Storage Device For Old Computer

Question

I am not sure that this is the best board for this question, but many of you who run pre-XP operating systems have probably dealt with this issue.   Simply stated, what is the best external storage device to use to back up an old computer running Windows 98se?  The hard drive capacity is about 13 GB with about 10.2 GB available.  I don't have many pictures, music, or other things that take up much space.   My computer was built in 1999.  It has two USB 1.1 ports which I have never used and a 3.5' floppy drive.  It has no writeable optical drive,  just a CD ROM drive.  It has a parallel port that is used by the printer.   Sure, I could use the 3.5' floppy drive but this is painfully slow and tedious.  From what I have read, many flash drives require either a USB 2.0 port, an operating system newer than Windows 98se, or special drivers that have to be downloaded from the manufacturer.  (My recent unsuccessful attempt to install drivers for a newly installed network interface card have made me somewhat leery of installing drivers.)  External hard drives seem to need USB 2.0 ports or 'firewire' ports (not sure about those).   I just want to have an easy method of backing up key files so that if I need to reinstall the operating system at any time, or upgrade it to Windows XP, I will be able to retrieve easily the stored files.   Thanks.

mombodog · Answer

Usb hard drives will work on 1.1, they will just be slower to move data. And yes they too will require a driver, the problem is newer flash drives and some USB hard drives do not supply drivers for W98, so check to be sure they have them before purchase. A cd burner may be a better solution for you.

jimmymac_4 · Answer

Hi,

Another alternative would be to add a USB 2.0 card and multi-media card reader like I did. The memory cards have gotten faster and cheaper. I refer you to my signature. I started out with a PC not much different than yours and with the many upgrades, it is still working great.

Jim McNamara

Message Edited by jimmymac_4 on 02-06-2007 06:02 PM

barkupatree2002 · Answer

Mombodog   Thanks for the information.

barkupatree2002 · Answer

jimmymac_4   Adding a USB 2.0 card and a multi-card reader is an interesting idea.   You have really changed your PC.   Thanks.

jimmymac_4 · Answer

barkupatree2002,

Don't expect hard disk performance from a multimedia/memory card, but you don't get hard disk performance from a floppy either these have far more capacity and are considerably faster than a floppy. I prefer the separate reader media idea to a all in one flash drive device because of the flexibility that the combination affords. I currently have two SanDisk ImageMate readers hooked up with a 2GB SanDisk Ultra II CF card in one and a 1GB Ultra II CF card in the other with another 1GB and 4GB (regular SanDisk CF cards at the ready) and a 4GB SanDisk Extreme III in the mail on its way. I recently got the 2GB Ultra II for $26.45 and the 4GB Extreme III for $78.50. The 4GB is large enough to back up everything that you currently have in use on your hard drive.

Jim McNamara

P.S. ATTENTION. Don't buy a multimedia/memory card off eBay. Most sold I have recently learned are known to be counterfeit, like that $78.50 one above which I sent back and received a refund.

Message Edited by jimmymac_4 on 02-21-2007 12:00 PM

barkupatree2002 · Answer

jimmymac_4   Thanks for all your ideas on storage devices.

M Currie · Answer

I know that Sandisk provides Win98 drivers for their smaller USB Cruzer drives, so there's a good bet that they do for the bigger ones as well. I have a few of the cheap 128 MB ones, and they work fine with Win98 and USB 1.1. I also have a USB CF card reader for which Win98 drivers are available. If you also have a digital camera, this might be a better option, since the cards can be used both ways. Recently Brooks Drugstores have been blowing out 128 MB Cruzer drives other 128 MB memory cards for about 5 bucks apiece. Cheap Staples USB drives, by the way, are not supported in win98, and I never was able to find generic or other drivers for one of those.

KnaufIT · Answer

You could try an external HD. Windows 98 will recognize a USB one automatically. They are about $60 plus the cost of an HD. Alternatively you could use a CDR and back up only your data.

Windows General

Was this post helpful?