W98 Faqs

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I have Windows 98 can you help me do, fix, install, etc...?

Windows 98 Tips

(It's been several years since the first release of Windows 95 (W95). Windows 98 (W98) comes with updated drivers for many new devices (USB, firewire, etc) and peripherals.

Even with all the bug fixes (Microsoft claims over 3,000), W98 isn't a perfect operating system yet. So to help you troubleshoot all the latest W98 problem, consult the list below.

The next iteration of Windows 98 is aptly named Windows 98 Second Edition (98SE), which includes more bug fixes to 98 and support for even more devices. In addition, Internet Explorer 5.0 is integrated into the operating system.

If you have any suggestions/comments/corrections, or wish to add to this list, please send email to webmaster.

W98 Faqs - Quick Jump

Ooops! I'm using Windows 95 !

How do I create a startup disk? If you can boot into 98, go to Control Panel / Add/Remove Programs / Startup Disk and click on the "Create Disk..." button. If, for some reason, you cannot boot into 98, then you can create the disk on another system that's running 98.

Is Windows 98 Year 2000 compliant?

Yes, it is. Download Microsoft Windows 98 Y2K Update 3.9MB.
If you're using 98SE, then you do not need this update file.
How do I enable ACPI in Windows 98?
Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) is the next generation of Advanced Power Manager/Plug and Play (APM/PnP).

As of today (09/28/1998), most BIOS and drivers are not 100% ACPI compliant yet. So Windows 98 will be installed with the default APM/PnP mode.
If you wish to enable ACPI on your system, thenclick here for detailed instructions.

DO SO AT YOUR OWN RISK! IF YOU ENCOUNTER A PROBLEM AFTER INSTALLING ACPI, YOU WILL HAVE TO COMPLETELY REINSTALL WINDOWS 98!
What are the switches for SETUP.EXE?
Microsoft Support Knowledge Base article Q186111 have the complete description of the setup switches.

Can I install Windows 98 over my existing Windows 95?
Yes, provided you have the Windows 98 UPGRADE version.
I want to use the Windows Update feature, but I don't want to register online.
Run REGEDIT and hit F3 to search for the "regdone" string. Change this value to 1.
If you cannot find the key, it is located in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE / Software / Microsoft / Windows / CurrentVersion.
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NETWORKING / MODEM

I have the Intel 82558 (PRO/100) network adapter, when I restart or exit to DOS, I lose my network connection; I have to power off and on the system to re-establish the network connection.

Download the updated E100BNT.SYS and copy this file to \windows\system.

I can't logon to my network. I don't get a logon screen when I start W98.

Click on Start / Log off [user name]. If you see a logon screen when the system restarts, then you need to remove an entry from the registry.

Click on Start / Run... and type in "regedit". Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE / Software / Microsoft / Windows / CurrentVersion / Network / Real Mode Net. Delete the entry named "AutoLogon=x"
My Maxtech 33.6K modem doesn't work in Plug and Play mode.

Set the modem to LEGACY mode instead.
I can't see any other computers or servers on the network.

The default installed protocol for W98 is TCP/IP. If your LAN is running on IPX/SPX and/or NetBEUI, then you need to manually add those two protocols.
I can't see my Novell Netware server, but I can see other Windows 9x/NT machines.

Make sure you have the IPX/SPX-compatible protocol installed.

Go to Control Panel / Network. Double click on "IPX/SPX-compatible Protocol." Go to the Advanced tab and select Frame Type. Change the value from AUTO to either Ethernet 802.2 or 802.3, depending on which frame type your Netware server is using.
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PLUG AND PLAY

I'm having problems with PnP devices.

Go into the BIOS setup and enable PnP OS feature; consult your system board manual for more information.
I have a PnP modem, how do I set it to COM2?

Go into the BIOS setup and disable serial port 2. (For the 219F board, make sure serial 2 IRQ is also disabled!)

Go into My Computer / Control Panel / System / Device Manager / Modem and double click on your modem.

Click on the Resources tab; if the setting is I/O range 2F8h and interrupt request 3, then you're set!

Otherwise, uncheck the "Use automatic settings" box, then scroll through "Settings based on" until you get I/O range 2F8h and interrupt request 3.
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STORAGE / HDD / CD-ROM

My drives are in DOS compatibility mode; how do I get out of it?

