Installing WIN98 Upgrade on New Harddrive

My hard drive crashed (won't spin, wrecked), so I replaced it with a new one, and bought the Win98 Upgrade CD with it. The problem, as you may know, is that I can't get past the verification screen, since my old version of Windows was on the hard drive, and my I and my ADD lost the disk about 10 minutes after I got it! I had Win95 so I am eligible to upgrade (as opposed to purchasing the full version). I called Microsoft Tech Support and I was told the upgrade would not install properly anyway without the old files, which to my understanding is a lie, and the Upgrade is merely the full version that checks for an old version.
My question is, is there a way to "trick" the program into thinking Windows is installed? I do have access to another computer with Win 98 on it if some files are needed. (FYI-I tried copying this other computer's hard drive on to mine but it keeps crashing).
Help! Tell me Microsoft is just trying to get another C-Note out of me! I'm not trying to cheat them since I do own a previous version of Windows!

4. RE: Installing WIN98 Upgrade on New Harddrive
lbyard Sep-18-01 10:18 PM
In response to message 0

Find a Windows 95/98 CD or even some Windows 3.1x floppies. Setup will ask you to insert the CD or floppies from the previous version so it can verify it/them. See http://duxcw.com/digest/Howto/software/windows/winme/install/inst.html for How to do it details. "Funny" how Microsoft (or contracted?) techs(?) would say one thing and mskb Q271673 at http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q271/6/73.ASP, The Me Quick Start Guide, and the win9x\Cleanhd.txt file on the Me CD, say the opposite? Larry

6. RE: Installing WIN98 Upgrade on New Harddrive
Timmay Sep-18-01 10:33 PM
In response to message 4

The only problem is I can't seem to find ANYONE who had Windows on disk or CD (any version). The only ones I can get my hands on are Restoration CD's, and they don't work on any computers other than the ones they came with. Is there a way I can use those? Do I have any other options?

8. RE: Installing WIN98 Upgrade on New Harddrive
lbyard Sep-18-01 10:47 PM
In response to message 6

I can't answer your question and cannot aid you anymore as it is now obvious you don't own those CDs, etc. I hope you understand. Larry

9. RE: Installing WIN98 Upgrade on New Harddrive
Timmay Sep-18-01 10:54 PM
In response to message 8

Understandable...
It's kind of tough convincing people I really did own Windows...I unfortunately can't prove it!
Oh well, guess I have to go make Bill Gates $100 richer...

10. RE: Installing WIN98 Upgrade on New Harddrive
lbyard Sep-18-01 11:35 PM
In response to message 9

Did you register it with Microsoft? Larry

11. RE: Installing WIN98 Upgrade on New Harddrive
Timmay Sep-19-01 03:13 PM
In response to message 10

Of course not...that would have been the intellegent thing to do...
PS-None of the restore disks worked

13. RE: Installing WIN98 Upgrade on New Harddrive
lbyard Sep-19-01 04:14 PM
In response to message 11

Is it a name brand computer? Also, see http://duxcw.com/digest/Fromshop/harddisk/spinup.htm. Larry

14. RE: Installing WIN98 Upgrade on New Harddrive
Timmay Sep-19-01 05:07 PM
In response to message 13

It's granddaddy was a Crappard Bell, but the only thing that is left from the original is the floppy drive. The hard drive is Western Digital (30GB), NEC 40X CD ROM, ATI Mach64 AGP Video, AMD K6-333, don't know the motherboard, but the chipset is VIA.

15. RE: Installing WIN98 Upgrade on New Harddrive
lbyard Sep-19-01 05:14 PM
In response to message 14

How about the PB CD? Larry