Help! Trying to load Win98 on a 486/33MHz

[BeardedClem]

A co worker got a free old Compaq -ugh- . It's a Compaq Presario CDS 633 which has a 486/33Mhz cpu and 24MB of ram and a 539MB HD.

It had Windows 3.1 on it and it worked but he wanted to use it for surfing so I reformatted in FAT32 and loaded Win98 on it and the setup went ok. The problem is that the Win98 splash screen comes up for a while, then the monitor just shuts off.

It can't even go into safe mode, it can only go into DOS which I am not very familiar with.

Could it be just that the cpu is below the min. system requirements of a 486DX/66MHz? or is it a display driver issue? I did a minimal install so I think the ram is sufficient.(has 24MB, Min. is 16MB)

What are some things I can try cause I'm only good at new cool hardware not old stuff.

Also:I potentially have access to a 486DX/66Mhz cpu, would it pop right in or are the pins different and would it help anyway?

Thanks in advance
Cheers

[SARGE]

You're chasing your tail with that combo, with all due respect. ;)

[BeardedClem]

Originally posted by SARGE
You're chasing your tail with that combo, with all due respect. ;)

Boy howdy amigo, I just took the cover off and saw the cpu is not even in a handy ZIF socket. It appears to be attached pretty solid. Fargin Compaqs!

If I choose to reinstall Windows 3.1, will it load drivers for the weird ass hardware in there? It's got a SCSI SoundBlaster 16 and some Tseng Labs on board video and (possibly) a SCSI CD-ROM too.

it was me who suggested formatting and trying Win98 so I feel kinda obligated to get it working somehow.

[morriswindgate]

To get Windows 98 to work on that machine you will need to do about $600 to $700 in upgrades. THese upgrades should include a new case,mobo, cpu, ram, hard drive, cd-rom, floppy, video card, sound card, keyboard, mouse, and Modem or NIC. After you have completed the upgrade mod. Place the 486 on the desktop and set the upgrade case on-top of it. Install Windows 98 and you will have Windows 98 installed on a 486.

Just kidding

[Blakhart]

How about 95 instead of 98??
That would be a better choice if you must get this rig running.
See if there is an option to install the minimum os to save disk space.
Some thoughts 4 u

[SARGE]

morris, don't quit your day job. :D That's a good laugh, though.

[morriswindgate]

Day Job??? I just finished a set of 11 pm to 9 am. But now it is off to vegas for 3 days and then the California 500 next weekend

[BeardedClem]

HeHe, I like your idea Morris. Actually this thing is just about the right size for serving up a veggie platter for parties and I can put the dip in the CD tray :D

But not yet! so I'm gonna try the Win95 route. A friend of mine has Windows 3.1 on floppy so we'll try getting that running first tonight and then apply the Win95 upgrade.

I don't know about setting up drivers for Win3.1, I think you even need to manually install CD Rom drivers fer Crissakes. Hopefully Win95 will have built in drivers for all the stuff.

But I'll give it a try just to see if I can do it, as the oldest hardware I've worked on is my original P2-400 from 3 years ago. This is gonna be a challenge.

Cheers

[BFD Deadeye]

Windows 3.1 has very few drivers included with it. Open the case up, does the CDROM plug into the MOBO? Reason I ask is this: A month or two ago, I had to reformat an old PB, the Cd plugged into the sound card, and it was a real pain tracking down the right drivers to get the cdrom working. Let me know, and I will be happy to help you track down the drivers so you can at least use Win 95.

*You beat me to post* I must say this: If the CD plugs into the sound card, you may find DOS drivers for the sound card, then the CD. Let me know about the configuration, OK?

[twoguise]

IMO.....
For older machines its usually better just to work with what you got.....
Reinstall Win 3.11 and go to:

http://www.calmira.org

and download a shell program to make your 3.1 look and feel like Win 95 and keep that memory load down!

hope this helps

[Confused]

Windows 95 would be a good choice for that PC if you can find it. I had a old Compaq that was given to me (PRO XL560, 66Mhz. and 40M Ram) and it ran WIN98. WIN95 would have been a better choice for it also. With 30Mhz. and 24M I don't believe you will ever get 98 to run.
Chas

[=justice]

Hey, BeardedClem...
I have an Acer 486/66/16 RAM/512mb I use for keeping one accounting program going, and on which I can experiment. Well, I experimented too far one day and when I went to reboot the deader-than-a-doornail thing I used a '98 boot disk by mistake. Long story short, it didn't like that, either. I know this much: that unit won't take Win98. It will take '95 and '95 upgrade, although you'll use a big chunk of the HDD installing them. You will have your drivers with the '95 disk, though, if you have one.

[BeardedClem]

This guy got his hands on a 486DX/66MHz and swapped the harddrive,CDrom and soundblaster 16 SCSI over and actually got it running!

He sez it's insanely slow though as expected but it's kind of amazing it works at all with only 12Megs of ram yet too.

Kind of an interesting project though. The thing that stands out for me is how much suckage a Compaq's BIOS is!. There's nothing in there to change or customize.

I think Compaq's are made for the same people who need AOL to dumb things down enough so they can use it. Byeh!