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Generic Win98SE Installation & Setup Guide

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First post, by KT7AGuy

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Everybody has their own preferred method for getting Win9x installed. This is mine. I do not intend for this to be a complete or definitive guide. This definitely isn't a manual. It's just the way I like to do things. Almost everything in my guide is optional. Heck, the only things you really need to do to get Win98SE working are to install it and your device drivers. Everything else is personal preference.

I've been meaning to post this here at VOGONS for a very long time. I invite constructive criticism and hope that this will inspire others to post their own preferred methods for getting things working. I also hope that this will help others who did not grow and age into this hobby as I did. We've got more than a few members who are just learning things now for the first time; they didn't have the advantage of being there when things were new.

This is a generic write-up of how I usually configure my Win98SE systems. I usually install more software than this, but I would consider this a baseline for my systems. Please bear in mind that I do not run more than 512mb RAM anymore. Benchmarking in 3DMark2001SE was slightly lower when I ran 768mb RAM. Others have also reported issues when running more than 512mb. I choose not to invite trouble and now run between 256mb and 512mb. These instructions assume that you too are using between 256mb and 512mb RAM. If you are using less or more RAM, then you'll want to configure your system.ini file differently.

As the years have passed, my method for installing Win98SE has changed as I've gained knowledge and experience. As such, this post will be edited over time as I incorporate new and better ideas from others. I will acknowledge those people when that happens.

Basic Generic Win98SE Setup Instructions
NOTE: Don't use an upgrade version of Win98SE. Make sure you are using a full non-upgrade version of Windows 98 Second Edition. (Thanks yawetaG and Jorpho.)

Disable ACPI
If your BIOS has an option for disabling ACPI, then you should disable it. On some systems, it may be referred to as, "APIC", "IPCA" or something else. Additionally, set the BIOS option for "Plug n Play OS" to "NO" unless you have a PCI sound card. If you have a PCI sound card, set the BIOS option for "Plug 'n' Play OS" to "YES".
This is a stability recommendation. With Win2K, ACPI became much more stable and standardized. Under Win98SE, ACPI was somewhat flaky and could lead to issues such as hanging on restart/shutdown.

Hard Drive Setup
Create a MBR, single, primary, active, FAT32 partition and format it.
There are many other ways you could partition your hard drive. You can create multiple partitions and you can even multi-boot. For the sake of simplicity and consistency within this guide, I assume that we're just using a single, primary, active partition. Feel free to partition and design your system the way you like and translate my instructions accordingly.

Copy the source files to the hard drive before installing Windows. This saves you from having to fish out your Win98SE CDROM each time the system needs to access something on it. Doing this makes things easier and more convenient, but will consume some hard drive space.
Create a "C:\Win98CD" directory.
Copy the entire contents of your Win98SE disc to "C:\Win98CD".
Remove the CDROM and boot with the Win98SE Boot Disk.

If you were able to disable ACPI in your BIOS, install Win98SE without ACPI by running this command:

c:\Win98CD\setup.exe /p i

If you were unable to disable ACPI in your BIOS, or you are unsure about it, install Win98SE normally by running this command:

c:\Win98CD\setup.exe

Complete your installation of Win98SE.

If your motherboard is Intel 440BX, i810, or i815, install the Intel INF v3.20.1008 chipset drivers (infinst_enu.exe).
https://web.archive.org/web/20191020071930/ht … Series-Chipsets

If your motherboard is VIA, install the 4in1 v4.43 chipset drivers (4in1443v.exe).
https://d34vhvz8ul1ifj.cloudfront.net/Driver/ … A_4in1_443v.zip

If your motherboard is VIA, install the VIA USB Filter Patch v1.10 (usbf_110.zip).
https://d34vhvz8ul1ifj.cloudfront.net/Driver/usbf_110.zip

