Windows 98

Windows 98

Windows 98 was an operating system made by Microsoft. It was part of the Windows 9x family and came after Windows 95. It was first made available for factories on May 15, 1998, and then sold in stores on June 25, 1998.

Windows 98 was designed to work well with the web and made using a computer easier. It added some new features to help users, like better support for devices plugged into the computer and the ability to use DVD players. It was also the first Windows version to use a new way of handling device drivers.

Microsoft called Windows 98 a "tune-up" for Windows 95, meaning it improved what was already there instead of creating something completely new. When it came out, most people liked it because it was easy to use and fixed some problems from Windows 95. It had one major update called Windows 98 Second Edition, which came out in 1999. After Windows Me was released in 2000, support for Windows 98 ended in 2002, and full support ended in 2006.

Development

After Windows 95 was a success, Microsoft started work on a new version called Windows 98, with the secret name "Memphis." The first test version came out in January 1997.

Over the next year, many updates were made. In April 1998, a final test version was shown at a big tech event, where Microsoft's leader, Bill Gates, talked about how easy it was to use. Windows 98 was finished and ready to manufacture on May 15, 1998, and became available to the public on June 25, 1998.

Later, in 1999, Microsoft released an updated version called Windows 98 Second Edition.

New and updated features

Web integration and shell enhancements

Windows 98 came with Internet Explorer 4.01 SP1, which was later updated to 5.0 in the Second Edition. It included many internet tools such as Outlook Express, Windows Address Book, FrontPage Express, Microsoft Chat, Personal Web Server, a Web Publishing Wizard, and NetShow. NetMeeting let people have online meetings and work together on documents.

The Windows 98 interface was designed to work well with the web. It had features like deskbands, Active Desktop, Channels, and an address bar in Windows Explorer. Users could minimize windows by clicking buttons on the taskbar, and there were navigation buttons to move back and forward. The taskbar had toolbars to make it easier to access the web or the desktop. Windows 98 also included shell enhancements like LiteStep, themes, and features from Microsoft Plus! for Windows 95.

Improvements to hardware support

Windows Driver Model

Windows 98 was the first system to use the Windows Driver Model (WDM). This allowed developers to create drivers that worked with different versions of Windows. Windows 98 also supported older drivers for compatibility. WDM improved audio support, allowing better sound quality and support for more devices. It also helped with video playback and recording.

Other device support improvements

Windows 98 improved support for USB devices, including hubs, scanners, and other tools. It also added support for new technologies like 3DNow!, SSE, and Extended CPUID. Windows 98 introduced support for power-saving modes like Standby and Hibernate, though these worked best with specific hardware. It also improved support for different types of drives and hardware, including DVD support and better graphics options.

Networking enhancements

Windows 98 made several improvements to networking. It added better support for TCP/IP, including new features like Automatic Private IP Addressing and improved performance for fast networks. The system also improved support for different types of networks, such as Ethernet, Token Ring, and Asynchronous Transfer Mode. Windows 98 included better tools for setting up internet connections and managing network users.

Improvements to the system and built-in utilities

Performance improvements

Windows 98 improved how the system handled files and memory, making it faster and more efficient. It included better tools for managing the hard drive, like Disk Defragmenter, which helped keep the computer running smoothly. Windows 98 also added a Fast Shutdown feature, though users had to be careful with it if certain drivers were active.

Other system tools

Windows 98 added several useful tools. Microsoft Backup could now handle more types of storage. Disk Cleanup helped users remove unnecessary files. The system included tools to check and fix the Windows registry, and a new utility to manage which programs start up with Windows. Windows 98 also made it easier to install and update the system, and it included better tools for troubleshooting problems.

Accessories

Windows 98 added new accessories to help users. It included Microsoft Magnifier for people with visual difficulties, and new help systems. Users could change the font in Notepad, and Microsoft Paint could now handle GIF images better. HyperTerminal could connect to TCP/IP networks, and there were updates to tools for tracking system performance.

