ok here's the deal i am getting a computer build with a 300gb hard drive in it however i don't have the money right now to buy windows xp so i was going to use a OS that i already have which is windows 98 until i get the money to buy xp but i have just been told by the shop that is building the pc that i need to buy a windows xp because windows 98 doesn't support big hard drives. Is this true? Is there some way i can make it work? thanks
i've got a 160gig hd on my p4 2.5 celeron with win98se. 1 partitioned it as a 40gig for windows & 120gig for data.
Thats probably what you are going to need to do is split the drive into smaller partitions. The computer shope cannot sell you an OEM copy of XP for like $90 which is what I see it going for on many online shops like NewEgg? If you buy XP at the time of the hardware you can legally get an OEM copy, but I think if you buy it by itself you have to pay retail.
@ddp so what u r saying is that i can use the drive with windows 98 for the time being but i just have to break it up into different partitions? @bobiroc so what you are saying is that the computer shop can only sell me the retail version of windows xp?Butcan i not just let them setup the drive with windows 98 and then one i get the money buy a oem copy of xp and put it on the computer?
No, what I am saying is usually most computer build shops can sell you an OEM copy of XP if you buy hardware such as a motherboard, processor, or harddrive from them. But without a corresponding hardware purchase I think you legally have to buy a retail copy which is about twice as much. So if you buy your hardware and OS now you can get the cheaper OEM copy. But if you buy your hardware and then wait for the OS you have to get a retail copy. This is the licensing information I was given from CDW-G because I recently went through this with the computer repair class that some teachers teach when they were denied purchases of OEM windows without hardware.
yes on the partitions & might want to do that even with xp as 1 partition for windows & 1 or more partitions for data.
I wouldn't Say "all". With as many software titles as there are for Windows your best bet is to check the manufacturer's website and shoot them an email if they do not list XP 64 specifically on their website. I run Windows XP 64 and the only difficulty I had was getting an Antivirus Suite. There are not many to choose from as of yet. I use Symantec Antivirus 10, but there are a couple others.
@ bobiroc ok but to be on the safe side and not have to wonder if this software will work i think i will stay with windows xp 32.
@redice: Only XPSP2 uses LBA48 by default. You can install your 98 to that drive,but you'll never get the "whole" drive's capacity. PS: Common problem with drives larger than 120GB. PPS: Of course, you can partition your drive with Partition Magic (for example), but you will loose youre data, that is beyond 128gb edge.
