00. Background

Unfortunately, it is a fact of life that in order to keep your Windows computer performing at its maximum potential, you must periodically do a clean install. For the average 'power user' this is about once or twice a year.

A clean install is the best way to transition from FAT16 to FAT32 partitions, correct registry errors, cleanup after botched uninstalls, free up disk space, and get rid of programs you are no longer using.

If you follow these procedures you will find future updating easier (for example, you won't have to reinsert the Windows CD-ROM every time you change your configuration), your system will actually run faster, and you get to choose the components you actually want installed!

Print this page and use it as a checklist, if you miss a step, you may have to start over from the beginning!

We have had e-mail from users all over the world that have had good luck with these instructions. Check out our Testimonials Page here.

01. Before You Begin (This is what you will need)

[ ] Microsoft Windows 98 CD: either Retail or OEM, and either the FULL or UPGRADE version. You can not use a Recovery or Restore CD, but many of the configuration and tuning options described here can be used after installing from one of these CDs.
[ ] Product Key code (XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX).
[ ] Optional: Boot floppy with CD-ROM support! (device drivers to access CD drive from DOS).
The Boot floppy is not needed if your computer can boot from a CD drive (FULL version only, not the UPGRADE version).
[ ] Partitioning Preferences (C:, D:, E:, etc. and partition sizes).
[ ] Name and Organization.
[ ] Optional: Default Printer (Manufacturer and Model).
[ ] Optional: If you are going to use an UPGRADE CD, you will need a Windows 3.1 setup disk #1 or Windows 9x installation CD for the compliance check.
[ ] Device driver CD's or floppies for hardware not recognized by Windows.
If your motherboard uses chipsets that are newer than the version of Windows you are installing (such as the Intel 810), you will need either the CD that came with your motherboard or you will need to download them from either the motherboard vendors web site, or possibly Intel, VIA, or SIS, depending on your motherboard.
[ ] Optional: Floppy disk with a new version of FDISK.EXE, see the following section to determine if you need it!

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02. Hard Drives > 64GB

If you have decided to update your PC with a new, large capacity, hard drive as part of your Windows 98 Clean Install, be aware that Windows 98 was not designed to work with hard drives larger than 64GB!

Please refer to our Windows 98 & Large Hard Drives tips page for special instructions that may allow you to use hard drives that have storage capacities larger than 64GB.

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03. Check the Hard Drive setting in CMOS

For IDE hard drives you want the C: drive to be the 'Primary' device on the 'Master' channel. Most all modern IDE hard drives will work correctly (if they are correctly jumpered) if you set the CMOS setting for the Master Primary device to 'AUTO'.

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04. Boot Options

If your computer supports booting from the CD-ROM drive (check CMOS boot options) and you have the FULL Windows 98 CD, go ahead and boot from the CD. The UPDATE CD's are not-bootable.

If you must boot from floppy, then your best option is to use the 'Microsoft Windows 98 Emergency Boot Disk' that comes with the CD.

If you don't have the Emergency boot floppy, you can make one. Go to a Windows 98 PC, 'Start | Settings | Control Panel | Add/Remove Programs | Startup Disk', and create one. Windows 98 will create a generic boot floppy that will work with most ATAPI CD-ROM drives and add a cabinet file to the floppy with all the DOS utilities you need, such as FDISK.EXE and FORMAT.COM. A batch file is also added that will create a RAM disk and extract all the utilities to it when you boot.

If you don't have a working Windows 98 PC at your disposal, you can use one running Windows 95 OSR2.x (B or C). (The original version of Windows 95 and the 'a' version, did not have FAT32 support, so the FDISK program will be of no use). Make the Startup Disk as above, but you will have to manually add the real mode device driver for your CD-ROM drive, add MSCDEX.EXE, and edit CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT to load the CD-ROM support. Also be sure to add FORMAT.COM and FDISK.EXE and SYS.COM.

