The "Freeola Customer Forum" forum, which includes Retro Game Reviews, has been archived and is now read-only. You cannot post here or create a new thread or review on this forum.
I'm trying to help out this guy running a small internet cafe.
He's had two computers running without ANY protection software what-so-ever since it opened. Unsurprisingly one of them is now completely stuffed - it keeps on refreshing Explorer without actually loading anything.
So all-manner of nasties now reside on it's harddisk.
So I think the answer is a complete system re-install of Win 98.
He has a program which re-installs the system but it needs a win 98 serial number from the manual. Problem: He hasn't kept the manual.
Question: I have a spare copy of '98. If I use the serial from this one is it likely it will work or will I have to uninstall his copy of Win '98 and install my copy before completely restoring the system with the restoration program which will ask for the Serial number?
He's had two computers running without ANY protection software what-so-ever since it opened. Unsurprisingly one of them is now completely stuffed - it keeps on refreshing Explorer without actually loading anything.
So all-manner of nasties now reside on it's harddisk.
So I think the answer is a complete system re-install of Win 98.
He has a program which re-installs the system but it needs a win 98 serial number from the manual. Problem: He hasn't kept the manual.
Question: I have a spare copy of '98. If I use the serial from this one is it likely it will work or will I have to uninstall his copy of Win '98 and install my copy before completely restoring the system with the restoration program which will ask for the Serial number?
Uh oh.
unknown kernel wrote:
> I *think* that Win 98 asks for the serial number before installation,
> in which case it would break off before doing anything major and
> leave the old system intact.
From a clean install, it will trash your hard disk before asking for a serial number. I did it about 30 times recently for work, and it seemed a bit odd at the time I remember :O[]
> I *think* that Win 98 asks for the serial number before installation,
> in which case it would break off before doing anything major and
> leave the old system intact.
From a clean install, it will trash your hard disk before asking for a serial number. I did it about 30 times recently for work, and it seemed a bit odd at the time I remember :O[]
Hedfix wrote:
> Also what's the worst that could happen if it doesn't like the other
> copy's serial number and what do I do then?
I *think* that Win 98 asks for the serial number before installation, in which case it would break off before doing anything major and leave the old system intact. (You almost certainly already know this, so apologies for being patronising but cautious, but a fresh install will involve formatting the drive so you should back up any files you want to keep. It may be possible to do a reinstall, and only replace the Windowsy bits - I can't really remember - but that doesn't sound like a good idea in this case.)
If for some reason it doesn't like your serial number then it will be very easy to get one off the internet. This is what I had to do a few years back, when I had two Windows CDs but no Windows manuals. Possibly illegal, but perfectly OK if you already own the damn thing. Not that I'm a lawyer or anything.
> Also what's the worst that could happen if it doesn't like the other
> copy's serial number and what do I do then?
I *think* that Win 98 asks for the serial number before installation, in which case it would break off before doing anything major and leave the old system intact. (You almost certainly already know this, so apologies for being patronising but cautious, but a fresh install will involve formatting the drive so you should back up any files you want to keep. It may be possible to do a reinstall, and only replace the Windowsy bits - I can't really remember - but that doesn't sound like a good idea in this case.)
If for some reason it doesn't like your serial number then it will be very easy to get one off the internet. This is what I had to do a few years back, when I had two Windows CDs but no Windows manuals. Possibly illegal, but perfectly OK if you already own the damn thing. Not that I'm a lawyer or anything.
Hedfix wrote:
> So if I use the serial from my spare copy on his copy it should work?
Yep.
The software itself cant differentiate between the serial number it originally came with and some other serial number. As long as the serial is genuine it will work with any copy.
Or it has from past experience.
> So if I use the serial from my spare copy on his copy it should work?
Yep.
The software itself cant differentiate between the serial number it originally came with and some other serial number. As long as the serial is genuine it will work with any copy.
Or it has from past experience.
So if I use the serial from my spare copy on his copy it should work?
Or should I install my copy of Win '98 and then re-install?
Also what's the worst that could happen if it doesn't like the other copy's serial number and what do I do then?
Or should I install my copy of Win '98 and then re-install?
Also what's the worst that could happen if it doesn't like the other copy's serial number and what do I do then?
Should be fine. He doesn't sound like the sort of man who should be running an internet cafe though.
I'm trying to help out this guy running a small internet cafe.
He's had two computers running without ANY protection software what-so-ever since it opened. Unsurprisingly one of them is now completely stuffed - it keeps on refreshing Explorer without actually loading anything.
So all-manner of nasties now reside on it's harddisk.
So I think the answer is a complete system re-install of Win 98.
He has a program which re-installs the system but it needs a win 98 serial number from the manual. Problem: He hasn't kept the manual.
Question: I have a spare copy of '98. If I use the serial from this one is it likely it will work or will I have to uninstall his copy of Win '98 and install my copy before completely restoring the system with the restoration program which will ask for the Serial number?
He's had two computers running without ANY protection software what-so-ever since it opened. Unsurprisingly one of them is now completely stuffed - it keeps on refreshing Explorer without actually loading anything.
So all-manner of nasties now reside on it's harddisk.
So I think the answer is a complete system re-install of Win 98.
He has a program which re-installs the system but it needs a win 98 serial number from the manual. Problem: He hasn't kept the manual.
Question: I have a spare copy of '98. If I use the serial from this one is it likely it will work or will I have to uninstall his copy of Win '98 and install my copy before completely restoring the system with the restoration program which will ask for the Serial number?