1.) WHAT STEPS ARE NEEDED BEFORE RESTORING A 3.0GB IMAGE TO A NEW 30GB HDD? Could this be serious misgiving if this scheme is continued? For example, imaging a 3GB hdd to a 7.0GB primary partition would leave an unallocated hard disk space of about 4Gb on the destination partition. Would this statement be correct and if so, then who would be willing to forfeit 4GB of real estate? I plan to take the usual route as listed below.
However, I see the Restore option to be a serious gap. What’s the best approach in solving this problem?
In other words, after a restore, I would like to see the full capacity of the primary partition showing both Used Space and Free Space…NO UNALLOCATED SPACE, PLEASE.
I would appreciate any help in resolving this matter.
Thanks in advance for your help.

1.) INSTALL AND FORMAT 30GB HDD
2.) PARTITION SAME
3.) IMAGE A 3GB HDD WITH WIN98SE TO CDR WITH IMAGE FOR DOS

4.) INSTALL WIN XP HOME
5.) RUN WINDOWS UPDATE & INSTALL ALL SECURITY/PATCHES

Your objectives is confusing. Do you want to (1) copy the 3GB W98 drive to a 7GB primary partition on a 30GB drive or (2) install Win XP on a partition on the 30 GB drive. Using an image or backup assumes you are retaining W98. To create a CDR image of the 3GB drive requires multiple CD's and assumes software like Ghost set to span multiple disks. Using Ghost, the drive manufacturer's software or other you can directly copy the 3GB drive to the 30GB drive without wasting space.
You list of instructions leaves a 30GB partitioned with XP installed, a 3GB drive with W98, and a image of the 3GB drive on multiple CD's. If you restore the CD's onto the 30GB drive you would then erase the XP unless you restored to another partition. Confusing.

Hello, wizard-fred:
Here is more info on the Imaging/MSBackup Probelm:
This Pentium2 pc has a 3.01GB harddrive with Win98SE on it.
In the meantime she (the owner)has purchased WinXP Home edition and want me to install it for her.
However, Win98SE belongs to me and I want it removed from her machine.
She purchased a 30GB hdd for this very reason.
How am I going to save all the system setting, programs, etc. and still remove my OS from her system?
I use Terabyte's Image for Dos, but this may not help.
I need to copy that 3GB W98 drive to a 5, 6, or 7GB primary partition on a 30GB drive. I have not installed the hdd yet, but will be doing so very shortly.
If this copy/imaging process cannot be done, then there's only one solution left: "THE NUCLEAR OPTION."
I will not hesitate to use this option in order to remove my Win98SE from her system.
Please take another look at this situation and see what can be done before I make that final decision.
Thanks very much for your help.
purdue112

If you want to save the programs and settings for the client then you would need to image/copy/clone the 3GB drive onto a new partition on the 30GB drive. That should give you the same system on the bigger drive. Then upgrade the system to XP. Hopefully the settings will be retained and the program would be compatible. As a backup you could burn a copy of the W98 3GB to CD. You could then reformat the 3GB and return the drive. Installing the XP over the 98 should destroy enough of the 98 to make it unusable. I have never used Image for DOS. I use Partition Magic mostly and have used Norton Ghost. I have no problems cloning a partition and sizing it to fit in the right partition. I would recommend keeping the 3GB intact until the XP is running on the 30 GB drive.
You don't have to delete every bit of an OS to make it unusable.

Hello,Again:
Your instructions seems uncomplicated and straight forward.
Therefore, I will reread your post until it sinks in, then attack this problem head-on.

Your help in this matter is tremendously appreciated.
Again, thanks a million.

Regards,
purdue112