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05. Start the computer with CD-ROM support

If you boot from the Windows 98 floppy or CD, select the option to boot with CD-ROM support. You will see a message stating that a RAM drive was created. If you are installing to a new hard drive, the RAM drive will be drive C: and you will see a message that 'Windows 98 has detected that drive C: does not contain a valid FAT or FAT32 partition...'.

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06. Partition the Hard Drive(s) with FDISK

A:\>FDISK

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07. Re-boot

Press ESCape to exit FDISK and re-boot the PC (again with CD-ROM support!).

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08. Drive Letters (A:, C:, D:, ...)

You may have to substitute your actual assigned drive letters in the examples below, depending on how you startup your computer.

If you boot from a floppy, the default drive will be A:. Your primary hard drive that you install Windows on will be drive C:. If your boot floppy creates a RAM disk for the DOS utility programs, this will be drive D: and the CD-ROM drive will be drive E:. If you boot from the floppy without a RAM drive, the CD-ROM drive should be drive D:.

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09. Format the Hard Drive(s)

This time you boot, the RAM drive should move to the next available drive letter (D: if you created one partition). If you are not sure if FDISK was able to partition the whole hard drive, run FDISK again and use option 4 to view partition information.

A:\>D:\FORMAT C: /S

A:\>A:\FORMAT C: /S

A:\>D:\WIN98\FORMAT C: /S

A:\>E:\WIN98\FORMAT C:

A:\>SYS C:

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10. Create Drive C: Directories

Use the Change Directory command to make drive C: your active drive:

A:\>CD C:

C:\>MD WINDOWS

C:\>MD WINDOWS\OPTIONS

C:\>MD WINDOWS\OPTIONS\CABS

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11. Copy the Install Files to the Hard Drive

Insert the Windows 98 CD (in our examples following, we will assume it is drive E:)

Change Directory to the Cabinet directory and copy the contents of the Windows 98 CD, WIN98 directory to the hard drive:

C:\>CD WINDOWS\OPTIONS\CABS

C:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS\CABS>COPY E:\WIN98

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12. Start the Setup Program

C:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS\CABS>SETUP

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13. Enter the Product Key

For Windows 98, this is found on the Certificate of Authenticity, on the cover of the 'Getting Started' manual, or a separate card.

The Product Key is a 25-character string of alpha-numerics arranged in groups of 5:

XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX

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14. (Optional) Upgrade Compliance Check

You will see this dialog box if you are installing from an UPDATE type CD. Insert the CD or floppy from your prior version of Windows and 'Browse' to the root directory.

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15. Select Directory (Read Carefully)

By default, the SETUP program will offer to install in:

C:\WINDOWS.000

C:\WINDOWS

Next you will get a warning you are going to overwrite files (even though there no files in the Windows directory to overwrite). Select 'YES' to continue.

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16. Setup Options

Select the 'Custom' install!

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17. User Information

Enter the customer name and company (organization).

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18. Select Components

This is where you finally get the chance to install just what you want.

Here are the most common selections we use which require about 275MB of hard drive space:

[ ] Accessibility: ALL
[ ] Accessories: (Usually all but Briefcase)
[ ] Address Book: ALL
[ ] Communications: (Dial-Up Networking, Direct Cable Connect, HyperTerminal)
[ ] Desktop Themes: NONE
[ ] Internet Tools: NONE (unless you are going to share Internet access via the LAN)
[ ] Multilanguage Support: NONE
[ ] Multimedia: ALL (if hard drive is > 1GB)
[ ] Online Services: NONE
[ ] Outlook Express: ALL (if hard drive is > 1GB)
[ ] System Tools: (All but Disk Compression Tools, Drive Converter (FAT32), Backup, and Group Policies)
[ ] Web TV for Windows: NONE

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19. Identification

If network support is loaded:

[ ] Computer Name: (8 characters - usually customer first or last name or workstation location)
[ ] Workgroup: 'WORKGROUP'
[ ] Computer Description: (make & model, CPU, or location on network)

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20. Startup Disk

Don't make it yet, after the dialog box appears asking you to insert a blank disk, select 'Cancel'.

Take out the boot floppy now! (We will make the Startup Disk later on).

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21. Copying Files... take a Coffee Break!