A note regarding 3dfx Voodoo 2 cards and VIA motherboards:
The v3.03.00 drivers are slightly older than the v3.02.02 drivers, even though the version number is higher. The v3.03.00 drivers were designed for DirectX 6, while v3.02.02 drivers were designed for DirectX 7. Due to a flaw in the design of some VIA motherboards, the v3.02.02 drivers will often cause lockups and other undesirable effects. There is no reliable, documented way around this. The v3.03.00 drivers work just fine. USE THE v3.03.00 DRIVERS! Better yet, use the FastVoodoo2 drivers that have this problem fixed.
http://falconfly.vogonswiki.com/voodoo2.html

Install FreeWheel v2.4
https://web.archive.org/web/20071021005734/ht … /freewheel.html
This program makes using the mouse easier and fixes a "bug" that was only recently corrected in Win10. With this program, you'll be able to scroll inactive windows without bringing them to the foreground first. Contemporary alternatives to this program are KatMouse and WizMouse.

Copy everything from "C:\Win98CD\TOOLS\OLDMSDOS" to "C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND". Don't overwrite anything.

Copy everything from "C:\Win98CD\TOOLS\RESKIT\HELP" to "C:\WINDOWS\HELP". Don't overwrite anything.

Copy "VBRUN300.DLL" to "c:\windows\system"
Many programs need this.

A note about DirectX:
Win98SE includes DX6 preinstalled.
If you have a DX8 video card, then install DX 8.1B (DX81eng.exe).
The final version of DirectX 9.0c for Win98SE is dated 08 Dec 2006 (directx_dec2006_redist.exe).
http://falconfly.vogonswiki.com/directx.html

Install video card drivers.
http://falconfly.vogonswiki.com/voodoo1.html
http://falconfly.vogonswiki.com/voodoo2.html
http://falconfly.vogonswiki.com/voodoo3.html
http://falconfly.vogonswiki.com/vsa100.html
https://www.nvidia.com/en-gb/drivers/win9x-archive/
https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/drivers/win9x-4523/
https://download.nvidia.com/Windows/45.23/45. … n9x_english.exe
https://download.nvidia.com/Windows/

Install Ethernet drivers, if necessary.
Make sure TCP/IP is installed and working.
Set Primary Network Logon to "Windows Logon" to avoid password prompts.

Install Sound drivers, if necessary.
NOTE: If you're using an SB16, AWE32, or AWE64, you do not need to install anything. Win98SE has drivers for these sound cards built-in.
OPTIONAL: You may consider updating the built-in drivers with "sbw9xup.exe" provided by Creative Labs.
http://support.creative.com/downloads/downloa … nDownloadId=417

Install PS2Rate v0.4
http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/ps2rate.html
This lets you adjust your PS/2 mouse refresh rate. If you're into FPS games, this may help to make your aiming more precise and accurate.

Replace the installed Win98SE versions of ScanDisk and Defrag with the WinME versions. Just overwrite the existing files with the WinME versions:
c:\windows\defrag.exe
c:\windows\scandiskw.exe
The WinME versions of ScanDisk and Defrag are faster, more efficient, and support larger partitions and drives.

Install EndItAll v2.0
by Neil J. Rubenking
First Published in PC Magazine, US Edition, October 16 2001, v20n17
https://web.archive.org/web/20080213181620/ht … 2817,697,00.asp
This lets you see what processes are running and allows you to kill them selectively. Think of this program as "Task Manager for Win9x".

Install Microsoft Plus!98 with the following options:
Deluxe CD Player
Desktop Themes
Disk CleanUp Add-Ons
Maintenance Wizard
Organic Art ScreenSaver
MS Plus!98 is totally unnecessary, but the included themes are great for nostalgia. I like to install it just for fun. The "Disk CleanUp Add-Ons" and "Maintenance Wizard" may also be useful.

Install Microsoft Internet Explorer v5.5 SP2
(Without Flash, ShockWave, NetMeeting, and Outlook Express.)
This is for the occasional game or program that insists on launching your default web browser. IE6 is newer, but it has issues and is just as useless as IE5, so just use IE5.

