Multiple Windows folders

[Mackem]

Hi,
In the contents of my 'c' drive i have 5 folders named WINDOWS, WINDOWS.000, WINDOWS 001, WINDOWS 002, and WINDOWS~002.

The contents of each of these folders looks the same apart from the last 1 which has a sub-folder called TEMP.

This doesnt look right to me and i'm wondering if this is having anything to do with the problems i'm having networking 2 computers.

Thanks in advance



Mackem

[andyms18a]

hi mackem
have you reinstaled windows a few times if so each folder is the reinstall your best bet is to back up your data and format the hdd then reinstall windos and your programs it takes time but it normaley fixes most softwair problams

[GaryRouth]

If you are networking only 2 computers with Win9x, it can be as simple as naming a Workgroup the same for each. If the computers are recent & have built-in ethernet, just plug them in to an inexpensive hub or router (if you wish to share Internet) - use Cat 5 ethernet cable. The built-in ethernet on the motherboard (if present) probably had it's drivers setup when the system was put together - such drivers are usually all included on a CD from the motherboard manufacturer or system builder.

If you have broadband cable or DSL, a firewall router with both NAT and SPI (this will be listed on the box) is good for security.

Like andy mentioned, each of those Windows.xxx folders represents a reinstall. When reinstalling, Windows will ask you where you wish to install the system files, and if it finds a C:\Windows folder on your hard drive already, it will by default choose a location that increments by one digit each time: C:\Windows.000 - .001 - .002 - .003 etc. The trick to avoiding accumulating these extra folders is to choose "other" at that point in the reinstall, and type in C:\Windows so that it will replace the current installation, rather than adding an extra.

A clean install would work, like andy mentioned, but you would indeed have to reinstall everything. Everything. Drivers, programs, Security updates. everything.

You could try simply deleting your extra Windows folders, renaming win.com to win.bak (from DOS), and reinstalling over the top again. Some programs might need to be reinstalled if they were installed to different .00x folders, but most probably installed to their default C:\Windows.

Might try a run of RegClean too, the Registry is probably a mess with all the coming and going of installs and programs. Version 4.1 was updated for Win98 http://download.com.com/3000-2094-881470.html?tag=list

Best of luck
. . . Gary

[Mackem]

thanks gary

[Mackem]

This might be a stupid question but the mobo on the master computer has built in ethernet. I've stuck a network card in it. Is this necessary?

Mackem

[andyms18a]

if the mobo has a built in ethernet with a port to plug the lead in then you dot nead the network card unles one conects to the network hub and the other to a broadband modem