When the Setup program says it will 'Start Copying Files', this is your break time. This will take 20-40 minutes, depending on the speed of the PC. No intervention should be required until the Date/Time Properties dialog is displayed. Windows will automatically re-boot as needed during this phase.

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22. Date/Time Properties

Be sure to set the Time Zone correctly and local time & date. Also check the Daylight Savings time box (at least if you are in southern Michigan).

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23. Optional Dialogs

Other dialog boxes may now appear, depending on your options.

[ ] Network logon and Password: use first name of customer for logon, leave password blank. We use 'User' for the name.

If you are installing Windows 95, somewhere about here you will have to specify the printer manufacturer, model and port. You will need the driver disk(s) if Windows doesn't recognize it. You can select cancel and install the printer later.

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24. New Hardware Found...

This dialog will come and go as Windows loads drivers for hardware and plug and play devices it recognizes. You may be prompted to supply device driver files on floppies or CD's here.

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25. Cleanup the Desktop

After the Setup is completed and Windows re-boots, you will get your first look at what a mess it made of the desktop. Remove any unwanted desktop shortcuts now (such as MSN, Online Services, etc.).

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26. Check for Missing Device Drivers

Go to the Device Manager Control Panel (Open the System Control Panel and click on the Device Manager tab) and look for a section called 'Other Devices'. These are hardware components that Windows could not identify and you will have to manually load drivers for. If this section is not there, then drivers were loaded for all identified devices. If you had any non Plug-and-Play cards or ISA cards that are not listed, you will have to manually load the drivers per the manufacturers instructions.

Also look for any warning signs indicating resource conflicts, etc.

Tip: You may have to toggle a setting in your CMOS Setup or BIOS for 'Plug and Play OS' to get Windows to recognize your hardware.

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27. Install Motherboard Device Drivers First!

If your motherboard uses chipsets that are newer than the version of Windows you are installing (such as the Intel 810), you will need to install the chipset drivers now. Install these chipset drivers BEFORE installing any device drivers for onboard video or audio and any other PCI cards you may have.

If you don't install the motherboard chipset support device drivers first, you will have to completely restart the Windows installation from the beginning! The manual that came with your motherboard is a good resource to refer to now. Most vendors supply a CD-ROM with the files you need or have them on their web site.

Intel has all the latest chipset drivers at their web site: www.intel.com. (Navigate to Support, Downloads, and then Chipset Software) that will work if you can't find them from your motherboard manufacturer.

VIA Technologies web site: www.viatech.com.

Silicon Integrated Systems Corporation (SiS) web site: www.sis.com.

Skipping this step is most often the cause of botched Windows installs!

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28. Setup Drive Letters for Removable Media

Bump up the drive letters for any removable media devices other than floppy drives (CD-ROMs, ZIP drives, LS-120 drives, etc.). Go into Device Manager, find the device and double-click it to bring up Properties dialog. Change the 'Settings'. Make 'Start' and 'End' drive letter the same.

We use 'R:' for CD-ROMs, 'W' for CD-R/W, 'Z:' for Zip Drives, 'L:' for LS-120 drives.

Multiple CD changers will need a different 'End' letter, depending on how many drives you have.

After setting the drive letters and exiting the Control Panel you will have to re-boot.

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29. Set the Folder Options

Open up 'My Computer' and check that the reassigned drive letters are correct.

Next, open up the C: drive, select 'View' and then 'Folder Options'.

Check the boxes for:

[X] Allow all uppercase names
[X] Display the full path in Title Bar
[X] Show All Files (temporarily for now)
[X] Show windows contents when dragging
[X] Smooth edges of screen fonts

Also be sure to UN-CHECK:

[ ] Hide file extensions for known file types

Click 'Apply' and 'Close'.

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30. Tweak the 'Send To' Menu...

Wouldn't it be nice to easily open files that you know contain just text, but don't have a .TXT extension (.INI, .BAT, etc.)?

Right-click the 'Start' button and select 'Explore'.

Go to 'Start Menu | Programs | Accessories'.

