XPost: comp.os.ms-windows.misc, alt.windows95, alt.windows98   
   From: invalid@address.com   
      
   > I've upgraded W95 to W98 only to find that on this 2 GB drive "barely" 20 MB   
   > remains free.   
   >   
   > I've trashed all the applications (plan to reinstall from Office 2000 CD   
   > later) but didn't uninstall them. Which is why, I think, so much disk space   
   > is still unavailable -- all the numerous associated files for those apps are   
   > still on the HD.   
   >   
   > So, I'm thinking the easiest thing to do is to initialize the HD and install   
   > W98 from scratch.   
   >   
   > But a friend is warning me away from this decision saying that things like   
   > the drivers that are already on the HD will be a pain to add back. Other than   
   > the keyboard and mouse, all that is in this PC is a common 10/100base-T LAN   
   > card, the original CD-ROM drive, and a new-ish HP DJ932 printer. I've got the   
   > drivers for the printer and LAN card on CDs, but not the keyboard, mouse, and   
   > CD-ROM drive (which are all original).   
      
   There's almost always a way to find old drivers on the Internet,   
   if you look for them, so don't let drivers stop you from doing a   
   clean install of Windows 98.   
      
   What I'd do, if I were you, is get an ATA 100 add-on PC card,   
   which has its own BIOS. This has four plugs for IDE devices such   
   as hard drives. I've got one in my computer right now, with two   
   large hard drives connected to it, and it works flawlessly. The   
   BIOS on the card cuts in when you boot, and initializes the drives   
   connected to it. This eliminates the concern over harddrive size   
   limitations in older BIOSs. If you buy a large drive, you may be   
   able to get one of these cards bundled in with it for free.   
      
   I'd do a clean install of Windows 98 on the new, large hard drive,   
   and if I had a slot for it, I'd use the little 2 gig drive you've   
   got for a second drive. Or, if you wanted to, and could hook the   
   two drives up at once (shouldn't be a problem), you could transfer   
   the old data from the 2 gig drive to the new drive at the time of   
   install using the utility provided by the hard drive manufacturer.   
      
   Trying to run a computer today with a 2 gig hard drive is a bit of   
   a joke. It's way too small. You can get a 60 gig drive very   
   cheaply -- a drive that size with the ATA 100 card shouldn't set   
   you back much more than $100 US or so. If you are strapped for   
   cash, buy a used card and used drive. Just some suggestions.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)