How to Save Uninstall Information Before Reinstalling Windows 98

ID: Q195384

The information in this article applies to:

SUMMARY

This article describes how to preserve your original uninstallation information before you reinstall Windows 98. This may be useful if you later choose to uninstall Windows 98 to return to your original operating system.


MORE INFORMATION

If you reinstall Windows 98 and click Yes when you are asked if you want to "Save System Files", your original uninstallation information will be overwritten, and you will no longer be able to uninstall Windows 98 to restore your previous version of Windows. To preserve the ability to uninstall Windows 98 to restore your previous version of Windows, you must save your current uninstallation information in a new location before you reinstall Windows 98. To do so, use the following steps:

  1. Click Start, point to Find, and then click Files Or Folders.


  2. In the Named box, type "winundo.* winlfn.ini" (without quotation marks), click Local Hard Drives in the Look In box, and then click Find Now.

    Note the drive that contains the Winundo.dat file, the Winundo.ini file, and the Winlfn.ini file.


  3. Quit the Find tool.


  4. Restart your computer. Press and hold CTRL until you see the Windows 98 Startup menu, and then choose Command Prompt Only.


  5. Type the following lines, pressing ENTER after each line
    <drive>:
    md undo
    attrib -r -s -h winundo.*
    move winundo.* undo
    attrib -r -s -h winlfn.*
    move winlfn.ini undo

    where <drive> is the drive letter you noted in steps 3 and 4.


  6. Restart your computer.


  7. Reinstall Windows 98.

    NOTE: If you choose to uninstall Windows 98 to restore your previous version of Windows, move the Winundo.dat file and the Winundo.ini file to the root folder, and then perform the steps in the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
    ARTICLE-ID: Q186102
    TITLE : How to Uninstall Windows 98

    For information about how to move files, click Start, click Help, click the Index tab, type "moving files" (without quotation marks), double-click "Moving Files, Folders", and then double-click the "Moving files or folders" topic.


Additional query words: 98 


Keywords          : kbenv kbtool win98 
Version           : WINDOWS:
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbhowto

Last Reviewed: January 30, 1999