Click on START, go to RUN, and type in REGEDIT.

Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE / System / CurrentControlSet / Services / VxD / IOS.

On the right hand window under the Name column, delete the value NoIDE, if it's present.

Scan your drive for virus. A virus that modifies the MBR (master boot record) will result in DOS compatibility mode. You can rebuild the MBR by booting into command prompt (hit F8 when W98 is starting) and typing "fdisk /mbr".

Also, make sure your HDD is setup correctly in the BIOS; it should be set to LBA (not LARGE or NORMAL) mode.
I can't see my IDE CD-ROM.

If your CD-ROM is attached to the onboard IDE channel, you do not need to load the DOS driver.

Also, make sure you're not in DOS compatibility mode (see the question above).
98 does not recognize my 2x, 4x, or 6x CD-ROM drive; it worked fine in 95.

If this is the case, you need to load the DOS driver for you CD-ROM drive.

After installing or upgrading to Windows 98, I can't boot up! My system was working fine with Windows 95 or Windows 98 RC0/RC1.

This may be caused by the IDE CD-ROM.

The released version of Windows 98 enables DMA for IDE devices.

There is a bug with the SiS IDE controller and DMA enabled.

The fix is to use SiS 5xxx IDE driver instead of the default Windows 98 driver.

Turn off your system and disconnect the IDE CD-ROM cable.

Download the SIS5xxx and install it.

Remember to reconnect your CD-ROM cable!
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IE4.0 / ACTIVE DESKTOP

I can't seem to run Winstone 98 (a benchmarking program from Ziff Davis, publisher of PC Magazine).

According to Ziff-Davis, there is a problem (related to the DCOM component of IE4.0) with Winstone 98 and Internet Explorer 4.0 (IE4.0).

There's no fix for Winstone 98, but Winstone 99 does not have this problem.
How do I bypass the content security password in IE 3.0/4.0?

Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE / Software / Microsoft / Windows / CurrentVision / Policies / Ratings; then delete the entry called "key."
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VIDEO / DISPLAY / MULTIMEDIA

I have the BTC 1817DS OPTi chipset ISA soundcard, and sometimes I get a blue screen crash in DXSOUND module during shutdown.

You need to install the 1817DS Windows 98 driver.
I have an ATI AGP video card and am using the ATI Windows 95 version 5.00 drivers. The system locks up or the video disappears randomly.

Download the ATI 5.20driver which works in both 95 and 98.
When modifying the Accessibility Options in Windows 98, to increase the font size and window border, the Start menu does not resize.

There is no solution for this issue. Microsoft knows about the issue and has deemed it as a "Will Not Fix."
I've installed the Creative Labs PC-Encore DVD kit. Now the system hangs at the desktop, after playing the system startup sound.

This may be caused by the CTNOTIFY.EXE in the Startup folder.

To remove it, go into Safe Mode, and go to Start / Run... And type in MSCONFIG.

Go to the Startup tab and uncheck CreativeDiscNotifier.
I have a Creative Labs Soundblaster Vibra 16 soundcard; it plays wave sounds for 1-2 seconds and then it stops.

Most likely, this is caused by an interrrupt problem; go into Device Manager and make sure your soundcard is setup for IRQ 5.

Also, go into your BIOS setup and route IRQ5 to legacy/ISA.

If needed, go into Device Manager and manually set your soundcard IRQ to 5.
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MISCELLANEOUS

I'm using Windows 98SE and I can't shutdown the system properly.

This is a known issue with 98SE and some systems; click here for more info on Microsoft's site.

Download the Microsoft patch to correct the problem.
I have an Intel Pentium III processor, but W98 sees it as a Pentium II only.

The original W98 is unable to recognize the Pentium III processor type correctly.

W98 Second Edition (W98SE) corrects this problem.
Why can Windows NT 4.0 see my Windows 98 partition?

W98 has a new partition type named FAT32, which breaks the 2.0GB per partition limitation and reduces cluster size, but Windows NT 4.0 cannot see FAT32 partitions.

NT 5.0 (or Windows 2000), when it's released, will be able to see FAT32 partitions.

OTHER RESOURCES

I've read through the entire list but nothing seems to match my problem, are there any other resources on the web that can help me? Sure, try the following links:

Try our Tips pages