[Laser98IX]

For the first time in many years I get to talk to others about Win98SE, and I don't have to try to explain my preference of an OpSys to anyone.
I don't have to feel embarrassed nor have to put up with people who mock me because of my "old" OpSys.
As I've told people for years, "If it works, leave it alone. If it works well, why spend money unnecessarily?"
I've been called antiquated and stodgy for years.

Brief history:

Started using DOS around 1982.
I bought Win3.1 in 1995 to run a laser engraver for my new business.
Updated to Win3.11 around 1996 when I needed networking capabilities.
Ran a single computer operation via NetBEUI on a small 10Mb hub with laser cutters and printers on a Cat-5 print server.
Added more Win3.11 machines for separate business purposes.
Upgraded three machine licenses to Win98SE because of the Millennium issue.
Still have the original upgrade licenses for 98SE and have collected more full licenses cuz I love the O/S.
Have been running on various machines, including 1Ghz AMD and Intel proc's for business, and Dell laptops for personal use.
Hardware keeps failing and gets replaced, but my Win98SE O/S keeps plugging along provided I can find the correct drivers.
Oh yeah, I finally decided to buy some newer used Dell desk-side machines with WinXP, but I only use them if absolutely necessary.

Recently got my hands on an Aopen XCcube EZ65 "shoebox" computer second-hand.
Intel Celeron 2.4Ghz with 1Gb RAM with an Asus V7100Pro64 add-on AGP video card.
Did a search online and saw a brief description of Win98SE capability on Asus site.
Couldn't resist a challenge, so I had to know if it really would run.

Located one of my uninstalled licenses and began to search for M/B & video drivers.
It took a while, but I located all of the original Asus drivers: on-board BIOS, VGA, M/B chipset, LAN, audio, USB2.0.
Cool!!!

Next was the V7100Pro64 -- does not support W98SE. Bad news, but I could live with on-board VGA.
Couldn't put it down. Saw spec's of V7100Pro64, so I had to find drivers.
Nothing on the internet at all.

Alternate method for discovery: Run Knoppix "Live CD" O/S, which provides very good computer discovery information.
The video card is seen as nVidia NV11 GeForce2 MX-400, so I did a search for that driver and found it.

Burned all drivers to CD and installed Win98SE on test harddrive.
Installed clean, no BSOD, no 0E exceptions.
Only one hiccup because I originally installed drivers in wrong order.
Installed AGP video card and then drivers.
The machine works like a champ, and the O/S is really snappy!!!

Machine is the fastest Win98SE installation I've ever had the pleasure to use, and I'll never let anyone tell me the O/S is a POS.
*Remember* I don't make changes unless they're absolutely necessary.
However, since it does not support USB sticks larger than my 512Mb SanDisk Cruzer Micro I boot Knoppix.
That O/S sees all the hardware fine, USB sticks of any size (so far to 16Gb & 1.5Tb external drives).
I can connect any 1.1 or 2.0 USB device and Knoppix sees them.
I transfer very large files (greater than 512Mb) using Knoppix, and then boot Win98SE.
Runs fine.

Searched for some updated prog's and information on Win98SE for my new install.
Looking mainly for tips and tricks on Windows Explorer for a while.
Pretty soon I had three windows and twenty tabs open -- it's easy to get carried away.
I saw "unofficial Win98SE ServicePack2.1A" on a free S/W site, and I couldn't resist.
Have downloaded the SP2.1A and SP3.3.
Will do proper research before installing SP3.3 on a mirrored drive for testing.
Also looking into NUSB3.6 to see if it will allow Win98SE to "see" larger USB sticks. Hopeful.

I still use my Win98SE machines everyday for various tools and in various locations.
I only surf with Knoppix or Ubuntu since they can't be hacked, and I don't have "safe" virus S/W -- yet.

I'm hoping to test the SP3.3 update on the mirrored drive with the existing configuration.
Once everything is working I'll test NUSB3.6 to see if I can use larger USB memory sticks.

