Windows 98 SE and an old eMachines

[gregoryvg]

So I have an old eMachines PC kicking around my den (it's got an Athlon XP 3000+ and like 2gb RAM). The hard drive went bad a year or so ago. I've been toying with the idea of picking up a new EIDE HDD and a copy of Windows 98 SE off ebay (they seem pretty cheap) and giving it to my parents or maybe keeping it for a vintage PC game machine. I knwo MS has stopped offically supporting Win98, but would I still be able to connect to Windows Update and at least update it to the final version? What other issues might I have if I do this?

 

[vailr]

SATA would be preferable to IDE. Is there an internal SATA port available?
Windows 98SE should still be update-able to whatever the latest official updates, which was several years ago by now.
But it wouldn't be very secure if connected to the internet.
Ubuntu would be preferable to 98SE, security wise. The latest (free) Ubuntu version should work fine for parental use: web browsing, email, etc.
Or: Windows XP SP3, if you wanted to stay with a MS operating system.
Do you still have the eMachine restore discs?

 

[OBLAMA2009]

even a couple years ago when i reinstalled win98 on a machine the service pack updates were no longer available. someone told me you could download the service pack from downloads.com but i was never able to do that. to even get internet pages to display i had to use netscape

 

[OBLAMA2009]

SATA would be preferable to IDE. Is there an internal SATA port available?
Windows 98SE should still be update-able to whatever the latest official updates, which was several years ago by now.
But it wouldn't be very secure if connected to the internet.
Ubuntu would be preferable to 98SE, security wise. The latest (free) Ubuntu version should work fine for parental use: web browsing, email, etc.
Or: Windows XP SP3, if you wanted to stay with a MS operating system.
Do you still have the eMachine restore discs?

mint is more usable than ubuntu but im not sure either would run that well on that machine. if you want to get you parents a computer i would just spend a couple hundred dollars on a new quad core with win 7, it will be easier for them and easier for you to support

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

they can swoop around the internet on Netscape 2.0!

 

[Ross Ridge]

even a couple years ago when i reinstalled win98 on a machine the service pack updates were no longer available. someone told me you could download the service pack from downloads.com but i was never able to do that. to even get internet pages to display i had to use netscape

I did an install of the original Windows 98 to a VM last year and I was able to fully update it using Windows Update. The trick was that I needed to upgrade Internet Explorer first, so when to Microsoft's WWW site and downloaded Internet Explorer 6 serperately. I was then able to use Windows Update to install all the updates, including the one service pack released for it.

However, if the original poster's machine has 2GB of RAM on it he should just install Windows XP on it. Windows 98 SE doesn't work with more than 1G of RAM and has problems with more an 512M. That much RAM also suggests the PC is relatively modern and won't have full driver support for Win98SE.

I wouldn't suggest using Win98SE unless you're stuck with a machine with less than 512M of RAM or you want to have a second computer for playing older games that don't work right on modern machines.

Also, if the eMachines PC has OEM Windows XP sticker on it, as it probably does, then you don't even need to buy a new copy of Windows. It's already has a licenced copy bundled with it, so grab a Windows XP install CD and use the key on the sticker.

 

[postmortemIA]

Windows 98SE does not support latest web browsers. Yep, I get it that XP license still costs a lot, probably close to original price. Another OS to consider is Linux. Last editions are very user friendly; especially if they need email and browser only. Some Ubuntu LTS not-latest edition is going to run well.

 

[stahlhart]

So I have an old eMachines PC kicking around my den (it's got an Athlon XP 3000+ and like 2gb RAM). The hard drive went bad a year or so ago. I've been toying with the idea of picking up a new EIDE HDD and a copy of Windows 98 SE off ebay (they seem pretty cheap) and giving it to my parents or maybe keeping it for a vintage PC game machine. I knwo MS has stopped offically supporting Win98, but would I still be able to connect to Windows Update and at least update it to the final version? What other issues might I have if I do this?

Isn't SE already the final edition of 98? As far as I know, there were never any service packs or major updates after this -- with the possible exception of IE, which is probably irrelevant anyway as even the most updated and patched IE6 is going to be getting kicked out of sites right and left as "no longer supported".

Probably should just make sure the necessary hardware drivers are the best and most stable, and call it a day.

 

[C1]

If you have ATA100 (60Gb for ATA66) you can install a 160GB HDD. Using System Commander, you should be able to set up multi-boot for DOS 6.22, WIN ME (recommended over WIN 98) and WIN XP.