Install Media Player v6.4 Codecs Pack (wmp6cdcs.exe)
https://web.archive.org/web/20200804150313/ht … ls.aspx?id=4621
https://web.archive.org/web/20200812072619/ht … on.aspx?id=4621

Unofficial Windows 98SE SP 2.1a (sesp21a-en.exe) with these options:
Main Updates
Command Prompt Here
New Animated Boot and Shut Down Logos
Performance Tweaks
Note: Make sure you want this before you install it, because uninstallation can be troublesome.
https://forums.lunarsoft.net/topic/1167-windo … l-service-pack/
https://web.archive.org/web/20181113145532/ht … -of-version-20/
https://www.philscomputerlab.com/windows-service-packs.html
https://www.philscomputerlab.com/uploads/3/7/ … 621/sesp21a.exe
http://exuberant.ms11.net/98sesp.html (Dead link. No Wayback Machine archive. Saved for posterity.)

USB Mass Storage Drivers (nusb33e.exe) - READ THE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE INSTALLING
http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/43605-maximus … ve-usb-drivers/
https://www.philscomputerlab.com/windows-98-u … age-driver.html
https://www.philscomputerlab.com/uploads/3/7/ … 621/nusb33e.exe
This will give you better USB support so you won't have to constantly install drivers for each new USB device you connect.

"Powerful PC" File System performance tweak
This registry tweak will enable you to add another option called "Powerful PC". This option will enable the system to remember twice as many files as the "Network Server" setting, which will result in a substantial performance enhancement.

REGEDIT4

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\FS Templates\Powerful]
@="Powerful PC"
"NameCache"=hex:a0,0f,00,00
"PathCache"=hex:80,00,00,00

Right-click My Computer and then select:
Properties • Performance • File System • Hard Disk • "Typical role of this computer" • Powerful PC

Adjust virtual memory & swap file appropriately. Lately I've been setting it to 128mb, but going as low as 64mb is probably fine too. If you're running 512mb RAM with Win98SE and the system is swapping at all, then the size of the swap file isn't the problem.

Disable the Task Scheduler
System Tools -> Scheduled Tasks -> Advanced -> Stop Using Task Scheduler

Increase cdrom cache:
Right-click My Computer and then select:
Properties • Performance • File System • CD-ROM
Set Supplemental Cache Size slider to maximum
In "Optimize access pattern for", select "Quad-speed or higher", unless your optical drive really is slower than that.

Read ahead buffering:
Right-click My Computer and then select:
Properties • Performance • File System
Put the Read-ahead optimization to Full

Verify that DMA is enabled for the Hard Drive and Optical Drives. YawetaG mentioned that "If this keeps getting reset to "disabled" after a crash, that may indicate a power issue."

Install Dot Net Framework v1.1 (dotnetfx.exe)
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=26

Install Dot Net Framework v1.1 SP1 Update (NDP1.1sp1-KB867460-X86.exe)
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=33
This isn't totally necessary, but I like to have it installed for the occasional program that might need it. Dot Net Framework v2 can also be installed under Win98SE, but I don't bother with it. Dot Net v1.1 SP1 is sufficient.

TweakUI v1.33
http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/tweak_ui.html

Set in system.ini:

[386Enh]
ConservativeSwapfileUsage=1
PageBuffers=32
DMABufferSize=64
32BitDiskAccess=ON

[vcache]
MinFileCache=65536
MaxFileCache=65536
chunksize=2048
namecache=4096
directorycache=96

7-Zip File Manager
http://www.7-zip.org/

Daemon Tools v3.47 (daemon347.exe)
NOTE: Be careful with this. Modern distributions of this software may contain adware, spyware, or other malware.
CRC32 0AC4C9F7
MD5 FE36EF3ABF2589BEF67F0113F40FF845
SHA-1 7A1D1AF799096C81977F3EF3F9221FB2F278EB44
https://filehippo.com/download_daemon_tools/3.47/
This disc virtualization software will allow you to mount CDROM images.

