I am considering this move. I am contented with the 98SE installation I now have, but was wondering what I might gain or lose by installing this. I can get the CD required fairly cheap right now. Would my computer be faster, slower, more bloated, more stable. In other words is this worthwhile or a case of if it ain't broke, don't fix it?

Thanks to all

In My Opinion Windows 2000 maybe a better OS than Windows 98 but its more...clunky and bloated...it was Microsoft's Answer to the horrible ME and I don't like that.Then Again Installing 2000 Means you don't have to worry about running most of the latest Programs(Most still support Win2000).

I say go right ahead and install Windows 2000 with SP4 and all other Updated for Maximum Security.

I think he means the Unofficial 98SE2ME program by MDGx.

Latest, bug fixed file versions for 9x, helpful tweaks that make your system run smoother, cool games!

It's great! It's tested over years!

Uh, yeah if using 98SE and have a ME cd then go ahead and install 98SE2ME.

Just don't install Windows Me. Yucch!

And, for the latest and greatest updater to be sure your 98SE is all patched up, the new Autopatcher by soperific works well. I've used it. It doesn't install stuff that's already there and you can choose which modules and which patches within those modules that you want installed.

I just ran the whole thing on a new setup. Saved a bunch of time and wondering which updates to install in what order.

By the way, do the Autopatcher BEFORE you do 98SE2ME.

Millennium was a strange one. It introduced "System Restore" but on
the whole if its a choice between Me and 98se, I have heard most say
98se is better than Me.

Its just strange because people either seem to love it or hate it - some
say its a nightmare, some say the classic "I've never had a problem"
but, everyone is different.

I did encountered some BSOD with MDGX's Win98SE2ME, and those were the same errors when i installed Windows ME. I think my computer has some old hardware in it which might have have caused the problem. But with MDGX's 982ME i never was able to get my power profiles to work properly. Rest of the stuff was nice.

I am mostly looking for more speed, stabiility (mine is already fairly stable) not prettier. Maybe more tweakable, I am currently running 256 mb ram and have no problems with that amount. I am no longer much of a gamer as I would rather save my arm for fishing. The main problem I have with my current setup is IE 6. I do not want to have multiple browsers. I like to keep my system lean and have only what I need without much running in the background. The main problems I have with IE are the occasional lockup that sometimes occurs when I have mor than one browser window open. This sometimes leads to IE not shutting down and a scandisk after I reboot. I also get some of the "The page cannot be displayed" screen and with a refresh or two I get to where I want to go, but it happens too often and I have seen it on other computers.

I know this is kind of a dead end upgrade and I know someone who upgraded ME to 2000 pro and MS told them that they would have to pay to keep SP4.

I am still curious what features I would gain besides system restore which I would toggle as needed.

Thanks

Which version of Autopatcher do you use for 98SE? Does this have any unofficial patches?

Thanks to all who replied.

I'm one of those peeps who never really had any problems with it. It was pretty fast on an 866mhz with 256mb ram.

Of course it would go fast on that setup. It's way more than the system requirements of Win98 SE, its brother.

I too haven't suffered any major problems with WinME. My HP computer I got in late 2000 came pre-installed with ME.

ldb, you might want to try installing MDGx's 98SE2ME pack (requires IE 5.5 or higher). It makes Win98se GUI look more like the ME interface.

The WinME interface which requires IE 5.5 or newer is only option 3.
98SE2ME has a total of 8 options:
http://www.mdgx.com/9s2m/READ1ST.TXT

1. ALL components listed below EXCEPT option 3.
2. ~ 700 WinME system files [main option].
3. WinME Explorer, Shell + UI.
4. 98SE2ME boot Logos.
5. Better PFE Notepad replacement.
6. Patched Win98 SE Windows Explorer.
7. Patched WinME File Manager.
8. WinME USB, FireWire, Audio + WDM Drivers.

HTH