There are ways of streamlining a Windows 98 install to make it faster and less resource hungry on less powerful systems. A good one is here

http://www.litepc.com/98micro.html

There are others you can Google for.

bigskymusiclover wrote:

The system in question use's a STB Velocity 128, that is based off a RIVA 128 if I am not mistaken, I am not sure what version of drivers I am using or DX version.

Drivers for STB Velocity 128: ftp://78.46.141.148/driver/STB/Velocity128/

Win95OSR2 would feel snappier on such a system, but Win98SE would be much more headache free.

I don't really see how Pentium 266 Mhz should need any enhancements in Windows 98 SE to make it "snappier". My old Pentium I laptop was more responsive than most office/school virus filled Windows Vista nightmares that I had the misfortune of using are today.

He didn't say 98SE would make it snappier.

I know. I am saying that for Wibdows 98 a 266 Mhz P1 is the typical configuration for the time it came out in, not something really needing optimalization.

Not wanting to sound like a broken record but I'd give W95osr2 a go. Just add the usb and interface updates, then later you can compare the 'optimized' 95 setup to W98se at some point.

And you will find some games better/at all on 95 - though they do tend to be of the finicky simulation type, like: Hind/Apache [W95-3dfx patch], Aces of the Deep [Commander's ed CD], Pacific Air War Gold [CD version extras/UI]. If these are in the mix you might give it some thought.

m1so wrote:

Use Windows 98SE. This system is far more powerful than anything that would benefit from Windows 95, and the benefits of Windows 98SE far outweigh the drawbacks in my opinion. I had an ancient Pentium 1 non-MMX 133 Mhz laptop with just 24 MB RAM with Windows 98SE and it run Diablo, Age of Empires: Rise of Rome, Transport Tycoon, Duke Nukem 3D, Doom and Wolfenstein 3D perfectly.

Transport Tycoon, DN3D, Doom and Wolfenstein 3D are DOS games.

Windows 98 SE would be probably optimal, Windows NT and 95 do not have good USB support (except 95 OSR2), Windows 2000 could be an option if you have enough RAM and don't like DOS games.

I had a bleeding-edge PII 266 system from Micron Computers in 1997 (still have it somewhere, actually) which I slowly upgraded.
Stiletto's GhettoPC (TM)

I can tell you it shipped with Win95 OSR2. But I eventually upgraded it to Win98 SE. It was, and I was, happy with both. (but I was happier with Win98 SE.)