Adobe Acrobat Reader v5 (ar505enu.exe) (rp505enu.exe)
http://ardownload.adobe.com/pub/adobe/acrobat … .x/ar505enu.exe
http://ardownload.adobe.com/pub/adobe/acrobat … .x/rp505enu.exe
Note: After all these years, I still do not know what the difference is between these two versions.
Note: Adobe Acrobat Reader v5 is old, outdated, and has multiple security vulnerabilities. As suggested by Jorpho and DosFreak, Foxit Reader may be a better choice. The final version of Foxit Reader that works well with Win98SE is v2.2.2129. Other folks using Foxit Reader under Win98SE report better results with v1.3.1621. However, please be aware that these are older verions of Foxit Reader and also suffer from numerous security vulnerabilities.
ftp://ftp.adobe.com/pub/adobe/acrobatreader/win/5.x (Dead link. Saved for posterity.)

Adobe SVG Viewer v3.03 (SVGView.exe)
https://www.adobe.com/devnet/svg/adobe-svg-vi … nload-area.html
This is old software that you will probably never use. Consider this optional.

Media Player Classic v6.4.9.1 (Included with QuickTime Alternative and Real Alternative)
Similar to the built-in Windows Media Player, but much much better.

QuickTime Alternative v1.56 (quicktimealt156.exe)
This is an alternative to Apple's QuickTime. Much lighter on resources than the real bloatware.

Real Alternative v1.52 (realalt152.exe)
Completely obsolete and useless by today's standards, but I like to keep it installed for any game that might actually need to use the craptastic RealPlayer format that plagued the late 1990s and early 2000s. Much lighter on resources than the real bloatware.

DivX v5.2.1 (DivX521ME98.exe)
http://www.afterdawn.com/software/audio_video … x_for_win98.cfm

PowerDVD XP v4.0
Updated (PDVDxp4_Patch_2417.exe)
Installing a DVD player is optional, but I like to have it just in case I want to watch a DVD.

VLC Player (vlc-0.8.6i-win32.exe)
http://download.videolan.org/pub/videolan/vlc/0.8.6i/win32/
This is probably the best choice to use as your default media player.

Flash v9r280 (flashplayer9r280_win.exe)

Flash for ActiveX v9r280 (flashplayer9r280_winax.exe)

Shockwave v10.3.0.24 (Shockwave_Installer_Full_10.3.0.24.exe)

Sun Java v1.4.2_19 (j2re-1_4_2_19-windows-i586-p.exe)
http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase … .4.2_19-oth-JPR

CCleaner v2.36 (ccsetup236.exe)
https://web.archive.org/web/20150919074011/ht … 7/ccleaner-v236
http://www.oldversion.com/windows/ccleaner-2-36-1233

Atomic Clock Sync v2.7.0.3 (atomic.exe)
http://www.afterdawn.com/software/system_tool … nc.cfm/v2_7_0_3
Sync your system clock and keep it accurate.

CH Products Analog Drivers (CHANLG08.EXE)
http://www.helpdrivers.com/joysticks/CH_Produ … tual_Pilot_Pro/
NOTE: For whatever reason, these drivers are becoming increasingly difficult to find for download. Although this site has them listed under the Virtual Pilot Pro, these are indeed the correct drivers for all of the CH Products analog controllers. Also, see here: Software suite for CH Fighter Stick, Pro Throttle, and Pro Pedals (gameport version) - get it here
Obviously, you don't need this unless you use a CH Products controller.

CTFJ v3.20 (CTFJV320.ZIP)
https://web.archive.org/web/20160626102156/ht … m/swdownld.html
https://web.archive.org/web/20070226173153/ht … ks/ctfjv320.zip
Allows you to adjust your joystick's deadzone. You don't need this if you don't use a joystick.

