Windows 98

Microsoft Windows 98

Microsoft Windows 98 is an operating system and its predecessor was Windows 95. An operating system is the interface between you and the computer, which helps manage files and makes using your personal computer simple and easy. While this release was not as big as Windows 95, Windows 98 contains significant updates, fixes, and support for new peripherals. Features like improved protection and better support make Windows 98 a quality upgrade. A new type of file system called FAT32 is used to take advantage of hard disk space, while Windows 95 supported PnP (plug and play). Windows 98 built on that technology and detects devices even better then 95, which will greatly increase the ease of hardware installation. Bundled in the installation of Windows 98 you will get some new software such as Internet Explorer 4.0 and Microsoft Outlook. These additions help Windows 98 take a big step forward. For familiarity and ease of use, Windows 98 has been modeled to look more like Windows NT. A copy of Windows 98 can be obtained for around $100.00 - $200.00. An upgrade is also available, but you must already have Windows 3.1 or Windows 95 to use the upgrade CD, which costs between $80.00 and $100.00.

System Requirements

Before installing Microsoft Windows 98, it is important that the user make sure you meet the minimum system requirements. For better performance, you will want to exceed the minimum requirements. The system requirements for the installation of Windows 98 are as follows:

System Component What You Need

DOS version Minimum: DOS 3.31.

Recommended: DOS 5.0 or higher. DOS 4.0 was so buggy that you're really taking a chance installing Windows 98 over it.

Processor Minimum: 66 MHz 486DX2

Recommended: Pentium, Pentium MMX, or Pentium II. However, Pentium Pro systems do not run Windows 98 noticeably faster than other Pentiums running at the same clock speed. The Pentium Pros are optimized for pure 32-bit code (such as you find in Windows NT), and Windows 98 contains enough 16-bit code to prevent any significant speed increases.

Memory Minimum: 16MB.

Recommended: Windows 98 runs much better with 24MB of RAM. For best results, I recommend at least 32MB, with 64MB being the bottom line for the truly impatient.

Hard disk free space Minimum: The minimum amount of space required by Windows 98 Setup is 225MB.

Recommended: A full install of Windows 98 could use up as much as 400MB of hard disk space. (See the following Note box.) Setup may also require another 45-50MB for the backup copies of your system files, and Windows 98 will need 20MB or 30MB for its dynamic swap file.

Video Minimum: VGA, 14-inch monitor.

Recommended: Super VGA, 17-inch monitor. Windows 98 enables you to open and work with many more applications at once than did Windows 3.x. So to maximize screen space, your video card and monitor should be capable of displaying 256 colors at 1024X768 resolution. If you plan on using Windows 98's multimedia features (such as video), a video card that can handle true color (16 million colors) and DirectX is a must. You need to install a second adapter to take advantage of Windows 98's multiple monitor support.

Peripherals Minimum: 3 1/2-inch high-density floppy drive, CD-ROM drive, and a mouse (Microsoft or compatible).

Recommended: If you plan on using The Microsoft Network, Microsoft Fax, HyperTerminal, or any other communications packages, you need a modem or a fax/modem. To take advantage of Windows 98's built-in sound support, you need a sound card and speakers. If you plan on using Windows 98's networking features, your system must have a network interface card installed.

Installation

The installation for Microsoft Windows 98 is rather simple; here are some helpful hints that can help you prepare for the installation.

* Your system's BIOS should not be any older than January 1994 because Windows 98 often seems to have trouble with any BIOS older than that.

* Your hard disk must have a DOS FAT (File Allocation Table) partition. Windows 98 does not recognize, and therefore cannot be installed onto, drives partitioned as NTFS (Windows NT File System) or HPFS (OS/2's High Performance File System).

* If your computer's boot drive is compressed, it must have at least 3MB of uncompressed space available. Windows 98 will work with disks that have been compressed with DoubleSpace, DriveSpace, Stacker 3.0 and 4.x, and SuperStor compression schemes.

* If you have the Windows 98 upgrade package, you must either have Windows 3.x installed on your system or have the original installation disks. If you have the full Windows 98 package, your system does not need to have an existing operating system.

To install a copy of Windows 98, you will need to create a partition on your hard disk. After creating the partition it is as easy as putting the Windows 98 CD in the CD-ROM drive and letting the computer boot off of the CD. Following the on-screen instructions is where you will set up a username and adjust settings such as the time zone and the date. During the installation, you will be required to restart the machine three times, which the installation CD will do automatically when required. After the third reboot, you are ready to begin using Windows 98.

The File System

In Microsoft Windows 98, the file system has been improved from FAT to FAT32.

FAT32 offers improved benefits such as saving disk space by storing dates more efficiently and allowing you to take advantage of larger disk drives. With FAT32, you can represent a larger disk drive and still have it represented by one drive letter, opposed to representing the same hard disk with multiple letters. This will make it easier to navigate your file structure and maintain a neat and organized file system. Another great feature of FAT32 is that you can upgrade from FAT without losing any information. It allows old FAT users to increase their disk space by completing the upgrade to FAT32 without the loss of your files and saved information. For added flexibility, Windows 98 includes a graphical FAT32 conversion utility, which can quickly and safely convert a hard drive from the original version of FAT to FAT32. However, a utility to revert back to FAT is not provided with Windows