At <http://club.cdfreaks.com/f3/win98-upgrade-win-98-se-help-me-65741/>, the author asked about his Win98 upgrade to win 98 SE.

I'm now attempting the same thing with a 98SE upgrade disk (not full OEM version) but am getting a SU991010 error on a Compaq 5716 desktop.

I've posted this at another board without results:
Am FINALLY upgrading native Win98 OS to Win98SE via SE upgrade disk but consistently receive the following error message after wizard checks OS: "Unknown Error; Message SU991010; An unknown error occurred. Restart your computer and try running Setup again. If this doesn't work, quit running Windows and try running Setup from MS-DOS. (0x3f2)." At <http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;EN-US;q250683&>, the following is suggested: "CAUSE This error message indicates an error reading the hard disk (a locked disk). You may be running antivirus software or a disk utility that does not allow write access to the hard disk. RESOLUTION To resolve this issue, disable your antivirus or disk utility program, boot your computer with the Windows Startup disk, and then run Setup again." Well, two issues: 1) this upgrade disk can only be run from a Windows GUI so can't run Setup from MS-DOS; 2) I closed both AVG and Zone Alarm but still got error message.

To the point, would the technique used in the prior mentioned club.cdfreaks.com post (messing with the win.com file) also work with 98SE upgrade disks? Thanks in advance.

Hi,

at first check your BIOS setup. Many BIOSses have an entry named "Virus Protection" or similar which prevents write access to the boot record. Disable this option and try again.
Also uninstall your "security software" for the time you try to install W98. Disabling is not enough.

Michael

BIOS has no option to disable AV.

Only security software is ZoneAlarm and AVG. Another site <http://www.helpwithwindows.com/windows98/start-011.html> suggests attempting install from Clean Boot:
Performing a clean boot
Third-party device drivers, utilities, or other programs can prevent a successful installation. Clean-booting your system can fix many of these problems. Windows 98 provides a tool for automating many of the steps required to clean-boot a system.
1. Select Start > Run, and type msconfig in the Open: box. Press OK
2. Check Selective startup on the General tab
3. Clear all the check boxes under Selective startup and click OK
4. When prompted to restart, click Yes
When Windows 98 reboots, you should be in a clean environment to run Setup.
>> Are you saying disabling all but the most essential services isn't enough?

Just 2 days ago I setup Win98SE upgrade version by booting to Startutp disk to run setup with no problem, and yours should work too. Also the disk should be able to be unlocked if locked disk is the problem. I believe it need be unlocked from DOS with command "unlock C:" if memory serves. You may like to check Windows Help to be sure about the unlock command as it's been a while since I've run it. In my instance I got a message setup couldn't be run from Windows because scandisk couldn't be run from Windows and was instructed to run Setup from DOS which worked fine.

Thanks for the suggestion, bevills1, but didn't work. Tried twice.

First, booted using Win98 Startup disk
Chose 1 (start w. CD-ROM support)
A:\>unlock C: (This appeared to have worked as no error message appeared.)
A:\>F: (CD drive where 98SE update disk is.)
F:\>setup.exe (got message that This program requires Microsoft Windows)

Second, rebooted w/o using Win98 Startup disk thinking that C: was now unlocked from previous attempt.
Killed AVG service.
From D:, ran setup.exe (I transferred all files from 98SE setup disk to partitioned D drive from suggestion on another forum). Got SU991010 error again. Suppose I could've tried running setup from F: (CD-ROM drive) but seemed futile.

The C drive should be locked again upon reboot and needs to be unlocked again. Try clicking "Start," "Shutdown" and "Restart in MSDOS mode." Then run "unlock C:" and then type "exit" and press "Enter" to return to Windows. Drive C should then be unlocked since a reboot wasn't done. I don't know whether this will avert the error, but it should unlock C drive to try setup.

However, the fact you get the "This program requires Microsoft Windows" message when trying to run from startup disk seems to indicate possible problem with Win98SE CD or Startup disk. I suggest making a new startup disk and retry booting to it to run setup again. If that fails you might try downloading a Win98 startup disk which may be found via Google search in case there may be something goofy with current Windows installed. Bottom line is Win98se setup should run when booted to startup disk.

My Proper Computer still runs Win98SE. I have another Desktop that runs
XP Pro SP2 and a Laptop with XP Media Edition, but W98SE runs rings
round them both and doesn't need a swapfile.

Have you tried
http://www.msfn.org/board/Windows-95-98-98SE-ME-f8.html
quite a lot of info and upgrades are available including an
Autopatcher for SE dated DEC 07

You could also upgrade your Win98FE to the Best of ME version.
http://www.msfn.org/board/98-FE-98-S...es-t46581.html

Sean B

I've been led to believe (according to other 98SE update troubleshooting threads) that this message is normal since Win98 must be running in order to update to 98SE via this update disk. It is not an OEM (full version) disk, just update. Also, SU991010 is a generic error and is wrong to suggest running setup again from DOS.

Pretty confusing stuff

However, will try this and post the results. BTW, I think the current condition of C: is unlocked. So I should click "Start," "Shutdown" and "Restart in MSDOS mode." Then run "lock C:" and then type "exit" and press "Enter" to return to Windows. Then same procedure to unlock again?

Hey, thanks for staying with me.

Isn't 98SE generally considered superior to ME kind of like XP being superior to Vista?

To quote the MDGX site:

The goal here is building the ultimate Windows 9x OS
by "transplanting" ~ 700 newer ME system files onto
98 SE, and YES, you too CAN do this at home, kids... :-)

The appearance is actually changed to look like Windows 2000
I don't personally like the ME version of Filemanager, much prefer
the W98 version with StepUp, Winzip and LFNs extensions, much better
than Explorer.