JoyToKey v3.79 (jtk379en.zip)
http://freewarewiki.com/w/page/14935784/JoyTo … y?mode=embedded
Gives you complete control over input peripherals. Great for remapping game controls.

OPTIONAL - Intel Application Accelerator (iaa23_multi.exe) (iaa23_enu.exe)
If you're using an Intel i810 or i815, you may get some performance improvement by installing the Intel Application Accelerator v2.3. Then again, this might cause problems. Make sure you want this before you install it, because uninstallation can be troublesome and maybe even impossible.
https://web.archive.org/web/20180102023738/ht … ion-Accelerator
NOTE: If you're using a laptop, v2.2.2 was the last version for mobile processors.

Use Phil's excellent instructions to setup MS-DOS Mode:
Old Version of Phil's Guide - https://web.archive.org/web/20160704124711/ht … -tutorials.html
Current Version - https://www.philscomputerlab.com/ms-dos-mode-super-easy.html
(Thanks Phil!)

Jesolo has also posted a guide for configuring MS-DOS Mode:
How to create a boot (start up) menu under Windows 9x/ME

If you've made it this far, thank you for reading my guide. I strongly recommend that you download the software from all the links and archive it. Tense posted an updated link to the NVIDIA v45.23 drivers on September 23rd, 2020. That prompted me to recheck this post and I found almost two-thirds of the links were dead or broken. I've now updated this post with working links, but some of this software is becoming harder and harder to find. Download and save it all while you still can.

Last edited by KT7AGuy on 2022-10-05, 00:45. Edited 49 times in total.

Reply 1 of 64, by Jorpho

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Interesting. But why Acrobat Reader 5 instead of Reader 6? (Reader 6 is one of few apps that won't install on 98FE, but it should work on SE.) If it's because Reader 5 is more lightweight, then I would suggest going with a different app entirely, like Sumatra or Foxit, though I have no idea what the last versions for Win9x were.

I would also be inclined to go for IE6 SP1 followed by the bugfix described at http://www.frankprovo.com/win98ie6filesproblem.htm , but I suppose just sticking with 5.5 SP2 is fine.

Also, it seems to me the Visual Basic 4 runtimes will be needed sooner or later, unless they're included in the unofficial service pack.

One of my favorite little widgets was TClockEx, but that's purely personal preference. Keeping an eye on the free System Resources is a very handy way to prevent accidental crashes, though.
http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/tclockex.html

Reply 2 of 64, by KT7AGuy

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I choose Acrobat 5 for two reasons: 1- It's more lightweight than 6, as you mentioned. 2- I do it out of habit. You're right that Sumatra and/or Foxit are probably better choices. I'll look into this later to find what the final Win98SE versions for those are.

IE6 SP1 in Win98SE is pointless. As you already mentioned, it has the nasty bug that may or may not be fixed by the link you provided. Also, at this point in time, it is just as outdated and useless as IE 5.5. I only install IE 5.5 to provide some compatibility for games that insist on launching or accessing a web browser. At the time most of those games were made, IE 5.5 was the dominant and current browser available. If we're going to try to provide some semi-current browser capability, Firefox v2.0.0.20 is the better choice over IE6 SP1.

Thanks for the recommendation for TClockEx! I'll check that out later. I was unaware of that one.

Reply 3 of 64, by DosFreak

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You might want to consider automation but really after I have a system setup I make a backup image anyway
http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/49892-unatten … for-windows-98/

I would stay away from Adobe Acrobat for security reasons and bloat. If you do use it then lock it down.
Last time I tested years ago Foxit 2.3 worked on 9x without kernelex.

Consider Retrozilla for a browser. It's not perfect but it's the most updated browser that works on 9x without any tricks.

I doubt anything needs shockwave anymore.

