[b]CD Burner with Windows 98?[/b]

Rusty · May 14, 2005

Is anyone using a CD burner with Windows 98 (not 98SE)? I have a 1998 Dell Dimension V350, Pentium II at 350 MHz running Windows 98. I have been backing up my files to diskettes, but the addition of digital photograph files is too much for the diskettes. I would like to back up to CDs, and would prefer an internal drive, but would be willing to go with external, also. Most of the drives that I have read about only run with Windows 98SE, or more recent O/S. Any advice? Thanks in advance! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Richard · May 15, 2005

I didn't have a cd burner at that time (when I had that OS). What I used for a backup was an Iomega Zip or Jazz drive.

I started with the zip drive (250 mb as I recall) and because I programed 9 other machines to copy to same shared drive, I ended up moving to the Jazz removable hard drive (1 gig).

Worked for our needs and today, could probably be obtained pretty inexpensively.

MadReferee · May 15, 2005

I have an HP CD-Writer Plus 8100 series unit on my machine. It was running W98 with no problems. When I upgraded to W98SE it again worked with no problems.

You should upgrade to W98SE as many nagging problems were fixed. You will probably find that most software and hardware today, including CD writer units, are not supported and probably will not work on W98 since it's no longer supported by Microsoft. W98SE is the minimum supported.

CharlieTn · May 15, 2005

I can't say with 100% certainty but I am 99% sure you should have no problem. Go to the windows update site and make sure you have the latest and the greatest from MS. Burning CD's on anything under XP IMP is a b***H. BUffer underruns, lock ups a real PITA (and I am a computer guy)

I would suggest getting an external hard drive. You can get a 250+Gig (600 CDR's) IDE hard disk for <$100.00 from TigerDirect

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1354283&sku=thd-2500bb&CMP=ILC-FPM10

or even on sale at a Staples or CompUSA and an enclosure that will make it a portable USB drive <$50.00

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=31389&Sku=ULT31310

You will then have a portable disk that is easy to use (it will simply be a drive letter) that can be plugged into any computer in the world.

I have three of them. One for my jobs, one for backups, and one for storage. WORK GREAT

Ozarker · May 15, 2005

You would do better to consider an upgrade to XP before installing a CD. The Win 98 OS will not recognize CD's and must use a translator program to work. It does work and you can burn CD's using win 98, but you run the risk of other computors and/or programs not being able to read them. A consideration if you ever get a newer computer and want to transfer your backed up files to the new unit.

I learned this the hard way.

MadReferee · May 15, 2005

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( You would do better to consider an upgrade to XP before installing a CD. The Win 98 OS will not recognize CD's and must use a translator program to work. It does work and you can burn CD's using win 98, but you run the risk of other computors and/or programs not being able to read them. A consideration if you ever get a newer computer and want to transfer your backed up files to the new unit.

I learned this the hard way. )</font>

I have never heard of W98 not recognizing CDs or having to use a translator program. What translator program? Where did you get this bad information? Even Windows 3.11 supported CDs and CD burning. I know because I used them.

I used my HP 8100 CD burner for several years running under W98 with Adaptec's Easy CD Creator software. I burned on W98 and had no problems reading those CDs on W98, W98SE or W2000.

Your problems may have been due to the actual hardware or software that you were using. Or were you trying to use a R/W CD on a machine other than the one it was burned on? That is not guaranteed to work.

gws · May 15, 2005

98 doesnt know about burning CD, but it can be added. You need to add drviers to see the drive, drivers to allow buringing plus the burning software

Rusty · May 15, 2005

Thanks for all the input. You have given me some ideas to pursue. Just FYI, I am trying to prolong the life of this computer and O/S and conserve cash. I am concerned about the potential for a catastrophic failure, so I back up weekly. This was OK, until the digital camera files started gobbling space.

MadReferee - What effort and cost would be involved in an upgrade from Windows 98 to 98SE?

All - Thanks, again!!! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Rusty

jwstewar · May 16, 2005

I have a CD you can have that'll do it for you. It was something that I had gotten from Microsoft when Win 98SE came out. If you want to PM your address I'll try to get it out to you this week.

CT_Jeff · May 16, 2005

Rusty,
First, if you have all the updates (windows update) on your computer, then you essentially have Win98SE. So you should not have any problem with installing a burner. However, at 350MHz processor, and how much RAM? You will be installing a 48+ burner, I would always select a much slower burn rate. Nothing wrong with trying to make a computer last a bit longer, as long as it does what you want. Good Luck and let us know if you have any issues with it.
CT_Jeff