What the heck do I have???

[Stuffy]

I have been searching all around trying to find out how to put W98-Full over W95. While I was searching through this forum I ran across someone who was looking for multiple disks for W95. When I bought this machine, it had W95 on it and I bought - what I thought was the whole W95 operating system. I have only had to use it once, about a month ago when I put a new hard drive in and everything worked great, but I have only ONE disk!!! On this disk it looks like there is a BACKUP FILE. I don't have multiple disks, like the other message eluded to, and I do have the "Official MS Book" that came with this system and the same holds true for the W98 package. Can anyone explain to me what I really have? I had the system made for me at a local shop so I could make sure if and when I had any problems I could have it looked at and fixed within a relatively short period of time and not have to send it out. I also wanted to make sure I got the operating system, in case anything ever happened I wanted the disks - but now I am not sure that I really got them...... Is this normal? All I am trying to do is get a new printer up an running for my dad, as he is the one who uses the machine the most, and the original printer was going.
What is the best course of action to get this thing working? Anyone got any suggestions? Thanks in advance for any and all help!!
___________________________
Regards,
Stuffy

[PCM]

Some shops only supply an image of your loaded hard drive on a disk, that you can use to restore your system if all goes pear shaped. But this is no good to you if you need to access a windows driver. Have a look on your hard drive using windows explorer, some times the windows files from the CD are copied onto the drive so you can run windows setup from the C:\prompt. It will be in a seperate folder from windows, possibly called: Win98. If you are installing a device like a printer, when you are asked to insert the windows CD, click OK and point it towards c:\win98. Failing this you will have to borrow a disk from someone.

I hope this of assistance.

regards, (PCM Perth Scotland)

[komputatek]

It sounds like the person that setup this system created a backup image of the system. I'm not sure what program was used to create it. It's unfortunate that this is the only original software supplied with the system. As an OEM I always supply licenses & original S/W on CD or floppy. Did you recieve any licenses with your system at time of purchase?

It is possible to upgrade a Win95 system with a full Win98 CD. I does get a bit technical. If you need this info let me know.

[komputatek]

Another place to check... just to be sure.

C:\windows\options\cabs

Sometimes the OS is stored there.

Good luck!

[Stuffy]

Thank you both for your help. I guess all along I thought I had the entire OS system and until now I would have continued to think I had the whole OS. The reason that I went and had the system built rather than buy one from BestBuy or CostCo or wherever, was because I wanted to have the original OS disks, just in case. I have now learned that I really did not get what I thought I was getting. I do have the MS book with the C of A, and I thought that meant I was all set.
I got a reply on my other message that has given me the steps to delete, rename, etc. files and see if W98 will load. I will be giving it a try this pm and will hopefully be successful!!!
Again, thank you for your help!
_____________________
Regards,
Stuffy

[MacGyver]

Technically, as long as you have the C of A, then you're legal. You just don't have the original disc. You could call Microsoft and have them ship a replacement to you. Or you can do what I did. I used my Windows CD to try and fix a friend's computer, forgot to take it out of the drive, and never saw it again. I made a copy of the same software version from a disc I had at work. I still had the C of A all along, so what does Microsoft care anyway?

I'm sure somebody will disagree....

[Stuffy]

Honestly MacGyver - I do not care what people do. After the 9/11 incident, I am getting a bit tired of making sure everything is "right, correct or the exasperating Politically Correct." I try to be as "legal as possible" with whatever I am doing, but hey, I speed when I drive (illegal), I lie on the forms that I enter information in on both the net and in real life - to keep "marketers" from "finding me"....(legal-illegal???) and then I go and find out that all my personal info is being sold by my government via my driver's license anyway. So what good is it when I am trying to "do the right thing" and I am getting stabbed in the back by "the ones we put in our government" ... Yadda, Yadda, Yadda.
In all honesty too, I might do more things "on the grey side of legal" if I did not have the "if it can go wrong it will" kind of luck!!!!! Oh well---- enough whining....

Thank you too komputatek for your help. I did try what you suggested but hey guess what - when I looked at my brother's disk he is missing files too. He like me, thought he had the whole OS package and doesn't. He does not have the multiple disks that are needed to load the actual OS. So I guess what I really have now is my disk with W95 backup from my computer store and his W98 backup - along with his Restore disk. I also do not seem to have a single .CAB file on my whole PC. At least none show up when I do a search on the whole C: drive.

Am I at the point where I should just pick up a W98 upgrade and if so, are there any cheap sites to pick one up at? If this gets too much more involved, I may just take this printer back and get one that is W95 compatible and skip all this!!!!!!
Again, thanks in advance for your help.
______________________
Regards,
Stuffy

[komputatek]

I've bought some OS copies from directdeals.com
They seem to sell ligitimate S/W ata fair price. You can also try pricewatch.com, but beware of who you buy from there. Most are good, but some make you wonder.

Have you tied the manufactures website for Win95 drivers? Also you might be having problems if your OS in Win95a Win95b, or C are the best. The early Win95 had lots of problems. Right click on My Computer, Left click on properties. It will tell you. If it only ways Win95 then it's the early version. some things won't work with it.

Good luck!

[Stuffy]

I checked the OS version as suggested - it is W95 B. I am going to go and check out directdeals and see what I can find there!!
Thanks again,
________________
Regards,
Stuffy