PDFCreator 1.2.0
Windirstat 1.1.2 - Drive space analyzer

Combined-Community-Codec-Pack-2007-07-22 Should work on 98SE.
ffdshow_rev2352_20081124_clsid.exe
klmcodec345.exe K-lite Codec Pack

Imgburn 2.5.5.0

Miranda 0.9.2.0 Chat Program

WinSCP 4.3.2

Clamwin 0.97.1

SetupVirtualCloneDrive5450 Virtual CloneDrive (If you don't like Daemon Tools)

Flash - I want to say I used Flash 10.3 without Kernelex...not sure.

Java - Java 6 Update 7 works fine in 98SE without kernelex (Oracle has still been updating Java 6 I think it's in the update 100+ now...doubt that still works on 9x tho)

Active Directory Client Extensions (this enables NTLMV2 on 95+/NT4)

Import Patcher - http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/154868-import … dency-problems/
If you want to get newer versions of programs working on 9x or even if you want to figure out why your old program isn't working then this is useful.

How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
Make your games work offline

Reply 4 of 64, by KT7AGuy

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DosFreak,

Thanks!

I too use ImgBurn under Win9x and modern operating systems. I didn't include it in my guide because I think of it as non-essential. I was trying to keep my guide as simple as possible while still including what I consider to be the most essential stuff. If I included everything I install in my builds, the guide would have been much longer. I also like EZ CD v5.01 and Nero 6 Ultra.

Reply 5 of 64, by mrau

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KT7AGuy wrote:

Disable ACPI
If your BIOS has an option for disabling ACPI, then you should disable it. On some systems, it may be referred to as "IPCA" or something else. Additionally, set the BIOS option for "Plug n Play OS" to "NO" unless you have a PCI sound card. If you have a PCI sound card, set the BIOS option for "Plug 'n' Play OS" to "YES".

any info on the speedup this actually gices? does it free cpu, ram or speed up i/o?

KT7AGuy wrote:

Copy everything from "C:\Win98CD\TOOLS\OLDMSDOS" to "C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND". Don't overwrite anything.
Copy everything from "C:\Win98CD\TOOLS\RESKIT\HELP" to "C:\WINDOWS\HELP". Don't overwrite anything.

what exactly is that, please?

KT7AGuy wrote:

Install Ethernet drivers, if necessary.
Make sure TCP/IP is installed and working.
Set Primary Network Logon to "Windows Logon" to avoid password prompts.

are there specific cards which work best with old windows? is htere anything like offloading present in cards from back then? does it work in the old windows?

KT7AGuy wrote:

is there any measurable impact on precision and performance? is this using up cpu or i/o?

KT7AGuy wrote:

Replace the installed Win98SE versions of ScanDisk and Defrag with the WinME versions. Just overwrite the existing files with the WinME versions:
c:\windows\defrag.exe
c:\windows\scandiskw.exe

what do we get from this exactly?

KT7AGuy wrote:

Verify that DMA is enabled for the Hard Drive and Optical Drives.

would SCSI help here? or does it only work with NT systems?

Reply 6 of 64, by Jorpho

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mrau wrote:
KT7AGuy wrote:

Replace the installed Win98SE versions of ScanDisk and Defrag with the WinME versions. Just overwrite the existing files with the WinME versions:
c:\windows\defrag.exe
c:\windows\scandiskw.exe

what do we get from this exactly?

Apparently they're faster. The Win98 defrag is pretty lousy and I sure wouldn't want to keep using it one way or another, but I forget what alternatives exist. (MyDefrag, I think?)

KT7AGuy wrote:

would SCSI help here? or does it only work with NT systems?

Using SCSI would involve getting a SCSI interface card and a SCSI drive, which would likely be much more trouble than it is worth.

Reply 7 of 64, by KT7AGuy

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mrau wrote:
KT7AGuy wrote:

Disable ACPI
If your BIOS has an option for disabling ACPI, then you should disable it. On some systems, it may be referred to as "IPCA" or something else. Additionally, set the BIOS option for "Plug n Play OS" to "NO" unless you have a PCI sound card. If you have a PCI sound card, set the BIOS option for "Plug 'n' Play OS" to "YES".

any info on the speedup this actually gices? does it free cpu, ram or speed up i/o?

