Solved Replace Vista 64bit with 98/ME

I got a brand new PC last week and I was wondering is it possible to completely remove Vista 64 bit and install Windows 9X either 98SE or Millennium Edition? I'm just wondering if there is a way and NOT A VIRTUAL PC WAY. I want to load either 98SE or ME as the MAIN OS. My specs:

* Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium with Service Pack 1 (64-bit)
*Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo Processor P8700 (2.53 GHz, 3 MB L2 Cache, 1066MHz FSB)
*4GB DDR2 System Memory
*500GB 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive
*1GB Nvidia GeForce GT 130M
*16.0" diagonal High Definition Display (1920x1080p)

Hello Matt, and welcome to Vista Forums.

Since this is a new system, I would doubt that there would be any Windows 98SE or ME drivers available for any of your devices.

Brink said:

Hello Matt, and welcome to Vista Forums.

Since this is a new system, I would doubt that there would be any Windows 98SE or ME drivers available for any of your devices.

Click to expand...

just to piggyback off of brink, your two biggest initial problems are your hard drive and graphics card (only you know what else is installed in the system. ie: card reader, webcam, etc.)

sata compatibility for windows wasn't added until xp sp2 (the technology wasn't there for 98se or me). as well, you can pretty much cancel out the fact the nvidia is going to have a 98se or me driver for your video card.

OH ): it does have a memory card reader and webcam. So there is no way whatsoever??? I was only worried that 98se or ME couldn't do 4GB of ram.

I would have to say no way other than in a virtual machine Matt. Sorry.

Ok, well what exactly does SATA mean for the hard drive?

MattMJB0188 said:

Ok, well what exactly does SATA mean for the hard drive?

Click to expand...

Serial ATA - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
that's the technical of it

ide connection, top; sata connection, bottom

do you think win 98 or win ME will make full use of these expensive hardware?

I don't care, I have always loved 98 and ME never had one problem with them and want to be able use them with today's technology.

For what it is worth, if I were you I would stay with Vista but if you like the older Operating systems then stay with XP. Before you uninstall Vista or do anything, be sure that you can reinstall it with a back up disk. It would really be ashame to find out later that you ruined the system just because you did not have any back up operating system.

MattMJB0188 said:

I don't care, I have always loved 98 and ME never had one problem with them and want to be able use them with today's technology.

Click to expand...

Matt
Some ppl love change some dont but there are several good reason to at least think abt it. Aat some point 98 and me will not run on the current hardware and your learning curve to learn win 12 (or whatever) is going to be huge. Support for drivers is already gone ( try installing a USB, or firewire) and you will have a paperwieght. Im sure you aren't still trying to balance you check book by pencil and paper of add without a calculator so why not learn a new OS?

Ken

dinesh said:

do you think win 98 or win ME will make full use of these expensive hardware?

Click to expand...

Matt,

I do not think 98 or ME will even be able to use most or any of the hardware unless it was installed through a virtual computer. Even then it may be questionable if it will or not.

Another reason being that both the older systems are out of support so the question is do you know where or how to get all the security patches needed for them, plus there wont be anymore so that would leave you vulnerable.

MattMJB0188 said:

I don't care, I have always loved 98 and ME never had one problem with them and want to be able use them with today's technology.

Click to expand...

Install Linux. Then use old Windows apps under Wine.

If you have broadband then Mandriva comes on one CD. It does the basic install, then it gets whatever other programs you want from the internet. Very cool. The install CD recognizes most network chips on PCs.

If it doesn't work well, at least Mandriva is free. You can download and burn the install CD.

But before doing anything, make sure you can get back where you started.

zigzag3143 said:

MattMJB0188 said:

I don't care, I have always loved 98 and ME never had one problem with them and want to be able use them with today's technology.

Click to expand...

Matt
Some ppl love change some dont but there are several good reason to at least think abt it. Aat some point 98 and me will not run on the current hardware and your learning curve to learn win 12 (or whatever) is going to be huge. Support for drivers is already gone ( try installing a USB, or firewire) and you will have a paperwieght. Im sure you aren't still trying to balance you check book by pencil and paper of add without a calculator so why not learn a new OS?

Ken

Click to expand...

Because Windows Vista is horrible nowhere as bas as it was when it first was released but uses way more resources than any other OS. And even MS knows how bad it was or they wouldn't be trying so hard to correct their mistake with Windows 7!!!

MattMJB0188 said:

Because Windows Vista is horrible nowhere as bas as it was when it first was released but uses way more resources than any other OS. And even MS knows how bad it was or they wouldn't be trying so hard to correct their mistake with Windows 7!!!

Click to expand...

Hello Matt,

It's the urban myth. Guess, none of us will persuade you to stay with Vista, but you should know that the computer with the specs like your one will run five operating systems like Vista at the same time without any problem, you will not notice any lag in performance with your machine.

I have Vista backup discs, don't have a copy of Windows XP but the smart thing would be to go in the route of XP since I could have a protected system with updates. Besides I don't even think I would get the best performance from 98/ME with my hardware. But I would still love to use it.

So now you've got many reasons to choose Windows 7 instead of 98.

Win2K would be a good choice...definitely a step up from 98 or ME...

I wouldn't go back to WinME, even though for me it was a good OS and the computer has only just been retired.

Remember how everyone said that was a bad move on Microsoft's part when they brought it out, it was supposed to be the step up into the NTFS world just before XP, people called it all the names under the sun and said it's only redeeming feature was the introduction of System Restore.

They are now trying the same tactic over Vista

I think the OP should try and persevere with Vista, he may be surprised and come to love it after getting through the learning curve, times move on and the machines coming along now need the advances of Vista and Windows 7 to appreciate how much more you can do now compared with the earlier models.