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| Summary News Requirements Compatibility Interface Installation Variants Versions Downloads Links Publisher Support Alternatives Secrets Pricing |
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Details |
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| Summary | This Graphical OS is designed for workstations at home or business. Windows 98 likely has the widest hardware and software support of any OS in existence, greatly exceeding even Microsoft's flagship product Windows 2000. The Windows 9x/Me family is installed on more PCs than all other OSes combined. While not as dramatic a change from Windows 95 as Windows 95 was over Windows 3.x, Windows 98 adds a number of improvements, fixes, and interface tweaks. It now includes the previously separate Windows Plus! Windows 98 Second Edition (SE) added further fixes, updates, improved USB support, drivers, and Y2K updates. Windows Me is the next release in this series. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| News | 13-Jan-2004
- Microsoft extends end of life to Jun-30-2006 1-Jan-2001 Volume Licensing to End In an effort to force corporations to switch to the more expensive Windows 2000, Microsoft announced it is ending volume licensing of both Windows 95 & 98 on June 30, 2001.[Infoworld, Page 15] 14-Sep-2000 Windows Me Microsoft has a replacement for Windows 98, called Windows Millennium also called "Windows Me". See Windows Me for more details 1-May-2000 Missing Windows CD Microsoft has changed the OEM policies for including Windows 98 on a new computer. In most cases, to get the OEM pricing, computer manufacturers are not allowed to provide a Windows CD-ROM as has been done in the past. This means if your hard disk is corrupted, you have to buy a new full copy of Windows! Some manufacturers do include a recovery CD-ROM, with some, but not all of Windows files found on a normal Windows install CD. Often these "recovery" CD's will erase everything and start over with an image of the system as it was first shipped. [InfoWorld Page 101] |
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| Product | Windows 98 SE | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Processor | 486DX. 66 MHz or better | |||||||||||||||||||||
| RAM | 24 MB (16 MB for first edition) min; 512 MB max | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Drive space | 205-315 MB | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Drives | Runs from hard disk, Prompt available from boot diskette. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Video | VGA or better | |||||||||||||||||||||
| File systems | FAT, FAT32 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Compatibility | Windows
16-bit programs (Windows 3.x type programs) Windows 32-bit programs Windows VxD device drivers DOS programs, 100% native, while Windows is not running DOS programs in a "DOS box" while Windows is running, compatibility excellent DOS device drivers |
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| Interface | Windows is a GUI interface, but supports both a text-based DOS window, and can boot from a single diskette into a "DOS" prompt. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Installation | Must
be installed on a primary partition on the first drive. See Secrets section
below for complete installations on other than the first drive. About
4 MB of boot up code must reside on the C drive, but all remaining files
can be installed in any drive (primary or logical, any physical drive).
For system with more than 512 MB of RAM, to avoid instabilities it is necessary to use run MSCONFIG, select Advanced, and set the option "Limit memory to" on, with a value of 512. |
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| Variants | Upgrade
edition - upgrades Windows 3.x/95 to Windows 98. Full edition - includes boot diskette and can be installed on a blank drive OEM edition - installation depends on part on how an OEM configures the installation. In most cases, the OEM edition will install safely on top of a prior installation of Windows 98, but will erase the entire first hard drive and put a fresh install of Windows 98 if Windows 98 is not detected. |
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| Versions |
Windows release timeline Identification of Windows 98 version: Go to "Start", "Settings", "Control Panel". Select the "System" icon. In the General tab (the default), it shows the product "Windows 98" or "Windows 98 SE". |
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| Downloads | Upgrade from the first release to the SE (second edition) is only available as a paid release. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Links | Microsoft Windows 98 Solution Center WUGNET - Windows User's Group Developers |
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| Books | Books on Windows 98
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| Publisher |
Microsoft Corporation Phone 1-206-635-7000 (support) |
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| Support | Free support to user's who purchased retail copies. OEM users (i.e. included with a new PC) are referred back to the computer manufacturer for support. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Alternatives | Windows Me, Windows 2000/XP/Vista, Linux, and Solaris | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Secrets | Setup
Switches Easter Eggs Startup/Shutdown screens Installation Not on the First Drive Uncommon Keyboard Shortcuts |
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| Pricing | Retail
price: $209.00 Upgrade price: $109.00 (upgrade from Windows 3.1, 3.11, 95) Upgrade price: $19.95 (upgrade from Windows 98 first edition) |
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