A puzzle...getting files on a 98 laptop...

The_Other_One

The_Other_One

VIP Member
Haha, here's a puzzle for you guys. How do you get files on a Windows 98 laptop with next to nothing to work with :rolleyes:

  • We tried a CD-RW, but the disk won't read in the older drive
  • Of course, our flash drives or USB HDs won't work
  • There's no modem or network card installed(what do you think we're trying to copy :rolleyes:
  • Laptop can beam files to my PDA, but can't receive anything :mad:
  • No floppy drive in laptop
  • No serial cable(if XP even supports that kind of transfer anymore...)

I suggested to my room mate to just take the HDs out of his enclosure and the laptop and use his new laptop to copy files directly to the HD. However, he doesn't want to, plus the laptop isn't his :P Tearing it apart might not be the best option :rolleyes:

Thus far, IR might be our best bet, but I have no clue why my PDA can't send files to his laptop! It is detected, just can't send them...
 
While a cd-rw might fail to be read you could try a cd-r with the files burned onto one of those. I have a dvd burner that refuses to even detect dvd-rws while easily reading and dvd or dvd-r put in the drive. Well that's one thought anyways. Too bad it doesn't have 1394 Firewire.
 
The_Other_One said:
We're college students. We don't have CD-R's handy or we would :P
Click to expand...
do you have any CD-R's lying around that you have already burnt on?...is there a bit of space left on one you could put the drivers onto then finalise the CD?

And yes, it has a USB port. What good would that do with 98?
Click to expand...
i s it 98 or 98SE? i think 98SE has limited USB support included, so the USB stick may work if you havent already tried it
 
The_Other_One said:
We're college students. We don't have CD-R's handy or we would :P

And yes, it has a USB port. What good would that do with 98?
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Because windows 98 was the first MS OS to support USB (it might have been 98SE), so if you had a USB floppy drive that might work. but like said above I would bet the a CD-R would work
 
If you had an external usb drive or adapter you could transfer what you need direct to the external for copy onto the 98 unit. The problem there would be a need for 98 drivers by that means. That's probably why the usb drives there don't work. You would need those already installed. :(

Too bad you couldn't edit the drivers and write the codes on a notepad or wordpad window and save the file. You would still need to edit the system for the creation of new values directing Windows to read that. :confused: Does the cd drive on the unit slide out to exchange with a floppy or newer cd drive?
 
All CDs we have are finalized.

As for USB, I'm almost 100% sure even a floppy drive would need drivers.

I guess writing something in notepad isn't totally out of the question, but probably not worth it. We could easily get it working if we took the laptop to my house :P But he doesn't care to make the hour drive there.
 
Without the 2hr. round trip if you are talking about an hour one way or 1hr. total you are going to be left in a rather difficult bind unless you find an alternative method that works. The burn to cd-r or drive swap seems to be the only two best options at the moment.
 
Core2Conroe said:
cant you hook up some modems/routers to a pc via USB without drivers??
Click to expand...

Unlike XP that includes drivers for a large number of modems and other devices 98 and 98SE both required an installation of the drivers needed through the add new hardware wizard. The dsl connection here is through a usb port where 98 was "once" used as a main OS. It was "always fun" getting usb drivers to stay at times. :P
 
try emaling files using megaupload.com and then down load from win 98 laptop.
it might take years though if it has telephone interenet.
:)

one of those IDE to usb connectors are very useful anyway. I know your usbs don't work. it costs like 4$ on ebay you will use it later using non laptop dvd burners hard drives IDE and laptop IDE etc. very very handy for me it was, I think.

but buy this 4 dollar ide to usb wire(make sure it supports both pc ide and laptop ide), take the HD out
of laptop(very easy -- unscrew, pull, unscrew, pull out ide adaptor, plug in the 4 dollar wire). so like you said put the files direcltly into win 98 hard drive is good option for large file transfers.

looks something like this
http://cgi.ebay.com/USB-2-0-to-IDE-...7QQihZ020QQcategoryZ41911QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

look for cheaper. this one has expensive shipping.
 
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$2.45 + $8.45 S&H is a ways off from $4 if it will even work the way things are going. Have any Circuit City, Compusa, or other similar stores nearby for something like this?
 
PC eye said:
$2.45 + $8.45 S&H is a ways off from $4 if it will even work the way things are going. Have any Circuit City, Compusa, or other similar stores nearby for something like this?
Click to expand...

I don't know it's probably 50$ + tax + service + warranty plan + you can only imagine in circuit city.
look on newegg.com.
it's not just the wire. it also has adaptor for 4pin power inlet in hard drives.

just make sure your hard drive is ide.(has niddle sticking out) there are connectors for new Sata II interface.
I think I bought it for 7 bucks including shipping and it works very well. 2 years now.
and I pluged in dvd burners, HDs. very nice.
 
If that doesn't work then you would have to use the cable select position. Laptops can be a little different at times.
 
Trizoy said:
put in a newER cd drive.
Click to expand...

That's why I asked if that model had the interchangable drives. Finding a newer cd or even dvd drive that would read the cd-rws they are trying or a cd-r they burn would be the thought there. A newer faster model would usually read off of a wider variety of media.
 
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