What is neat with this arrangement is that you can run old software (Office and games) including develop and run Quick Basic programs and even run them in a DOS window running either in WIN ME or XP if you choose not to hide OSs from each other. There is lots & lots of neat free software and games available which run outstandingly in these OSs.

512 RAM is more than enough.

I have lots of fun!

 

[JackMDS]

You are Not fair to your parents locking them into unsecured semi functional (in todays terms), Win 98SE (Win ME is even worse).

Just get Win XP.

 

[vailr]

First: find out if there's a SATA port, instead of trying to use the IDE port.
If you still have the eMachine restore discs (probably Win XP), just use that.

 

[podspi]

First: find out if there's a SATA port, instead of trying to use the IDE port.
If you still have the eMachine restore discs (probably Win XP), just use that.

We're talking about Windows 98... SATA barely works correctly with Windows XP unless you slipstream drivers for it... Windows 98 has no chance of working with SATA.

 

[gregoryvg]

Also, if the eMachines PC has OEM Windows XP sticker on it, as it probably does, then you don't even need to buy a new copy of Windows. It's already has a licenced copy bundled with it, so grab a Windows XP install CD and use the key on the sticker.

I can't find it atm, but I do have the restore disk for the eMachines (yes, there is an OEM Windows XP sticker on it). Would it be as simple as installing a new HDD and using the restore disk that came with it?

 

[gregoryvg]

You are Not fair to your parents locking them into unsecured semi functional (in todays terms), Win 98SE (Win ME is even worse).

Just get Win XP.

They'd actually be fine. They don't go online or anything (they won't pay for internet access). It'd basically be used so my dad can play card games, and I would pick him up the MYST games since I really think he would love those.

 

[VirtualLarry]

I can't find it atm, but I do have the restore disk for the eMachines (yes, there is an OEM Windows XP sticker on it). Would it be as simple as installing a new HDD and using the restore disk that came with it?

Should be. Don't bother with Win98se, stick with XP.

 

[lxskllr]

They'd actually be fine. They don't go online or anything (they won't pay for internet access). It'd basically be used so my dad can play card games, and I would pick him up the MYST games since I really think he would love those.

There's a lot of free software(games included) for Ubuntu, and contrary to what was said above, will be very fast on that machine. It would be worth a shot. If they don't like it, you can just install XP.

 

[ultimatebob]

An Athlon XP 3000+ with 2 GB of RAM would run Windows 7 with no problems.

Hell... I've seen it run fine on a 1.6GHz Intel Atom with only 1 GB of memory.

It's not that expensive, either... you can get a family pack with 3 licenses for $149.

 

[mnewsham]

I can't find it atm, but I do have the restore disk for the eMachines (yes, there is an OEM Windows XP sticker on it). Would it be as simple as installing a new HDD and using the restore disk that came with it?

If you have the CD key on the sticker just download a copy of windows xp __________(fill in the blank with the version the OEM provided) load it up and use the Key on the sticker and it should work fine.

 

[mnewsham]

An Athlon XP 3000+ with 2 GB of RAM would run Windows 7 with no problems.

Hell... I've seen it run fine on a 1.6GHz Intel Atom with only 1 GB of memory.

It's not that expensive, either... you can get a family pack with 3 licenses for $149.

That would only work if he had three computers using windows xp or vista already as it is an upgrade not 3 full licenses

 

[vailr]

That would only work if he had three computers using windows xp or vista already as it is an upgrade not 3 full licenses

XP cannot be upgraded to Windows 7; clean install required.
Paul Thurott's web site describes how to use an "upgrade" install disc to do a clean install of Windows 7.

 

[mnewsham]

XP cannot be upgraded to Windows 7; clean install required.
Paul Thurott's web site describes how to use an "upgrade" install disc to do a clean install of Windows 7.

Yes but you would still need an xp or vista license to use the install.

 

[vailr]

We're talking about Windows 98... SATA barely works correctly with Windows XP unless you slipstream drivers for it... Windows 98 has no chance of working with SATA.

Not true. In the bios, set the SATA port for "IDE mode".
If you're talking about Raid mode or AHCI mode, then yes, special drivers would be required.

 

[StinkyPinky]

Windows 98?!? Man, that shit is ancient. I doubt most software will even install on it. Another thing, does AV run with Win 98? MSE and AVG don't seem to support it.

Why not just get Windows 7? It will run on that hardware quite well.

 

[VinylxScratches]

Install a *nix OS.

 

[RaistlinZ]

I vote for dumping it in the trash. Why spend money on something so ancient and slow?