network connection, for example. You need to fix any problems associated with your installation to recover from a network problem.

Table 2.2 lists the files Setup copies to the startup disk.

Table 2.2  Startup Disk Files

File Description
ASPI*.* A collection of real-mode Adaptec CD-ROM drivers
ATTRIB.EXE Sets file attributes, such as hidden and read-only
BTCDROM/BTDOSM.SYST Real-mode Mylex/BusLogic CD-ROM drivers
CHKDSK.EXE Checks a disk and displays a status report
COMMAND.COM Starts a new copy of the Windows Command Interpreter, which is the primary operating system file for MS-DOS
DEBUG.EXE Runs Debug, a testing- and editing-tool program
DRVSPACE.BIN DriveSpace disk-compression utility
EBD.CAB CAB file that includes extraction utilities
EBD.SYS Utility for the startup disk
EDIT.COM Text editor in MS-DOS
EXTRACT.EXE Extraction utility for extracting CAB files
FDISK.EXE Configures a hard disk for use with MS-DOS
FINDRAMD.EXE RAM drive utility that locates the RAM drive during startup
FLASHPT.SYS Real-mode Mylex/BusLogic CD-ROM driver
FORMAT.COM Formats a hard disk or floppy disk for use with MS-DOS
HIMEM.SYS Extended Memory Specification (XMS) memory manager
IO.SYS Core operating-system file
MSCDEX Microsoft CD-ROM file extension for the MS-DOS environment
MSDOS.SYS Core operating-system file
OAKCDROM.SYS Real-mode ATAPI CD-ROM driver
RAMDRIVE.SYS Utility for creating a RAM drive during startup
REGEDIT.EXE Starts the Registry Editor
SCANDISK.EXE Starts ScanDisk
SCANDISK.INI Stores system configuration settings for ScanDisk
SETRAMD.EXE Locates the first drive that can be configured as a RAM drive
SYS.COM Copies MS-DOS system files and Command Interpreter to a disk you specify
UNINSTAL.EXE Starts utility for recovering deleted files

A few other files that you might want to copy to the startup disk after Windows 98 is installed include AUTOEXEC.BAT, CONFIG.SYS, WIN.INI, and SYSTEM.INI. Other INI files also might come in handy. These files are ones you already should have backed up in Chapter 1, "Preparing to Install Windows 98."

To instruct Setup to create a startup disk, make sure the Yes, I Want a Startup Disk (Recommended) choice in the Startup Disk screen is selected and click Next.

The startup disk available in Windows 98 is different than the one in Windows 95 and provides a much more powerful tool for getting your Windows 98 installation up and running. To see how the Windows 98 version works, place the disk in the A: drive and reboot your computer. The Microsoft Windows 98 Startup menu appears. You can choose from one of the following options:

As you can see, one major change is that the Windows 98 startup disk now includes a multiconfiguration menu that enables you to load common CD-ROM drivers. You also can perform a clean boot (no CD-ROM support) from this menu.

If you select to load the CD-ROM drivers, the startup disk creates a 2MB RAM driver in which the diagnostic tools for troubleshooting your system are installed. The RAM drive emulates a hard drive so that all the system tools can be installed. After the startup disk finishes, the RAM drive is deleted.


NOTE: The RAM drive may use the drive letter usually set up for your CD-ROM drive. The RAM drive will be the D: drive, for example, and your CD-ROM drive will be the E: drive.

After the tools are loaded (and CD-ROM drivers are loaded, if selected), you're presented with the A:/ prompt. From here, you can switch to the RAM drive (such as the D: drive) and run one of the following utilities:

Run the HELP.BAT file to get a description of each of these tools.

After you run the troubleshooting tool(s), restart your PC with the RESTART utility.


NOTE: If you did not create a startup disk during setup, you can create one using a single floppy disk. In the Add/Remove Programs Properties dialog box from the Control Panel, select the Startup Disk tab. Then click the Create Disk button and follow the instructions onscreen. You should do this even if you are not having problems starting Windows 98. In the future, you might experience a problem that only the startup disk can remedy.

Uninstalling Windows 98

If you've changed your mind about Windows 98, you can uninstall it to return to a previously installed version of Windows 95 or Windows 3.1. Windows 98 provides a way to uninstall itself to let you return to a previous Windows installation. If you elected to keep your previous operating system intact during Windows 98 Setup, the Uninstall Windows 98 option on the Add/Remove Programs Properties dialog box will be available.

To uninstall Windows 98, use the following steps:

1. Choose Start, Settings, Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs.

2.
In the Add-Remove Programs Properties dialog box, select the Install/Uninstall tab.

3.
In the list of software that can be removed by Windows, click Uninstall Windows 98.

4.
Click Add/Remove, and then follow the directions on your screen. The Uninstall program removes all long filename entries from your hard disk and then runs an MS-DOS-based program to remove Windows 98 and restore your previous MS-DOS and Windows 3.x files.


TROUBLESHOOTING: I uninstalled Windows 98, but I still have some files left on my machine from Windows 98. Why? These are long filenames that Windows 98 installs. If you uninstall Windows 98 using a method other than uninstalling it from Windows 98, you are left with these long filenames. You can remove them by running Windows 3.x File Manager and deleting them one at a time.


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