Microsoft Windows 98

After the triumph of Windows 95, Microsoft dominated the personal computing market in 1998. The company had broken with IBM, now in decline in the consumer computer segment, which was abandoning OS/2 in favor of Windows and NT. The operating system that Bill Gates had nearly seen disappear on several occasions now ruled over the desktop computer universe.

Windows 98, codenamed Memphis, was released on June 25, 1998. The OSR2 version of Windows 95 had already integrated Internet Explorer 3 and then 4, the FAT32 file system, and USB support. This new iteration was meant to consolidate these advances and bring significant improvements. Jim Allchin, senior vice president of US business systems management, set the course: improve network functionality, simplify the Control Panel, and automate the system further. The team prioritized qualitative optimization over adding eye-catching features. The trade press did not hesitate to criticize this approach, lamenting the absence of spectacular innovations.

Development began in January 1997 with an initial developer version. The first alpha version (build 1387) was released on February 7, 1997. On October 3, beta 2.1 (build 1602) finally allowed upgrades from Windows 3.x. Release Candidate 0 arrived on February 16, 1998, followed by the final beta version on May 9. Technology enthusiasts thus had time to test the system before its official release.

On the technical front, Windows 98 introduced the Windows Driver Model (WDM), which gradually replaced the VxD model inherited from Windows 2.0 for 386. This evolution enabled the arrival of the ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface) interface. Without WDM, system hibernation would have been impossible, Plug and Play device performance would have plateaued, and audio processing would have suffered significant limitations. Hardware manufacturers adopted this new model gradually, but this modernization greatly facilitated later transitions between Windows versions.

Hardware support improved considerably. USB management matured with the addition of hubs, imaging, and audio devices. Compatibility with IDE and SCSI controllers expanded, and AGP support appeared. DirectX 5.2 enriched the system’s multimedia capabilities, particularly for gaming. Multi-monitor management and DVD playback rounded out these new features.

Network functionality underwent a major overhaul. The integration of Winsock 2, SMB signing, DHCP optimization, and NDIS 5.0 modernized connectivity. Internet Connection Sharing simplified home networking. These technical improvements did not unfold without hiccups. During a public presentation at COMDEX in Chicago on April 20, 1998, Chris Capossela and Bill Gates suffered an embarrassing blue screen while attempting to demonstrate the system’s Plug and Play capabilities.

Hardware requirements included, at minimum, a 486DX2 processor at 66 MHz, 16 MB of RAM, and 500 MB of available disk space. Official recommendations called for a Pentium with 24 MB of RAM, with some university IT departments suggesting 32 MB. Users discovered that by using the /nm parameter during installation, it was possible to bypass these prerequisites and install the system on an 80386 with only 4 MB of RAM. A minimal installation occupied only 120 MB of disk space. Times have certainly changed.

The first days of commercialization saw 530,000 copies sold in stores. This figure, lower than the record sales of Windows 95, can be explained by more modest promotion and less spectacular changes. Some retailers and customers nevertheless attempted to recreate the atmosphere of Windows 95 launches, with waiting lines and special midnight events.

Windows 98 Second Edition, released on May 5, 1999, primarily brought bug fixes but included some improvements. Internet Explorer 5 replaced version 4, FireWire support appeared, and SBP-2 technology improved USB storage management. DirectX moved to version 6.1, while WDM support for audio and modems improved significantly. Support for the WinG API was dropped in favor of DirectX, and Windows Media Player replaced RealPlayer 4.

The development organization at Microsoft was ahead of current industry software methods. One team focused on the current product while another prepared the next version. This separation maintained a clear direction while preserving compatibility with earlier systems. The gradual introduction of WDM illustrates this approach: old drivers remained usable while manufacturers adopted the new model.

Windows 98 marked a milestone in the evolution of operating systems, despite mixed reception from the technical press. Its legacy lies in its ability to have consolidated the innovations of its era while preparing for future developments. The system was gradually supplanted by Windows 2000 and then Windows XP, which offered increased stability and security thanks to their NT architecture. The end of official support by Microsoft in the mid-2000s marked the conclusion of this period.