Can windows 98 (not SE) use USB?

[1am]

Dear all,

Can windows 98, not 98SE, use USB port? If so, where can I get the driver? (I need to install to an old DELL latitude CPt laptop)

Thank you

[awergh]

it should come with usb drivers though you may need drivers for specific devices like printers and stuff

[niknak]

You may need to visit the Dell website to down load relevant drivers for the computer.

If you use the service tag on the underside of the computer or from the bios, you can go here

http://support.dell.com/support/topics/glo...l=en&s=hied - for US

http://support.euro.dell.com/support/downloads/index.aspx - for europe

It will give you the original spec of the system as well as relevant downloads usually by O/S.

Due to the way they name the downloads sort them as you download them so you know what they are.

[jaclaz]

USB support is built-in since Windows 95 OSR 2.5.

You need NO additional drivers for "USB support", unless your install is somewhat faulty, you might need specific drivers fro the USB device you want to use, if it's a "Mass Storage" device (read USB stick or HD) see here:

http://www.msfn.org/board/Maximum-Decim-Na...ers-t43605.html

http://www.msfn.org/board/Generic-98-USB-d...RKS-t99220.html

jaclaz

[herbalist]

The USB that comes with 98FE does work. It's just slow when used with USB 2.0 compatible devices. My old HP had 2 USB ports which left me in the position of having to switch cables to use different devices. That became impossible when I added an external hard drive. The external hard drive worked on the factory USB ports but was very slow. The external hard drive was primarily for backups and data storage, so using USB 1.1 was not a major problem for me, just a slow annoyance. To make a long story short, not being able to use my other devices and the slowness of USB 1.1 convinced me to add a 5 port USB 2.0 card. The package said that 98SE was required but I installed it anyway and forced the install of the drivers. Turns out that USB 2.0 works just fine on 98FE, at least on my hardware. Many times faster than the factory USB ports. This was done before I learned of this site and the unofficial upgrades. Unless something I upgraded earlier made this work, I can only conclude that USB 2.0 can be made to work on 98FE.

From my 98FE box:

Regarding drivers, you may need specific ones for the USB devices you want to use. Most of the time, the vendor includes them with the device. I'm using a USB 56K Faxmodem, the WD external hard drive, a USB mouse, and a webcam. Except for the webcam and mouse, all of the USB devices including the USB card "required" 98SE or newer, according to the packages, CDs, read me files, etc. I had to extract the drivers for the WD hard drive and install them manually, but they all work properly on my 98FE box. Microsoft, software vendors, and hardware distributors alike exaggerate 98s obsolescense. Some just put it on the packaging or in the documentation. Others add the "incompatibility" to the installers, like Microsoft did with WMP-9 to keep it from installing on 98. One thing is clear. 98 first edition works well with more with newer hardware (and a lot of software) than the vendors tell you. The only way to know for sure is to try it, but if a piece of hardware says it needs at least 98SE (or WinME), there's a very good chance that it will work on 98FE as well. It really makes me wonder why they're trying so hard to steer users away from 98FE.

Rick

[1am]

Many thanks. I'll check from DELL.

In fact, my friend gave the laptop to me recently, since I want a PC to run windows 98. I found it runs on windows 98SE, but I only have windows 98, so I wonder if I reinstall it by windows 98 is the USB port still work?

BUT... actually....I cannot found any device that connected to the USB port can work properly, even I had downloaded some drivers for the devices ....

[1am]

USB support is built-in since Windows 95 OSR 2.5.

You need NO additional drivers for "USB support", unless your install is somewhat faulty, you might need specific drivers fro the USB device you want to use, if it's a "Mass Storage" device (read USB stick or HD) see here:

http://www.msfn.org/board/Maximum-Decim-Na...ers-t43605.html

http://www.msfn.org/board/Generic-98-USB-d...RKS-t99220.html

jaclaz

Thank you very much. I am indeed finding drivers for USB stick and USB to IDE.

[BenoitRen]

USB support is built-in since Windows 95 OSR 2.5.

Not true. You still had to install the two USB support packages on OSR 2.5.

[jaclaz]

USB support is built-in since Windows 95 OSR 2.5.

Not true. You still had to install the two USB support packages on OSR 2.5.

Sure, what I meant was that USB support came together with the OS, and you did not need to go searching for anything on Dell's (or any other manufacturer's) site.

jaclaz

[Mijzelf]

USB support is built-in since Windows 95 OSR 2.5.

Not true. You still had to install the two USB support packages on OSR 2.5.

OSR 2.1 is OSR 2.0 + USB.

OSR 2.5 is OSR 2.1 + IE4.

So, USB is built in since OSR 2.1

[BenoitRen]

"Mijzelf", read the post above yours.

[niknak]

jaclaz

1am may still need to enable the chipset with the inf for the motherboard bitter experience says for Dell machines download from Dell, as he is there he may as well download the other drivers for the laptop and O/S as Dell uses propriety parts and altered drivers where ever possible.