Copy the shortcut for 'Notepad'.

Paste the shortcut into the 'Send To' folder (just above the 'Start Menu' folder).

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31. Get Rid of the Startup Splash Screen

If you have any errors during the DOS phase of your boot, you will never know it unless you disable the Windows splash screen (be sure you enabled viewing HIDDEN and SYSTEM files):

Open the C: drive (root folder).

Find the file: MSDOS.SYS and right-click it and select 'Properties'.

Turn off the Read-Only attribute, then 'Apply' and 'Close'.

Right-click the MSDOS.SYS file again and select 'Send To' and then 'Notepad'.

In the [Options] section add the following line:

Logo=0

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32. (Optional) Give yourself a Boot Menu

If you have ever had trouble finding the right key stroke for booting to 'SAFE MODE', or you just want to boot to the DOS command prompt, add the follow lines in the [Options] section of the MSDOS.SYS file:

Logo=0
;
; Boot Menu by www.hexff.com
;
BootWin=1
BootMenu=1
BootMenuDefault=1
BootMenuDelay=6

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33. (Optional) Kill the Scheduler

If you are not going to leave your computer on all night and use the Scheduler (it's usually the first icon on the left in the System Tray of the Task Bar), you can disable it and free up some resources:

'Start | Run | MSCONFIG | Startup' and un-check the line that says:

[ ] Scheduling Agent C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\mstask.exe'.

Note that Symantec's Norton AntiVirus needs the Task Scheduler running to automatically start full system scans.

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34. Make the Startup Disk!

Go to:

'Start | Settings | Control Panel | Add/Remove Programs | Startup Disk'

and make a boot floppy. Label it!

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35. (Optional) Move the Swap file

If you have more than one hard drive, you can generally improve performance by moving the swap file.

Assigning a fixed size makes it a PERMANENT file which is more efficient when your disk starts to get fragmented. We use a general rule of thumb of 2.5 times your real RAM amount. For example, on a 64MB system we would size the swap file to 160MB.

Right-click 'My Computer', then go to

'Properties | Performance | Virtual Memory...'

and then select 'Let me specify my own virtual settings'. Make the Min and Max the same, and if desired, move it to another hard drive. Windows will complain and give you warnings, but if you re-boot with no errors, it worked. If not, boot into 'Safe' mode and undo your settings. (You may also find it interesting to note that on most systems with at least 32MB of RAM, you can actually boot Windows with NO swap file. This is sometimes useful for defragging the hard drive before assigning a permanent swap file.)

You will also most likely want to change the properties of the Swap file (Win386.swp) and make it 'Hidden'.

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36. Make Dates Easier to Read

Go to
'Start | Settings | Control Panel | Regional Settings'
and change 'Short Date Style' to 'MM/dd/yyyy'.
This will change the date display in Windows 98 to show the full 4-digit year.

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37. (Optional) Power User Enhancements

[ ] If you want all of the older MS-DOS commands to be available in a DOS window (such as HELP, QBASIC, XCOPY, etc.), copy the contents of the oldmsdos directory on the install CD to the Windows Commands directory:

C:\>COPY E:\TOOLS\OLDMSDOS\*.* C:\WINDOWS\COMMANDS\

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38. Additional Resources

The SETUP program will install 15 or more .TXT files to the C:\WINDOWS directory. Refer to these files for more information on Windows 98 (CONFIG.TXT, DISPLAY.TXT, GENERAL.TXT, HARDWARE.TXT, TIPS.TXT, etc.).

Also check out the Microsoft Help and Support web site: http://support.microsoft.com/

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39. Get the latest Microsoft Updates

Run the Windows Update program and install the latest Critical Updates and Service Packs (if there is no icon on your Start menu, look for C:\WINDOWS\WUPDMGR.EXE). This can be painfully slow with a dialup connection; there are about 10MB of security patches and critical updates, as well as 15-30MB update of Internet Explorer to version 6.0 SP1.

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40. Recommended Preventive Maintenance

See our Windows Preventive Maintenance page to keep your system running at optimal efficiency.

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