It's not for improving speed. It's for improving stability.

mrau wrote:
KT7AGuy wrote:

Copy everything from "C:\Win98CD\TOOLS\OLDMSDOS" to "C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND". Don't overwrite anything.
Copy everything from "C:\Win98CD\TOOLS\RESKIT\HELP" to "C:\WINDOWS\HELP". Don't overwrite anything.

what exactly is that, please?

Those are the legacy DOS programs and Windows help files. If you copy them as I outlined, you'll have immediate access to them from within Windows without having to access your source files or Win98SE CDROM. This is just something that I like to do. It can be considered entirely optional.

mrau wrote:
KT7AGuy wrote:

Install Ethernet drivers, if necessary.
Make sure TCP/IP is installed and working.
Set Primary Network Logon to "Windows Logon" to avoid password prompts.

are there specific cards which work best with old windows? is htere anything like offloading present in cards from back then? does it work in the old windows?

I really like the D-Link DFE-530TX+ network cards. I'm sure there are plenty of others that work just as well, or even better.

mrau wrote:
KT7AGuy wrote:

is there any measurable impact on precision and performance? is this using up cpu or i/o?

PS2Rate is something I install on all of my Win9x PCs, but rarely use. This is more important if you're really into FPS games and need to tweak for accuracy. The program doesn't run in the background and doesn't consume any extra system resources. However, setting the mouse refresh rate to 200Hz may require a few extra clock cycles from the CPU. However, I'm sure this is so small as to be unnoticeable. For more info about mouse DPI and refresh rates, check this out:

http://donewmouseaccel.blogspot.com/

mrau wrote:
KT7AGuy wrote:

Replace the installed Win98SE versions of ScanDisk and Defrag with the WinME versions. Just overwrite the existing files with the WinME versions:
c:\windows\defrag.exe
c:\windows\scandiskw.exe

what do we get from this exactly?

The WinMe versions are faster and more efficient.

mrau wrote:
KT7AGuy wrote:

Verify that DMA is enabled for the Hard Drive and Optical Drives.

would SCSI help here? or does it only work with NT systems?

I've got a SCSI adapter and drives that I've been using from back when I ran a pure DOS system. Nowadays, it runs under Win9x just fine.

However, if your system doesn't have an onboard ATA133 controller, then you're better off just finding a nice Promise Ultra 133 TX2 controller and using IDE/PATA drives. SCSI stuff is expensive and more complex to configure. Save your money and avoid the headaches.

Reply 8 of 64, by Joey_sw

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Jorpho wrote:
mrau wrote:

what do we get from this exactly?

Apparently they're faster. The Win98 defrag is pretty lousy and I sure wouldn't want to keep using it one way or another, but I forget what alternatives exist. (MyDefrag, I think?)

Not only that, win98 defrag & scandisk can handle lower amount of clusters than winME version.
That will became an issue as original win98 tools would refuse to works on drives with such large amount of clusters.

WinME tools also has its caps tho, you'll hit that limitation too if the clusters/drive are too high.

-fffuuu

Reply 9 of 64, by chinny22

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Nice checklist, should really do the same, I always loose a driver or 2 and then have to find out which version still worked with 98
I go down the other path and install as little as possible, PDF reader's flash, etc are all left off. Mine are 100% gaming machines.

I've changed to 3 partitions though, C:\ for OS and programs, D:\ for games E:\dump (for drivers, installers, game ISO's etc.
That way if I need to reinstall I have everything in 1 place and many 9x games don't need a full install with a fresh OS

Reply 10 of 64, by Tetrium

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Very well done! I liked reading it a lot and I've already added it to Vogons Wiki (see my sig) as there was a gap between 95 and ME and this guide will do perfectly fine!