Miscellaneous improvements

Windows 98 included several smaller updates. It added support for new technologies like Telephony API (TAPI) and DCOM. Users could find similar fonts more easily. The system had new sounds for low battery alerts and during startup and shutdown. Windows 98 also came with Flash Player and Shockwave Player already installed.

Windows 98 Second Edition

Windows 98 Second Edition, often called Windows 98 SE, is an updated version of Windows 98. It came out on June 10, 1999, before Windows 2000. This version fixed many problems and added new features. It improved support for audio, modems, and USB devices. It also updated Internet Explorer to version 5.0 and added support for FireWire devices like camcorders.

The update included new features like DirectX 6.1 for better sound and music, improved support for internet connections, and a new version of Windows Media Player. It also fixed a problem where older versions could stop working if left on for too long. Users could get Windows 98 Second Edition as an upgrade or a new version. Some older features, like the Active Channels bar and WinG API, were removed because newer technologies took their place.

Upgradeability

Windows 98 let users update many parts to newer versions. You could upgrade to newer versions of Internet Explorer 6 SP1 and Outlook Express 6 SP1, as well as Windows Media Player 9 Series. Other updates included DirectX 9.0c, MSN Messenger 7.0, and features from newer Microsoft systems like .NET Framework version 2.0 and Windows Installer 2.0.

Many more parts could also be updated, such as MSXML 3.0 SP7, Microsoft Agent 2.0, and Office XP SP3. Even though Windows 98 did not fully support Unicode, some Unicode applications could still work with the Microsoft Layer for Unicode installed.^{[citation needed]}

System requirements

Most copies of Windows 98 came on CD-ROM disks. For older computers, there was a version on 39 DMF floppy disks that could be ordered by mail, but it did not include all the extra features of the CD version. This was the last version of Windows that could be bought on floppy disks. The updated version, Windows 98 Second Edition, was only sold on CD-ROMs. The special Microsoft Plus! add-on for Windows 98 was also only available on CD-ROMs.

There were two main versions of Windows 98, each with its own basic requirements to run properly.

Some users could skip the usual checks for the computer’s processor when setting up Windows 98 using a special command. This made it possible to install on very old computers with processors like the Intel 80386.

Limitations

The first version of Windows 98 might not start up correctly on computers with processors faster than 2.1 GHz. Also, a feature called the Active Channels Channel bar would not work right on computers with processors faster than 1.5 GHz.

Windows 98 was made to work with up to 512 MB of memory (RAM). The most it could use was 1 GB of memory. Computers with more than 1.5 GB of memory might keep restarting when turning on.

Windows 98 could have trouble working with hard drives larger than 32 GB on some computers with certain types of software called Phoenix BIOS. A later update fixed this problem.

Support lifecycle

Computers with Windows 98 could be updated to Windows XP if they met the needed requirements. Microsoft planned to stop supporting Windows 98 on June 30, 2003, but they kept extending this date. Finally, support ended on July 11, 2006, because many people in developing countries still used it.

Windows 98 was no longer sold in stores after June 30, 2002. Microsoft stopped providing it because of agreements with Sun Microsystems. In 2011, Microsoft closed the old Windows Update website, but a group created a project called Windows Update Restored to help people update Windows 98 again.

Main article: MSDN

Reception

Windows 98 was liked when it came out. People liked how it looked and how easy it was to use. They liked that it fixed problems from Windows 95. Some people said it made finding files simpler. Others liked its support for new devices like DVD players. But some felt it still crashed too often and thought the price to upgrade was high.

Sales

Windows 98 sold very well. In its first four days, it sold over half a million copies, more than Windows 95. By the end of its first year, it had sold 15 million copies worldwide. Even though it was popular, it didn’t catch up to Windows 95’s earlier success. Sales of Windows 98 kept growing while Windows 95’s sales slowly went down. The operating system was officially stopped being sold in 2003, with about 58 million copies installed around the world by that time.