Compaq\'s and Win98SE

[Flynhghr]

I know this is pretty horrid to think about.  Being me without a zip or a CDRW.  However I\'m looking at formatting my laptop\'s HDD cause it so full of the Compaq bundled junk.  The thing is I don\'t know if my Retail CD key will work with a different OEM bundled version of windows.  I\'m planning on setting up a LAN with someone with a burner and saving the vital drivers and all but does anyone know if this will work or if I\'m opening a can-o-worms.

Thanks,
Flymon

[Josetann]

Ok, here\'s how it goes.  Any OEM Win98 key will work with any OEM Win98 CD; works the same way with the Retail and upgrade versions (as a matter of fact, you can even use a Win98 key for a Win98SE CD).  However, you can\'t use a retail key for an oem cd.

[Flynhghr]

Ahhh,  Okay.  So maybe the format won\'t be so bad.  Now to find a Retail CD 98SE and someone with a burner, NIC, and a hub, hmmmmm

BTW, Thanks!

[Biff]

Welcome to the wonderful world of Compaq bundling (or should that be bunGling?) I run a 1996 Presario 7170 p-90, which I got from my dad. When he gave it over, he tried to delete his \"private stuff\" and completely fubared the win 95 o/s. What seemed to be a major oops turned into a blessing. When the restore discs supplied by Compaq failed, I formatted the c drive and installed a new copy of win98se. Magic. The whole thing runs without \"presario plaza\" and all the other crud, I recovered the rest of the bundle (the bits i wanted anyhow), and the system runs using WAY less resources, saved me tons of drive space, and almost never crashes under normal use. VIVE LA format.exe!!!! If the Compaq bundle is giving you headaches, and you own a seperate copy of your o/s, you might consider a similar soloution. one word first though------BACKUP!!!!! I didnt, and it took me a long time to restore all my info. live and learn.