Advice please on upgrading a computer

[roach]

I am hoping someone on this site can offer some advice….I am more inclined to take heed of comments here than from those at PC World.
I plan to upgrade my old W95 P90 to a W95 P2 (second-hand) and have a few questions.

How can I copy a lot of programmes and files from old too new?

Can I install Win XP over W95?

The new computer has only two USB ports, can I increase this and how?

The new computer has 128 RAM, how easy is it to increase to 256 SRAM?

Is it possible to remove the CDROM and replace with CD Writer?

Why don’t I buy a computer with the spec. I want….because the second-hand one is a gift!

Answers in words as close to one syllable ‘cause I am only a pilot!

Thanks.

[stagger]

- How can I copy a lot of programmes and files from old too new?

The easiest way to copy your data files might be to simply install the hard disk from your old system as a second hard disk on the new system. Then you can drag and drop between them. Assuming that the new system has no more than 3 IDE devices (hard drive, cd-rom, cd-rw, internal zip etc) then there should be a spare slot for the old drive. Installation is fairly straightforward but it involves opening the box and perhaps configuring some small switches. Can give more details on this if required.

As for your programs - if they're not installed on the new system you should install them using the original installation disks. You usually can't just copy the relevant Program Files directory since important information for each program is store in a central place - the Windows registry.

- Can I install Win XP over W95?

Yes but not recommended. Much better to do a clean install of XP.

- The new computer has only two USB ports, can I increase this and how?

Yes, either with a USB hub that plugs into one of the ports or with a new USB interface card installed in the system. A USB hub would be easiet since it's external. Can get these for about £40.

Bear in mind that not all versions of Win 95 support USB. Win 95 and Win 95A (with Service Pack 1), Win 95B (aka OSR2) and Win95 C do. Might be better off with 98 if you're not going to bother with XP right now.

- The new computer has 128 RAM, how easy is it to increase to 256 SRAM?

Easy and not expensive - but it will depend on how many spare slots the PC has. If it is a retail name-brand box post the details here and I can probably find what it was fitted with as standard. If not you'll need to look inside - and may need to get some information about the motherboard and/or the memory that's already installed in order to buy the right stuff.

- Is it possible to remove the CDROM and replace with CD Writer?

Most likely - but if there is a spare slot in the case why not just add the CD-writer (as I mentioned earlier systems can almost alwasy take 4 IDE devices).

[roach]

Thank you very much for the info

[boofhead]

I tried to copy info from a HDD I transferred from a WIN98 computer to a XP computer and although the drive was detected, it was not assigned a letter and I could not access it. I assumed that this was because XP cannot read anything formatted for 98. I would love to have the right procedure detailed though, if I did something wrong.

And in the same vein, I tried to use Direct Cable Connection (new name in XP but same idea) but it only recognises a Serial Cable connection (don't have one of those). WIn 98 used a Parallel Cable (which I have).

So I ended up using the CDR feature on the old computer and copied everything I thought I needed to disk. Still at it. Cannot run my Zip drive because it is not supported by XP. Frustration all around.

[stagger]

XP should be able to read a HD formatted for Win 98 - since it can use either FAT or NTFS volumes.

You can get into trouble the other way around though since 98 can't read NTFS volumes.

When you say the HD was detected do you mean it showed up in the BIOS? Or during POST (power on self test) before the operating system started to load?

[RomeoTangoFoxtrotMike]

Boofhead,

The reason the drive _may_ not have been detected is that you may have to change some jumpers (== "switches" comprised of two little pins and a springy piece of metal in a plastic case, which is used to short them out to "jumper" them.) Each IDE interface can have two devices on it. The first device installed must be the master - if a second one is installed it must be the "slave".

If you have plugged your drive from the old computer onto a bus thet already has something on it it in your new one, then you will need to change the master/slave jumpers on one of the devices.

On some discs, finding the master/slave jumpers is realtively easy -- on others it canbe "challenging" to say the least. The drive vendors web site *should* help.

The easiest option, if you can do it, is to plug he disk into the bus that has the CDROM on it, as the master/slave jumpers are ofter much easier to deal with on CDs.

As always when mucking about with your PC, take sufficient backups, precautions, etc., before starting, in case the worst happens ;-)

HTH,

DS

[boofhead]

The computer I was using (HP Pavillion) does not show the POST, so I don't know if it showed the drive at that point. I went to Devices in Control Panel and the drive showed up there, as one of the two fixed drives. It also said that the drive was operating correctly, with no problems. But it did not show in My Computer, was not assigned a letter, and so I was unable to access it. It was a slave in the old computer, and the jumpers were set to that, I also put it on CS (cable select) but it did not recognise it there either, except for Device Manager. I know of no reason why the XP system would not recognise it. I also went to the Windows program selector (add new programs) and saw that the Plug and Play option had not been selected, but changing that did not let it read the drive either. Defies me...