* This is the order [can be changed depending on personal preferences] I
recommend to install Windows 98 SE OS and ALL current/NEWest (Hot)Fixes,
Patches, Updates, Upgrades + Service Packs, and refers strictly to Win98 SE
English edition so you can take advantage of SP2, 98SE2ME, 98MP10, NUSB,
MDCU, WUPG, RP, KernelEx etc:
1. Windows 98 SE OS from MS setup CD-ROM, preferably "fresh" [from scratch,
onto an empty (eventually newly formatted) hard drive/partition], preferably
after copying ALL *.CAB files from the CD onto your local hard disk to
minimize install time.
Better to automate OS install by using unattended mode MSBATCH.INF scripts:
http://www.mdgx.com/add.htm#DEV
to skip annoying steps and add favorite apps/games/tools/tweaks/mods/etc to
your list at install time.
If you plan on multi-booting with Windows NT4/2000/XP/2003/Vista, 95/ME
and/or Linux/FreeBSD/BeOS/MacOS/etc, it is best to:
A. Use a partitioning tool:
http://www.mdgx.com/secrets.htm#FDPT
and create at least as many partitions as many OSes you plan to install.
B. Install a multi-boot manager:
http://www.mdgx.com/dos.htm#DOS
C. Install each OS + all its apps/tools/tweaks/games/mods/etc into its own
drive/partition/root directory.
2. DirectX 9.0c + ALL Patches + Updates:
http://www.mdgx.com/dx.htm
MUST install DirectX 9.0c: besides implementing support for most newer video,
audio, gaming + networking Serial, PCI, AGP, USB + FireWire internal +
external hardware devices, also corrects most BUGs + errors from ALL older
DirectX releases.
3. Internet Explorer (IE) 6.0 SP1 + ALL Patches + Updates:
http://www.mdgx.com/ietoy.htm
MUST install NEWest IE + ALL current Patches REGARDLESS of which other
browser(s) you use to surf the net, because of Windows "browser integration".
This means a lot of system files from %windir%\SYSTEM used by your OS to
access/connect to the network(s)/internet are also part of IE browsing engine,
and MUST be kept up to date to avoid ANY known bug, flaw, security
vulnerability etc, to avoid exposing your computer(s) to network/internet
based spyware/malware/etc attacks.
MS stopped making patches for ALL older MS IE versions [5.0, 5.01, 5.5 SP1,
5.5 SP2 + 6.0] EXCEPT 6.0 SP1. That's why you MUST install MS IE 6.0 SP1 AND
ALL its security patches, because this is the ONLY way you can keep your Win98
SE computer(s) as secure as possible.
4. Windows Media Player 9.0 (WMP9) + ALL Patches + Updates:
http://www.mdgx.com/wmp.htm
MUST install NEWest WMP + ALL current Patches REGARDLESS of which other
multimedia tool(s) you use to play/record/edit/stream/decode/encode
audio/music/video/movies/DVDs/etc, because most such tools (including media
players + web browsers) use WMP DirectShow + NetShow DirectX APIs, engine +
codecs, and most importantly because most current WMP patches plug security
holes.
MS stopped making patches for ALL older WMP versions [6.4, 7.0, 7.1 + 8.0]
EXCEPT 9.0, 10.0 + 11.0. That's why you MUST install WMP9 AND ALL its security
patches, because this is the ONLY way you can keep your Win98 SE computer(s)
as secure as possible.
5. System Add-ons, Components + ALL Patches + Updates:
http://www.mdgx.com/add.htm
6. ALL Windows 98 SE Patches + Updates:
http://www.mdgx.com/web.htm#98SE
7. Unofficial Windows 98 SE Service Pack 2 (SP2):
http://exuberant.ms11.net/98sesp.html
Benefits: fixed OS BUGs + security flaws, improved graphical interface,
performance + better hardware compatibility.
8. 98SE2ME [optional]:
http://www.msfn.org/...showtopic=46349
Benefits: fixed OS BUGs + security flaws, improved graphical interface,
performance + better hardware compatibility.
9. 98MP10 [optional]:
http://www.mdgx.com/wmp.htm#98MP10
Benefits: fixed WMP9 BUGs + security flaws, newer XP SP2 WMP10.
10. Unofficial Native USB Drivers (NUSB):
http://www.mdgx.com/web.htm#NUS
Benefits: fixed USB BUGs + better USB + FireWire hardware compatibility.
11. Unofficial Revolutions Packs (RP) [optional]:
http://www.msfn.org/...showtopic=58357
Benefits: enhanced OS graphical interface + shell.
12. Unnoficial KernelEx Project [optional]:
http://www.msfn.org/...showtopic=71476
Benefits: may allow NTx specific apps/games to install/work in Windows 98 SE.
13. ALL current 3rd party/add-on/proprietary drivers needed by your computer
hardware devices from their manufacturer/developer/vendor web/FTP sites:
install first Windows ME specific drivers, and if those don't work, install
Windows 98 SE specific drivers.
14. Applications, tools, tweaks, games, mods etc + ALL their current
patches/updates [optional].
15. Go play [optional]. ;-)