Computer storage device available for Win98 ?
 

Hi: I'm looking for a computer storage/transfer back-up device, similar to the kind that plugs into a USB port (like Cruzer). However, on one old computer I have is Win98 (not 98SE), and can find nothing available.

So I have to use an older Iomega Zip drive for backup/transfer with this particular machine. Unfortunately these zip disks only hold 100 mb (and can no longer find the disks either), and are well below the capacity I'm looking for. Any ideas from the computer experts here? Thanks.

you can get USB drives and expansion cards, if the computer doesn't have a USB port. any USB drive should work.

I already have a 2 USB ports that came with the WIN98 computer, but cannot find any current mass storage devices on the market that WIN98 will "find" when plugged in to the USB port. That's the problem.

what is it, exactly, you are trying to accomplish? a regular backup? do you have some documents? what is it you need backed up and why?

There may be an update patch for Win98 that allows mass storage recognition in Win98 Non-SE. Win 98 SE should detect most storage devices on it's own.

The thing is to get a cheap USB drive, not one with some preinstalled software on it or whatnot. These show up as standard USB Hub Mass Storage devices and are the quickest and most recognized. A Cruzer is not this. It has autorun programs that act more like a CD-autorun program and this can cause probs with older OSes.

Cheap no name sticks or ones like PNY are what you want.

I had that problem with the machine that has the database for my shop. (I use Nutshell, which likes a W98 or lower enviroment) Even with USB driver discs and outside assistance my machine wouldn't recognize the device. Hearing of my trouble, a buddy gave me an old tower that had SE on it. An easy plug & play with it.
From what I can tell you are going to have to upgrade.
Jim

I don't think USB support was there for this sort of thing in 98. If the nutshell thing doesn't work then an additional harddrive may be the best bet. Or a DVD burner (if any support Win 98).

Really, the best eventual answer for this is to figure out how you can upgrade to something newer than Win 98.

I think you should retire the machine, remove the hard-drive. I have a $20 kit which allows you to turn any IDE drive into a USB drive. It has one part that is a power supply, and the other is a multi-pin to USB connector. The one I have will work with full size drives and notebook drives.

A quick google search got me this:

http://www.technical-assistance.co.uk/kb/win98fe-usb-mass-storage-drivers.php

It's possible to recognize USB drives in 98 first edition. Just takes a little time.

What size is the flash drive too? If it's over 2gb, I think Win 98 might not be able to see it.

Options

1) External Hard Drive - Requires use of the CD to install drivers for Win98 (does not recognize external Pen drives, usb drives, et al).

2) Pull the hard drive, use $20 kit to make an internal hard drive USB. Browse for files, copy paste to host computer

3) Networking - Use a Crossover cable and use Windows Networking to pull the files over the network.

4) Install Wireless card (that has Win98 on the box), and upload to an FTP server or other online storage place. Or just put another computer on the network, and see #3 without the crossover cable.

**edit**

Windows98 does not support NTFS drives... I believe it does support FAT32... would need to check, but if memory serves...

These sound like the best answer to me.

Crossover cable, or install the hard drive in the newer computer.

Not quite certain what the cross-cable is, would this be USB port to USB port? If so, could I connect my XP Laptop to my Win93 machine and transfer data right into the laptop?

Try using USB 1 on the machine. It prolly will not recognize USB 2...

again, what is it you are trying to get done? periodic back up, system back up, document back up?

No, it's an ethernet cable with two wires crossed. This will let you set up a 2 computer network with just the cable. A similar option would be to find a hub and connect both computers to it.