Windows Installation Notes

Recommended Installation Recipe and Checklist

1. Windows 98 SE
1. Windows 98 startup disk - create and boot
2. fdisk - partition hard disk
1. for Windows/Linux multiboot, limit primary DOS partition to (8GB - 23MB) as standard LILO has to have the linux /boot partition in the first 8GB.  Create both the primary DOS partition and an extended partition that uses all free space.
2. delpart.exe - use this tool if fdisk has problem deleting unrecognized partitions
3. format c: - format the primary DOS partition, /q for quick format without bad block scanning
4. reboot
5. load CD-ROM drive with Windows-98/SE CD-ROM
6. e: - change to the CD-ROM drive
7. cd win98_se/setup/win98
8. setup
2. DMA for Hard Drives and CD-ROM (for IDE drives only)

Control Panel>System>Device Manager>Disk Drives
    (select device)
    Properties>Settings>Options>
        DMA
Control Panel>System>Device Manager>CDROM
    (select device)
    Properties>Settings>Options>
        DMA
3. Network - install ethernet driver if necessary, configure internet access, and samba authentication
1. samba

Start>Run... Open: regedit
        HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE>System>CurrentControlSet>Services>VxD>VNETSUP
            Edit>New>DWORD Value
                EnablePlainTextPassword    1    (double-click name to modify 0 to 1)
4. Motherboard-specific updates from the motherboard-installation CD-ROM or newer versions from the web
1. BIOS update
2. AGP driver - for AGP display cards, DirectX
3. IDE driver - revisit (2) above after update
4. sound driver - if the motherboard supports onboard audio - Audio not working?   Make sure to enable it in the BIOS.
5. other drivers - e.g., USB
5. DirectX update - currently version 8.1 (included in Windows XP) - DX81eng.exe
1. Video capture  update - for video capture devices, e.g., TV tuner - dx80bda.exe
6. Display drivers update
1. ATI All-In-Wonder Radeon update - recommended driver - 4.13.7189
2. ATI All-In-Wonder 128 update - alternate driver for Video for Windows support - Driver Version - 4.12.6292
3. ATI Multimedia Center 7.1 update - channel settings are now in the Registry,
1. branch: HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/ATI Technologies/MultiMedia/Features/TV/Tuner/*
2. to export: Menu>Registry>Export Registry File
3. to import: Menu>Registry>Import Registry File
4. ATI DVD Player 4.1.0.0 update -
7. Creative SoundBlaster Live!
• drivers/software from CD; driver/software update from web -
• SoundBlaster Live! Platinum - sblw9xup.exe
• SoundBlaster Live! 5.1 Platinum -
• video software versus sound software chicken-or-egg problem - video software requires sound, sound software requires more than the default color depth
• know bug below with ATI Multimedia Center software, may require fiddling with Device Manager enable/disable and reinstallation
8. Other software
1. WinZip - current version 8.1
2. printer drivers - e.g., HP LaserJet 5m drivers, ...
3. MS Office -
4. MS Developer -
5. HttpWall - load JPEG wallpaper from the web, Version 2.01
6. Real Player -
7. Winamp -

Windows Update

Notes

• How to Start a Windows-Based Computer in Safe Mode

While your computer restarts, press and hold the CTRL key until the Windows 98 Startup menu is displayed.
NOTE : If you are using the EZDrive tool, press F8 instead of CTRL
Select the Safe Mode menu option from the Startup menu, and then press ENTER.
• Boot failure - check to make sure that you ejected any floppies!

ex., NTLDR is missing
• How do I clone/backup a hard disk under Windows?- xxcopy - http://www.xxcopy.com/

Known Bugs

1. Ddhelp caused an invalid page fault in module unknown - make sure to install the motherboard AGP driver
2. Windows hangs after installing DirectX - make sure to install the latest motherboard AGP driver
3. MSGSRV32 error in DEVCON32 starting Windows - this issue affects systems using ATI's Multimedia Center software and SoundBlaster Live! audio cards - try ATI's solution or replacing devcon32.dll with version 4.06.642