 |
|
Upgrading to Windows 95 OSR 2
Preamble
The newest version of Windows 95 available is OSR 2.5. The newest version you can buy is OSR 2. This tells you how to install it. To check which version of Windows 95 you have (and there are quite a lot) please see my Windows 95 version page.
OSR 2 introduces a number of features, including FAT32, which makes your hard disk more efficient. The upgrade requires nothing other than an OSR 2 CD. The problem is that Microsoft, in their infinite wisdom, decided that OSR 2 could only be sold with a motherboard, hard disk, system, or bare-bones system. The licence allows you to install it over any old versions of 95 you might have, but you can't go out and buy the thing. The reason for this selfish behaviour is that they said that the new features were mainly support for things that could only be found on new PCs. This is crap, but that's what they say. Anyway, a number of on-line auction houses will sell you a copy quite cheaply, so getting hold of it isn't too tricky.
Once you have a CD you come across the next problem. The CD is an OEM only CD. It won't work as an upgrade for your previous version of 95. This is where my instructions come in. There are a number of different ways of doing the upgrade. This method I have found to be the best. It actually makes the setup program think that it is an update version, rather than thinking that it is installing onto a fresh computer. I have had a few problems with the other methods, involving the registry getting screwed up, so I reckon that this is the best method.
Method
- First, uninstall Internet Explorer 4, if installed. This is very important. If you don't then you have a system that is fixable but gets its knickers in a twist whenever it tries to boot and is completely unusable until fixed. If the uninstall program is being a pain, then there is a program in the Windows\system\ directory (folder. They're called folders now. Concentrate. This is important) called ieremove.exe. It claims its for support personnel only but hey, I can handle the responsibility. Remove active desktop, then run this program. Then, uninstall MS Plus!, if installed. (This is a good idea, but not necessary. I think that it can confuse DriveSpace, if you have it installed. It seemed to solve probs with conflicting versions of DriveSpace on my system.)
- Create a directory on your hard drive called win95.
- Copy the contents of the win95 directory on the CD to the directory you have just created. Make sure that you get every file. It takes up to 100Mb. Come to think of it, you do not need every file. There are a couple of very large .exe files that install Internet Trials. If you don't copy them, then you get an error message toward the end of the installation, that says they can't be found. These can be ignored.
- At a DOS prompt, go to the new directory and type:
- Search for the line that reads "ProductType = 9"
- Change the 9 to a 1. This changes it from thinking that it is an OEM release to an upgrade.
- Save the file, and exit edit.
- Type:
- Find the line that contains the word setuppp.inf. There will be some numbers, separated with a comma. The first will be a 2. Change it to a zero. This tells setup to use your doctored setuppp.inf instead of the compressed one.
- I think that it is best to quit windows at this point, but it may be unnecessary.
- Run setup.exe from the directory on your hard drive, and do as it says.
- That should be it. Of course, to use FAT32, you still have to use fdisk and that, but like this you benefit from the nice logo screen. You could also use CVT.EXE to get FAT32.
- CVT is not supplied with OSR2, unless you are in possession of a beta of OSR2. Partition Magic 3 will also do the FAT16 -> 32 conversion. It is important not to install FAT32 if your hard disk is compressed. You will corrupt your hard disk if it works.
- After you check that it works, reinstall Plus!, then Internet Explorer 4.
|
|
|
