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Dell Latitude LS - can't re-install

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  • 13-07-2006 1:48pm
    #1
    Dopey
    Registered Users Posts: 390 ✭✭


    Hi Folks,

    My sister got an old Dell Latitude LS from work. It was decommissioned. She wants to use it for web browsing. The company cleared the OS and re-installed Windows 98. It boots fine and then slows down to a snails pace when windows loads. The Win 98 tune plays but sort of hangs towards the end. The mouse moved but extreemly slowly.

    I left it running for a couple of hours and the mouse moved freely. If I reboot it happens again.

    I want to re-install Windows 98 but the external CD drive doesn't come up as a new drive and the USB keys don't work. It says that it has found new hardware but can't find drivers for it.

    Any ideas?


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    #2
    Our man in Havana
    Closed Accounts Posts: 29,476 ✭✭✭✭Our man in Havana


    Will win xp run on it? If you go ahead and install Xp.


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    #3
    Dopey
    Registered Users Posts: 390 ✭✭Dopey


    I took the battery out and now it's running at normal speed. I have Win 98 on it cause there is only 128 MB of RAM. Not enough for XP me thinks.

    The external CD drive is still not being picked up though.


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    #4
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 90,977 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    Bond-007 wrote:
    Will win xp run on it? If you go ahead and install Xp.
    You can't move OEM copies and a retail / volume XP license is probably worth more than a laptop that originally came with 98.


    If it was win95 I'd blame network setup timeouts ( about 10 minutes IIRC ) and remove client for microsoft networks / change to workgroup.


    Boot up in safe mode , if all is well then use autoruns on www.sysinternals.com to check for unwanted crap on startup. But remove any references to previous network, mapped drives etc. And of course check for malware.

    [edit] full speed without the battery - weird


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    #5
    ambro25
    Registered Users Posts: 5,994 ✭✭✭ambro25


    Simpler still (for now). Once it's booted,

    (1) Start > Programs > Startup

    check in there what progs are loaded at startup, delete any you don't want to start (right-click on shortcut, then select delete). After that,

    (2) Start > Run > (type) msconfig > (press) Return
    Go to the last tab on right (Startup items) and check the list.
    Uncheck every prog you don't want to start (leave the M$ / OS stuff alone).

    Restart Lappie and report any changes.

    What Antivirus/Firewall is installed (if any)?
    What are your desktop settings? (view desktop as Internet, icons in all possible colours etc. anll that crap?)
    Have you gone through the standard 1-2-3 Win98 optimisation? (Ctrl Panel > System >Properties - then configure each tab for max performance)

    Etc, etc. Oh! and do follow Capt'n Midnight instructions re. network (although the OP said they've factory-restored the lappie, so there shouldn't really be any legacy network setup...)

    After that - download/install/run Spybot and Ad-Aware.

    And scandisk + defrag + clean registry.

    Moreover - Google up 98Lite. Download the trial/personal use version and give that a run :)

    After all that :D You should be set with a blazing-fast Win98 lappie ;)


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