Prepare for the Installation
LEGAL NOTE: I have done my best to make this document complete and accurate.
However, any hardware or software installation carries the possibility
of problems, including possible data loss and possible irreparable hardware
damage. I take no responsibility for any problems you might encounter as
a result of your use of this document, including errors and omissions in
this document. If you cannot accept this, do not use this document.
This document is copyrighted, but I hereby give you permission to print
a paper copy for yourself, to refer to while your computer is taken apart.
Be sure to print the sub pages also.
Prepare for the Installation
Back up your data (not shrink-wrapped software).
You can always buy a new computer or new software installation diskettes,
but your data is absolutely irreplaceable. Treat it that way. Back it up.
Make sure it can be restored. NOTE: Configuration files are not data. Copying
them to the new machine would expose you to bugs of machines past. However,
things like email messages and received Faxes are data.
WARNING: Tape backup programs are NOTORIOUS for not restoring
under Windows 95!! I know it's a lot of work, but I'd recommend you back
up to floppies, using old, reliable PKZIP (from PKWARE, Inc) with the proper
command line parameters. I'd recommend you make 2 copies. Use highest quality
floppies. A name brand is not a guarantee of quality, as I know of a highly
respected name brand which has defects on about 25% of their floppies.
Brands I've had good luck with are TDK, Maxell, and Sony.
A great alternative to floppies is the Iomega Zip Drive. I've had great
success and reliability from mine. I've found PKZIP plus a Zip Drive to
be an ultra-reliable way to back up and restore my data. Zip drives work
equally well under Windows 95, so you can continue backing up to them.
WARNING: The BACKUP.EXE included in Windows 95 backs up beautifully,
and restores your files accurately, but it sometimes sets your file dates
to the restore date, rather than the date of the backed up files. I consider
the backup program that comes with Windows 95 to be UNACCEPTABLE for that
reason.
WARNING: Backup programs in general back up a lot better than they restore.
I'd highly recommend you do at least a partial restore, to an unused location,
of one or more directory trees before beginning any work which could destroy
data.
In addition, I'd recommend you keep your original drive intact, and
buy a new one for the new computer. That way, you can always back out.
Later, you can use the old disk to hold data and only data, which will
make backup and upgrade much easier in the future.
Set your video mode to VGA
This is relevant if you're upgrading rather than re-installing. Imagine
the catch-22 you can face when you change video cards or monitors -- you
could change your video if only you could see the screen to do it, and
you could see the screen if only you could change your video. I've seen
cases where booting to Windows 95 Safe Mode DID NOT resolve this catch-22.
The time to change your video to (plain vanilla) VGA is BEFORE doing any
work .
Back up any DOS programs
These can usually be installed simply by copying, so simply back them up
rather than re-installing.. Don't back up Windows programs -- you'll re-install
them from your distribution diskettes and CDs.
Gather Your Installation Diskettes:
MS-DOS installation diskettes
Windows installation diskettes
CD-ROM driver diskette
Iomega Zip drive or tape drive driver diskettes
Your backup program diskettes
Installation diskettes and CDs for any Windows programs you want to
install
Make a Special "System Builder" Diskette
NOTE: This special "system builder" diskette is designed to eliminate the
need to actually install DOS and Win31 before the Win95 installation. It
will save about 1/2 hour in installation time. Since if things don't go
well you may be making several installation attempts, this may amount to
substantial time. If, for some reason, your "system builder" diskette fails
to trick Win31 into thinking DOS and Windows are installed, you must use
the actual DOS and Windows distribution diskettes, and actually install
those two operating systems.
Now make a special "system builder" DOS bootable (Format a: /u /s) diskette
with the following files in the following directories:
A:\COMMAND.COM (placed there when you format the floppy)
A:\CONFIG.SYS (see Footnotes)
A:\AUTOEXEC.BAT (See Footnotes)
A:\XFER.BAT (see Footnotes)
A:\WIN31\WIN.COM (Fools Win95 upgrade into thinking Win31 is installed)
A:\WIN31\SYSTEM\WIN386.EXE (Fools Win95 upgrade that Win31 is installed)
A:\DOS\HIMEM.SYS (necessary for Win95 setup)
A:\DOS\FORMAT COM (for formatting drives)
A:\DOS\FDISK EXE (for partitioning drives)
A:\DOS\MSCDEX EXE (necessary to run your CD drive before Win95 complete)
A:\DOS\DOSKEY COM (command line editor makes life much easier)
A:\DOS\EDIT COM (your editor)
A:\DOS\QBASIC EXE (required for edit.com)
A:\DOS\XCOPY EXE (necessary for moving files around)
A:\DOS\SETVER EXE
A:\DOS\COMMAND COM
Get the Attitude
Understand that this process won't be easy, but in the end it will produce
a CLEAN Windows 95 system. Promise yourself you'll remain calm. Allocate
enough time for the job. Minimum 1 weekend, be prepared for more. Occasionally
things go smoothly and it's a 3 hour process, but that's rare. Make sure
you have all the necessary tools, including a good light, any necessary
eyeglasses, long nose pliers, Phillips screwdriver. Make sure you've set
up an adequate work surface with plenty of room, including static protection
(and a good ground to touch).
Make sure you have all manuals for your software, peripherals, and new
hardware, and that you've reviewed them.
Most of all, if you can't afford to be without your computer for however
long it takes, make a new one while keeping the old one intact. Most professionals
have two desktop computers.
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(C)1996 by Steve Litt. -- Legal