So that's it. It's good to be here, and I've got a LOT of reading to do.

This post has been edited by Laser98IX: 17 July 2012 - 08:46 AM

[jaclaz]

Laser98IX, on 17 July 2012 - 03:46 AM, said:

I've been called antiquated and stodgy for years.

Well, that is appropriate .
If you insist on using Windows 98 you actually are stodgy and antiquated .

The whole point is that there is nothing actually bad in being so , and - on the contrary - you are a modern ecologist, think at all the unused/unuseful bytes the stylish and forward-looking needlessly waste....

The thing I wonder is WHY it took you so long to get here!

jaclaz

[Laser98IX]

jaclaz, on 17 July 2012 - 05:43 AM, said:

The thing I wonder is WHY it took you so long to get here!

To be fair it isn't because I've avoided the internet or stopped using Win98SE. The simple answer is ignorance.

I've been stomped on by more tech-savvy friends who crave the newer and faster for so long that I've pretty much stopped looking for new features and "toys" for my '98 machines. No longer!

With a very fast machine to run my '98 installs I've been smiling a lot more these last few days than I have in months. This resource (the MSFN forums) has invigorated me and instilled a kind of renewed passion that will have a positive effect on things outside of '98.

And you're right ... I truly am stodgy. But I like using things that work, and KEEP working. A better term for someone like me could be "conservative," but I kinda like being a curmudgeon most of the time.

Thanks, jaclaz

[Tripredacus]

Laser98IX, on 17 July 2012 - 03:46 AM, said:

Started using Win3.1 around 1982.
Updated to Win3.11 around 1996

I'll presume this is a typo...

[Laser98IX]

Tripredacus, on 17 July 2012 - 07:56 AM, said:

Laser98IX, on 17 July 2012 - 03:46 AM, said:

Started using Win3.1 around 1982.
Updated to Win3.11 around 1996

I'll presume this is a typo...

Good catch.

Because of my old age and poor memory I didn't remember that Win3.1 didn't come out until 1992. I was using DOS to run Lotus 1-2-3 or VisiCalc, some plain text editing tools, and modem software (at 1200 baud) to connect to BBS's and my company mainframe.

My head hurts now I that I remember all that stuff.

Thanks, Tripredacus. My post has been updated and the dates corrected.

[Aloha]

Quote

Intel Celeron 2.4Ghz with 1Gb RAM with an Asus V7100Pro64 add-on AGP video card.

Laser,
I think you can run Win XP on this computer. You can choose to use classic theme, classic start menu so that it looks just like Win 98. Win XP will help you with the USB stick problem.

[dencorso]

@Laser98IX: Greetings from a Double Dinosaur (I run 98SE & XP)! You're much welcome here!
According to the manual, your motherboard uses an Intel ICH5 southbridge, and that means SATA I and USB 2.0 hardware!
It's a fair bet NUSB 3.6 will get you full USB 2.0 functionality. Do please keep us posted.

@Aloha: Sure he can. And maybe I can interest him into becoming a double booter...

[jaclaz]

Laser98IX, on 17 July 2012 - 08:41 AM, said:

Because of my old age and poor memory I didn't remember that Win3.1 didn't come out until 1992. I was using DOS to run Lotus 1-2-3 or VisiCalc, some plain text editing tools, and modem software (at 1200 baud) to connect to BBS's and my company mainframe.

My head hurts now I that I remember all that stuff.

Thanks, Tripredacus. My post has been updated and the dates corrected.

Don't worry, it is quite common here to confuse the 90's with the 80's.... :
http://www.msfn.org/...nce-of-the-90s/

@dencorso



jaclaz

[Laser98IX]

Aloha, on 17 July 2012 - 11:43 PM, said:

Quote

Intel Celeron 2.4Ghz with 1Gb RAM with an Asus V7100Pro64 add-on AGP video card.

