Hello, I do some volunteer work for a non profit organization that fixes computers for people who can't otherwise afford them. The question I have is that I have been playing around with Norton Ghost and was able to make a image of a Windows 98. The problem that I have is that when I restore the image to put on other computers, and go into the system properties later it appears as though some hardware was left behind when I imaged. So firstly, how do I make a image that when restored will act as if there were no hardware installed on Windows 98, and secondly is it possible to make Windows 98 find all the pieces of hardware first instead of having to keep rebooting? Thanks in advance, James Simpson

its a bit hit and miss but the only way i can think you could achieve a blank hardware image would be to remove all the optional hardware and switch off without rebooting. then make the image before booting into windows. windows 98 is limited in its hardware installation as it doesnt have as many drivers as XP preloaded so the answer to the second question i believe is no!

When you put the image on another computer and boot for the first time, windows will see the hardware is different and will reconfigure itself for the new hardware. Prior to making the image, if you run regedit and go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE and delete the Enum folder there, all the old hardware setting will be removed. Then make the image. But again, on first boot windows will reconfigure itself for the new hardware. I don't think there's any way to prevent windows from rebooting once or twice when it's doing the new hardware detection. Often the detection of one item can't be done until another is first detected. For example, it's not going to find the cdrom until the controllers are configured. Rebooting allows it to configure one batch at a time.

Thanks for your tip DAVEINCAPS. If you want a free gmail account, send me a email with your name, and email address and I will invite you to gmail if you want.

By the way my email for the invite is cppgod at gmail.com

You're welcome. I've got AOL and use their email services. But thanks anyway.