installing xp over 98

[bruce]

was wondering if i could install xp over 98, and be able
to use the nfts format? and will it be done automaticaly

[Lunaray]

I'm sure that someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think you
can change from FAT32 to NTFS without re-formatting your hard drive.

"bruce" > wrote in message
...
> was wondering if i could install xp over 98, and be able
> to use the nfts format? and will it be done automaticaly

[Harry Ohrn]

You can install XP over 98 with either a Full version or and Upgrade version
(not an OEM version) however the upgrade will retain the FAT32 format. This
is by design so that you can revert back to your previous Win98 setup
through Add and Remove Programs. But you can covert to NTFS after you
complete the upgrade. Be aware that this conversion is a one way street. You
can't revert back to FAT without either reformatting or by using third party
software like Partition Magic to convert from NTFS to FAT32. You will not be
able to roll back to your Windows 98 setup if you convert to NTFS either.

You might want to read through Alex Nichol's paper on the topic
http://aumha.org/a/ntfs.htm check section 4

--

Harry Ohrn MS-MVP [Shell\User]
www.webtree.ca/windowsxp


"bruce" > wrote in message
...
> was wondering if i could install xp over 98, and be able
> to use the nfts format? and will it be done automaticaly

[Harry Ohrn]

Hi. You can convert from FAT32 to NTFS by running the convert x: /FS:NTFS
(where "X" is the drive letter). You can not convert NTFS to FAT without
reformatting or using a third party tool like Partition Magic.

--

Harry Ohrn MS-MVP [Shell\User]
www.webtree.ca/windowsxp


"Lunaray" > wrote in message
...
> I'm sure that someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think you
> can change from FAT32 to NTFS without re-formatting your hard drive.
>
> "bruce" > wrote in message
> ...
> > was wondering if i could install xp over 98, and be able
> > to use the nfts format? and will it be done automaticaly
>
>

[Lunaray]

Thanks Harry, it's always good to learn something new!

"Harry Ohrn" > wrote in message
...
> Hi. You can convert from FAT32 to NTFS by running the convert x: /FS:NTFS
> (where "X" is the drive letter). You can not convert NTFS to FAT without
> reformatting or using a third party tool like Partition Magic.
>
> --
>
> Harry Ohrn MS-MVP [Shell\User]
> www.webtree.ca/windowsxp
>
>
> "Lunaray" > wrote in message
> ...
> > I'm sure that someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think
you
> > can change from FAT32 to NTFS without re-formatting your hard drive.
> >
> > "bruce" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > was wondering if i could install xp over 98, and be able
> > > to use the nfts format? and will it be done automaticaly
> >
> >
>
>

[Leanne Fox]

I installed XP over win98 and it didnt give me an option to run XP in FAT32,
it only had NTFS.

"Harry Ohrn" > wrote in message
...
> You can install XP over 98 with either a Full version or and Upgrade
version
> (not an OEM version) however the upgrade will retain the FAT32 format.
This
> is by design so that you can revert back to your previous Win98 setup
> through Add and Remove Programs. But you can covert to NTFS after you
> complete the upgrade. Be aware that this conversion is a one way street.
You
> can't revert back to FAT without either reformatting or by using third
party
> software like Partition Magic to convert from NTFS to FAT32. You will not
be
> able to roll back to your Windows 98 setup if you convert to NTFS either.
>
> You might want to read through Alex Nichol's paper on the topic
> http://aumha.org/a/ntfs.htm check section 4
>
> --
>
> Harry Ohrn MS-MVP [Shell\User]
> www.webtree.ca/windowsxp
>
>
> "bruce" > wrote in message
> ...
> > was wondering if i could install xp over 98, and be able
> > to use the nfts format? and will it be done automaticaly
>
>

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

With a little advance planning and preparation, you should be
fine.

Have you made sure that your PC's hardware components are capable
of supporting WinXP? This information will be found at the PC's
manufacturer's web site, and on Microsoft's Hardware Compatibility
List: (http://www.microsoft.com/hcl/default.asp) Additionally, run
Microsoft WinXP Upgrade Advisor to see if you have any incompatible
hardware components or applications.

You should, before proceeding, take a few minutes to ensure that
there are WinXP device drivers available for all of the machine's
components. There may not be, if the PC was specifically designed for
Win98. Also bear in mind that PCs designed for and sold with Win9x/Me
very often do not meet WinXP's much more stringent hardware quality
requirements. This is particularly true of many models in Compaq's
consumer-class Presario product line or HP's consumer-class Pavilion
product line. WinXP, like WinNT and Win2K before it, is quite
sensitive to borderline defective hardware (particularly motherboards,
RAM and hard drives) that will still support Win9x.

HOW TO Prepare to Upgrade Win98 or WinMe
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q316639

The conversion to NTFS is an option made available during the
upgrade, but really shouldn't be done at this time, for two reasons.
First, if it should turn out after all that WinXP doesn't work well
with your hardware and/or software, you would not be able to simply
uninstall WinXP and revert to Win98 from an NTFS partition; you'd have
to delete the partition and reinstall Win98 from scratch. Secondly,
converting a FAT32 partition to NTFS during installation results in
500 byte clusters, which can severely degrade performance. Once
you've upgraded and assured yourself that WinXp and all of your
hardware and software will "happily play together," you can convert
the partition to NTFS. Follow the step provided by MS-MVP Alex Nichol
in this article to any performance hits caused by the default cluster
size:

Converting FAT32 to NTFS in Windows
http://www.aumha.org/a/ntfscvt.htm


Bruce Chambers

--
Help us help you:
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. -- RAH


"bruce" > wrote in message
...
> was wondering if i could install xp over 98, and be able
> to use the nfts format? and will it be done automaticaly

[Harry Ohrn]

There is no option presented during the upgrade. XP's installer retains
Windows 98 FAT format so that you can non destructively roll back to Windows
98 if you decide you want to remove XP. This is by design.

--

Harry Ohrn MS-MVP [Shell\User]
www.webtree.ca/windowsxp


"Leanne Fox" > wrote in message
...
> I installed XP over win98 and it didnt give me an option to run XP in
FAT32,
> it only had NTFS.
>
> "Harry Ohrn" > wrote in message
> ...
> > You can install XP over 98 with either a Full version or and Upgrade
> version
> > (not an OEM version) however the upgrade will retain the FAT32 format.
> This
> > is by design so that you can revert back to your previous Win98 setup
> > through Add and Remove Programs. But you can covert to NTFS after you
> > complete the upgrade. Be aware that this conversion is a one way street.
> You
> > can't revert back to FAT without either reformatting or by using third
> party
> > software like Partition Magic to convert from NTFS to FAT32. You will
not
> be
> > able to roll back to your Windows 98 setup if you convert to NTFS
either.
> >
> > You might want to read through Alex Nichol's paper on the topic
> > http://aumha.org/a/ntfs.htm check section 4
> >
> > --
> >
> > Harry Ohrn MS-MVP [Shell\User]
> > www.webtree.ca/windowsxp
> >
> >
> > "bruce" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > was wondering if i could install xp over 98, and be able
> > > to use the nfts format? and will it be done automaticaly
> >
> >
>
>