Win98 partition on an XP machine?

[chaszal]

Dear folks,
My Win 98SE desktop comp is 12 years old, running fine for now, but it's exactly the way I want it with tweaks and freeware enhancements and security measures, and I'm worried it might go poof unexpectantly. I have backed up the data of course. but I would like to preserve the whole deal. Can I partition another machine running XP, install 98 on the new drive, and restore a drive Image from the old machine to the new partition?
Thanks in advance,
Chas

[Train]

Best bet would be to clone the hdd to another one. That way, if the hdd gives up the ghost, you can replace it. Another partition on the same drive would be lost too, when the hdd gives out.

[jdc2000]

Train's idea also has one other advantage. IDE (PATA) hard drives are becoming harder to find. Get one now while you still can.

[chaszal]

Thanks Train and jdc2000 for responding,
Would you please give some advice as to how I would go about cloning the drive? Do I need cable? and a program? I do have another working desktop machine; it's older, don't know how old, can't remember the specs (maybe it's IDE? - I haven't run it for a while) it has XP on it now. So, I would format it, wiping it clean, and then? (I have another legal copy of Win98SE)
Thanks,
Chas

[Train]

when you buy a new drive , check with the makers website and they will have a program for setting a hdd and cloning the old drive to the new one.

Acronis, is the best program out there right now
http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/

If the computer came with 98 on it, it probably uses ide hdds.