Windows 98
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| Windows 98 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Name | Windows 98 |
| Developer | Microsoft |
| Family | Windows |
| Released to manufacturing | May 15, 1998 |
| General availability | June 25, 1998 |
| Latest release | Second Edition (4.10.2222 A) / May 5, 1999 |
| Source model | Closed source |
| License | Commercial proprietary software |
| Kernel type | Monolithic (MS-DOS) |
| Predecessor | Windows 95 |
| Successor | Windows Me, Windows 2000 |
| Support status | Mainstream support ended June 30, 2002, Extended support ended July 11, 2006 |
Windows 98. Codenamed "Memphis" during development, it is a graphical user interface-based operating system released by Microsoft on June 25, 1998, as the successor to Windows 95. Part of the Windows 9x family, it integrated Internet Explorer 4.0 deeply into the Windows Shell, introducing features like the Active Desktop and the Quick Launch toolbar. The release of Windows 98 Second Edition in 1999 added improved USB support and the Internet Connection Sharing feature, further cementing its role in the era of mainstream Internet adoption.
Development and release
The development project, led by teams at Microsoft under executives like Brad Silverberg, began shortly after the launch of Windows 95, aiming to refine the consumer operating system experience. It was publicly demonstrated at the COMDEX trade show in 1997, where a Blue Screen of Death during a presentation by Bill Gates became a famous incident. The official launch event on June 25, 1998, was a major media spectacle, with Gates appearing on the Today show alongside television host Matt Lauer. The subsequent Windows 98 Second Edition, released in May 1999, addressed numerous issues and bundled an updated Internet Explorer 5.0.
Features
Windows 98 introduced significant enhancements to the Windows Shell, including the integration of the Windows Desktop Update which provided Active Desktop functionality and a browser-like Windows Explorer. It added native support for the FAT32 file system, allowing for more efficient disk usage on larger hard drives than the previous FAT16. Key new utilities included the Windows Update service, the System File Checker, and the Disk Cleanup tool. Improved hardware support was a major focus, with better drivers for technologies like AGP, DVD-ROM, and the USB standard, including support for USB human interface devices like mice and keyboards.
System requirements
Microsoft stated minimum system requirements as a 486DX2/66 MHz processor or better, 16 MB of RAM (24 MB recommended), and approximately 500 MB of available hard disk space. For optimal performance, particularly with the Internet Explorer integration, a Pentium processor and 32 MB of RAM were advised. The operating system required a VGA or higher-resolution monitor and a CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive for installation. These requirements reflected the increasing demands of multimedia applications and Internet browsing common in the late 1990s.
Reception and legacy
Upon release, reviews from publications like PC World and CNET praised its improved stability over Windows 95 and its better integration of Internet functionality, though some critics noted it was more an evolutionary update than a revolutionary one. Its deep integration of Internet Explorer became a central focus of the landmark United States v. Microsoft antitrust case. Windows 98 proved to be a highly successful and long-lived version, widely adopted in homes and businesses, and is often nostalgically remembered as a defining system of the late 1990s and early 2000s Internet boom. It paved the way for its successors, Windows Me and the professional Windows 2000.
Support lifecycle
Mainstream support for Windows 98 and Windows 98 Second Edition concluded on June 30, 2002, ending the availability of non-security updates and complimentary support. Extended support, providing critical security patches, continued until July 11, 2006, after which all official public support was terminated by Microsoft. This end-of-support date prompted many users and organizations to migrate to newer systems like Windows XP, which offered a more modern Windows NT architecture and continued security updates.