Someones also brought out USB drivers that are plug
and play like XP. And there's now a 98SE2XP project.

See http://www.mdgx.com/9s2m/ for SE info, there
is one for FE somewhere?

For the OP it might be easier to install 98SE on another
HD and then copy all the files over to your original HD.
I've done that before and deleted the original C:\Windows
dir first. I renamed C:\Program Files to C:\Program_Files_OLD
so that I would know what to install again. After installing
again I deleted the remnants from C:\Program_Files_OLD
If there are any huge files in C:\Program_Files_OLD delete
them and just leave the dir name so you know what was
there. i.e. C:\Program_Files_OLD\Pinnacle I did this because
I wanted full control over what was deleted on the HD and
all my files were intact. Obviously a backup Image needs to
be done first.

Sean B

ARRGGHH! Locking/Unlocking didn't work either. Still same SU991010 error.

HP tech said to wipe system clean and reinstall via Restore CD but that'll wipe out all of my customization settings. This things runs like a top now and don't want to mess things up with all of that OEM crap.

Am thinking all of my customization settings somehow configured some kind of incompatibility with the 98SE upgrade CD.

Am also considering simply reinstalling Win98FE via install files on D: partition and then trying SE CD again. This way, I don't think I'll lose all of my current settings too extensively. Or will I? What do you guys think?

My Win98SE CD is upgrade too and runs from DOS without problem, and the error you're getting means the disk is locked according to http://www.computing.net/windows95/w...rum/73059.html. This site also states setup may be run from DOS, but disk must be unlocked else you get the SU991010 disk locked error. Your assumption disk is still unlocked after reboot is mistaken since Windows locks disk on boot. The disk must be unlocked and run setup without restarting the system in order for setup to access the disk to run. BTW this site also suggests low memory can cause many SU99xxx errors, and it could be you don't have enough memory since you didn't state memory you have.

In the past I've encountered inability to run some programs due to locked disk, and unlocking disk has always resolved the problem. Reinstalling current version will likely be a waste of time because the problem is obviously locked disk.

224 MB RAM. That's enough, no?

I'm no expert on RAM requirements for various apps, but it seems low to me. I'm currently running 512, and least I recall running in Win98SE or FE is 384. RAM is so inexpensive it certainly wouldn't hurt to add or replace if necessary if all banks are full.

However, you should still be able to run setup by unlocking C drive with current memory. You might try selecting MSDOS prompt in Windows and try running unlock command there, and then return to Windows by typing "Exit" and press "Enter," and then try running setup from Windows. If you get same error or are unable to run unlock command this way, then disk is still locked. Directions in the first paragraph of my post #6 here should work if this doesn't.

BTW you can find correct RAM for your system from some memory manufacturers such as Crucial at http://www.crucial.com/ by simply selecting make, model, etc. for your system. Note you don't have to buy their brand, and any brand of same memory type should work.

>>Something interesting from the site you mentioned above:

Name: ham30
Date: May 2, 2005 at 14:30:52 Pacific
Subject: Win98 to win98se
Reply: (edit)

There are two CDs that will change win98FE to win98SE.

One is the normal Win98SE 'Upgrade' CD.

The other is a Win98SE 'Update' CD. The latter is much cheaper but has a drawback. It will only run from an operational Win98FE system. It will not run from Dos.

>>Implies I have the 'Update' CD and if you were able to install through DOS, you must have the 'Upgrade' CD. Also explains why I've been getting the This program requires Microsoft Windows message.

I have always done a fresh install when doing this. Use the upgrade disc in DOS, and go through the installation. It will ask to show an instance of Win 98, at which time you simply take out the disc and insert the Win 98 disc and let it read it. It then will ask to put the Win 98 Upgrade disc back in and the install will continue. This install is much more satisfactory than doing it from windows.

Thanks for your input but two issues here. First, from my post just above and if the computing.net information is accurate, I apparently have the 'Update' CD and so cannot install through DOS.

And second, I don't have a Win 98FE disc, only a Restore CD. Probably some technique out there to extract files from Restore CD to make Win 98 disc but that's another issue.

What might save me is to find someone willing to burn a copy of their Win98SE 'Upgrade' CD and mail it to me for a nominal price. But then I would still face the lack of a Win 98FE disc.

If my problem is memory, according to Crucial's site via bevills1's post, a 128MB stick would cost $18 + shipping. But, although RAM is as important to system performance as good starting pitching is to a major league ball club, adding more memory is not guaranteed to solve my problem.

Your initial post said you had upgrade version, but yours must be update version as you found from the link since it doesn't run from DOS. Mine is indeed the upgrade version which explains why it runs in DOS. You should be able to eliminate the error and install current update version if you can unlock C drive.

Concerning the memory Crucial is higher priced than many other brands, and any brand memory of same type will work. If this is for the Dell Dimension shown in your signature, 512 MB of Kngston memory of DDR2 (PC4200) memory type is only $10.49 plus shipping from http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...0Series&DEPA=0.
Search Newegg for what memory type your system takes if it's not the Dell Dimension 4700, and you'll surely find a better price.

It wouldn't be legal for someone to just send you a copy of any Windows CD. If you wanted to obtain a legal Win98SE Upgrade CD or a Win98FE upgrade CD, they're available for $37.50 and $15.99 respectively from http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/se...rocess=default.

You're right. Initial post said "Upgrade" when I in fact have the "Update" disk.

Even if my problem wasn't solved, I did indeed learn a few things which is a reward in itself and I thank you for your efforts.

The solution is obvious. Unlock C drive, and even the Update version you have should run from Windows. Get an Upgrade version, reinstall Windows, add memory, etc., and it will still fail unless C drive is unlocked.