Laser,
I think you can run Win XP on this computer. You can choose to use classic theme, classic start menu so that it looks just like Win 98. Win XP will help you with the USB stick problem.

Understood and agreed, but why would I want to buy another license of XP when I've already got multiple licenses for Win98SE on the shelf?

To be fair I'm not a complete Luddite. I've got two desk-side Dell GX-620's with their own XP licenses, and they work great and are fast. However, I own many more legit licenses of '98SE that need a cold circuit of silicon to warm up, and I've purchased some expensive S/W for '98SE that would break my wallet if I wanted to purchase new and updated versions for XP.

If the truth be known I'm very familiar with my '98SE installations. Unless something horrible happens, and I'm able to keep finding faster hardware to support it, I'm going to continue rolling along with a solid and friendly O/S that I know and love.

Yeah, I'm hard-headed and stubborn, but those are just my good qualities.

dencorso, on 18 July 2012 - 12:13 AM, said:

@Laser98IX: Greetings from a Double Dinosaur (I run 98SE & XP)! You're much welcome here!

Thanks for the welcome. It feels good to be among people who know, use, and appreciate Win98SE. It may sound silly to the "old timers" here, but seeing so many people familiar with and willing to keep '98SE running brings joy to my heart and warms my soul.

As far as using multiple O/S's, I still have DOS, Win3.1, Win3.11, and uninstalled copy of Win95 somewhere, a dozen lic's of Win98SE, two XP machines, Knoppix, Puppy, DSL, and various other O/S's somewhere in the closet. Being old has nothing to do with loving '98SE. I think it's a matter of practicality and thriftiness.

dencorso, on 18 July 2012 - 12:13 AM, said:

According to the manual, your motherboard uses an Intel ICH5 southbridge, and that means SATA I and USB 2.0 hardware!
It's a fair bet NUSB 3.6 will get you full USB 2.0 functionality. Do please keep us posted.

Indeed yes! I don't have any SATA drives in my back pocket to test at the moment, but that problem will be resolved quite soon. I've been using Knoppix (a "Live CD" Debian build of Linux) since V3, and the V6.7.1 of that O/S enjoys the full capabilities and speed of the EZ65's hardware. Two @ 1.5Tb external drives run just fine connected to the machine, and I can "see" any USB stick I have, but only in the Knoppix environment. After I install SP3.3 and NUSB3.6 I hope to announce my success.

dencorso, on 18 July 2012 - 12:13 AM, said:

@Aloha: Sure he can. And maybe I can interest him into becoming a double booter...

I have plenty of hardware for all the work I need to do. I think I'd rather have a dedicated machine doing all the work it can with a few more nearby. It makes my office look more like Mission Control at the MCC than a home office. Right now I'm running my EZ65 machine doing hard-drive maintenance, one '98SE machine testing some diskettes for an old install of AutoCAD, a Knoppix Live CD so I can connect to the web, and a laptop that's screaming at me to do some writing. Yeah, I'm a computer hoarder.

[Aloha]

Okay Laser. then it doesn't matter which Windows you choose to use, welcome to the forum and enjoy your stay.

Have fun!

[Laser98IX]

Aloha, on 18 July 2012 - 08:59 AM, said:

Okay Laser. then it doesn't matter which Windows you choose to use, welcome to the forum and enjoy your stay.

Have fun!

Thank you for the welcome. It feels good to be here, but I've got a lot of catching up to do.

For the record my all-time favorite O/S is Win98SE, and I have a feeling it will be for quite a while to come.

I don't have any rational explanation for why I feel that way, other than I had to learn the nuts and bolts of that O/S in "cram mode" because of the lateness of my use of it, and because I was successful in making it do so much with only the internet as my sole source of assistance when I was learning and had problems. There were a lot of very smart people out there back then, and I'm glad to see there are even more intelligent and dedicated people still around who enjoy '98SE as much as I do.

Thanks again, @Aloha. I hope I can share what I know and contribute to "the cause" while I'm gleaning all the forums and threads.