I'm attempting to help my girlfriend and her mom get their eMachines PC up and running again. The restore CD gives 3 options: 1. Format HD and restore Windows98 2. Do not format HD and restore Windows98 3. Quit to DOS My question is: will choosing option 2 (don't format the HD and restore Windows98) cause them to lose everything currently on the HD? They have a bunch of word docs, pictures, etc... that they don't want to lose. Does the restore CD wipe the HD clean and then restore Windows98, or does it just restore Windows98 by reinstalling over the corrupt version currently on the PC? Thanks very much in advance for any help you guys can offer! Steve

I believe option 1 will erase everything, and put the computer in a "factiory fresh" condition. Option 2 will install Win98 over itself, hopefully saving your other work. I have no experience with eMachines, but I hope this helps.

Well that is why it does say, DO NOT FORMAT. You should not loose any information but we are talking about a restore CD here and a re-install of any OS does not always go perfect. This is the reason we back up important information. Anyways, you should be able to choose option 2 and have no worries but then again ya never know. Laters, KTTD

If you choose option 2, you shouldn't lose your data :)

Just in case the restore does not go 100% the site below carries files for all emachines critical to operation. You will need to know which one it is such as the 333c hightower etc, but plenty of files including drivers for the video cards. Good luck http://www.priorityonesupport.com/downloads/emachines/

Generally a restore CD for Emachines is an image copied to your HD this basically covering over what you have exsisting. In other words this Emachine restore CD will in fact destroy all data on the drive when you use the option not to format. Why they put the option not to format and install windows is beyond me. Everything is lost anyways! Tony

using option #2 will not destroy whats on your computer.I say this,having used it on my emachine.it did change the password log-on but everything else I had on it was still there when I finished.be sure to have your W98 ID number written down so you can type it in when it calls for it.