DosFreak wrote:

You might want to consider automation but really after I have a system setup I make a backup image anyway
http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/49892-unatten … for-windows-98/

The 7 year later 98SE was deleted though.

There is msbatch (which is located on the 98FE install disk, but it works with 98SE and ME. Virtual PC is nice since one can try out lots of stuff there quickly), but msbatch might be a bit old-fashioned these days.

Whats missing in your collections?
My retro rigs (old topic)
Interesting Vogons threads (links to Vogonswiki)
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Reply 11 of 64, by KT7AGuy

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Thanks for the compliments! 😊

When I'm building a Win9x machine, it's not for serious use in any sort of production environment. I'm also not deploying a large number of PCs, so automation is a bit overkill. Besides, I'm a bit OCD so I prefer a hands-on approach rather than trusting a script. I also make images of my completed systems after I build them, so this sort of thing only needs to be done once per system. None of this is all that hard, difficult, or time-consuming. The worst part is installing Office 2000, should you want that. Getting it and all the patches and updates installed takes forever. This is why I left Office out of my list. It's not necessary for a legacy gaming PC.

Really, if you need some sort of Office suite on a Win98SE machine, OpenOffice v2.4.3 is probably the better choice anyway. It's much newer and way easier/faster to install.

Regarding PDF readers: I feel that this is essential software, even for a legacy gaming PC. Nowadays, almost all of my manuals and documentation are archived in PDF format. Having a reader installed is important, IMO.

Reply 12 of 64, by Tetrium

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I stopped using any version of Office a long time ago.

What 9x msbatch installs is concerned, to me it was more about trying to not having to do the same things over and over again (like for instance selecting my country and timezone, I don't move between countries that much anyway 🤣). But tbh, when it comes to 9x I have used non-scripted installs for the vast majority of my builds.

Whats missing in your collections?
My retro rigs (old topic)
Interesting Vogons threads (links to Vogonswiki)
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Reply 14 of 64, by Tetrium

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Stretch wrote:

How do you slipstream drivers in Windows 98 SE?

I never even bothered with XP, let alone 9x.

Perhaps some driverpacks exist (which usually are not integrated into 9x install media), but I always preferred to pick my own drivers.

But if you want to read more about the tweaking of install media, I can highly recommend you take a visit to msfn.org forums 😀

Whats missing in your collections?
My retro rigs (old topic)
Interesting Vogons threads (links to Vogonswiki)
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Reply 15 of 64, by KT7AGuy

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Stretch wrote:

How do you slipstream drivers in Windows 98 SE?

I've never done it, but I understand RLoew has some tools that will do it. Contact him here:

http://rloew.x10host.com/
or
http://rloew1.us.to/

For Win2K and newer, you want this:

http://www.nliteos.com/index.html

Reply 18 of 64, by KT7AGuy

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leileilol wrote:

Nice OP but you need some "why" on before some of the sudden "Install this" instructions. Why should I install Plus 98, for example?

Right. I make the mistake of assuming that folks will automatically know why they should take or ignore my suggestions. When I get a chance, I'll edit and add some commentary on each step.

Regarding Plus98: You should install it because it's nifty! 🤣

Edit: I added some comments. Please let me know what you think. Are there any other parts that could use some editing?

Reply 19 of 64, by Tetrium

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Didn't the unofficial 98SE SP2.1a already add support for USB mass storage? Or was it compressed (zip) files?
And somewhat related, the final 2.x Dutch unofficial SP was 2.0a or something (a very little behind the English one).

And in general giving your opinion is perfectly fine, but (as already pointed out by leileilol) I would also like to know why it's such a great idea.

Question about the partitioning: I made it a habit to use several partitions and keep Windows on its own partition (this is good in case I were to need to reinstall Windows (wouldn't loose any savegames etc) and it helps keeping the Windows partition unfragmented).

Whats missing in your collections?
My retro rigs (old topic)
Interesting Vogons threads (links to Vogonswiki)
Report spammers here!