Finding old versions of MS Windows

I have a 1997 IBM Aptiva desktop that I would like to convert into a kitchen-based computer for Web surfing and e-mail. I have an 802.11b network in place, but can’t find an interface card for the Aptiva that supports Windows 95.

Why don’t I just upgrade the OS, you ask? The Aptiva already has its maximum of 64MB of RAM along with a Pentium II. Based on the Microsoft Web site, Windows 2000 and XP are not practical. However, according to Microsoft , Windows 98 only required 16 MB and recommended 32 MB of RAM. I can find wireless interface cards that support Windows 98.

Where can I find/buy a copy of Windows 98?
Could my Aptiva support Windows Me? Would I want to use Windows Me?
Any other suggestions?

My apologies. Wrong forum. Could a kindly moderator move this to General Questions please?

I doubt there is a Great Debate here, however…

I recommend Win98, and suggest EBay may be your best bet.

You may also want to ask friends/neighbors, as I suspect there are many folks out there with licensed versions of Win98 that have no need for it today.

Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00002JV62/

Have you tried eBay?

Why not Linux?

I didn’t like Windows ME. I went back to 98SE before upgrading to XP Pro.

But, really, think about Linux.

Thanks for the quick response.

I did consider Linux, but not sure my technical skills are up to it.

Sounds like Windows 98 SE is the consensus. What was so bad about Windows Me?

I checked eBay and there are plenty of 98SE auctions to choose from. Many of them include a note to the effect

What is that all about? Can you resell your own copy of Windows?

Windows ME is “crash happy.” If you think Windows 98SE is crash happy, you haven’t seen anything until you run ME. No insight as to why people are shipping hardware with Windows disks, but I DO have Windows 98 disks if yer interested.

On my computer, ME crashed more often than NASCAR.

2000 had certain work relatd compatability problems we couldn’t get around.

(I sometimes fill in at a friend’s Image Setting {digital to film} company)

Though 98SE wasn’t near as stable as our G4s on OSX, we were able to get work done.

I really like XP Pro, but your machine doesn’t have that option you said…

While I don’t understand it, I think eBay is just making sure no one gets sued. I once needed a copy of Windows 3.1 on floppy and got a small hard drive with it. The guy said the drive was no good, but he had to include it with the OS I bought. Oh well…

Windows 98 can’t be worse than Windows 95 for crashing (or can it?)

Key requirements are that it supports a modern browser, Outlook Express, and a reliable Suspend mode (to avoid the slow, pre-WinXP boot sequence).

Tuckerfan, based on the prices at eBay, I may be very interested.

Drop me an e-mail and we’ll work out the details. I’m not interested in owning any of your limbs.

I’ve never run Wiindows ME, but I did read that some of my software was “iffy” in Windows ME. That, and other negative reports of ME have been enough for me to steer clear.

The hardware thing is supposed to be to cover the seller’a back regarding the sale of OEM software (which is only supposed to be supplied along with a computer), however as far as this happening on eBay, my inner skeptic says it is probably to bump the postage/handling charge.

You owe it to yourself to give Linux a try.

I’m an MS diehard myself, but if I had to put an older system together for just web surfing and email, I’d be all over Linux. Mandrake Linux is reknown for its ease of use, and amazingly easy operating system setup. Seriously, setup is just as simple as installing Win98. And you end up with more stuff actually working at the end of the setup process.

You can find Mandrake here:
http://www.mandrakelinux.com/en/

It’s fun, it has amazing screen savers, it has cool backgrounds, it’s pretty, and there are a ton of free little games that come with it. Give it a shot; the most you have to lose is a couple of hours of really interesting messing about.

I have a 700 mhz desktop and a 300 mhz laptop that work fine with Windows ME, though I don’t do things on those two boxes which operating systems hate… installing and uninstalling programs and games a lot. The desktop came with ME and I have had no reason to take it off, and the laptop didn’t have an OS so I just used the ME disk I had for it. The only benefit I’ve seen in ME is it boots faster.

I also got some ancient laptops free from a friend, and I found out that you can’t install ME on a box with a less than 150mhz processor. It just won’t let ya. :frowning: Oh, my life is so hard.
-k

What MrV said.

If your hardware isn’t to strange, and you’re even mildly technically proficient, you shouldn’t have a problem installing any of the big distros.

Of course, if you have any applications that you want to use, you may want to stick with windows98.

da_pope, you’ll note that the OP was asking for an OS that would browse the Web and do email. Linux excels at both these operations. The distro that I linked to includes everything that most users need, including basic text editing and spreadsheet applications, as well as a bunch of cool games, as well as several web browsers and email clients. It’s well suited to the criteria outlined in the OP.

We’ll turn this into a GD yet!

Besides games, what can’t I do in Linux that I can do in Windows, and cheaper?

Well?

I’m waiting…

Your post was accurate maybe three to five years ago, but I’m afraid it’s just no longer true.

Okay, setting up cdrecord with an IDE burner takes some work, but other than that, there isn’t a thing I do (graphics, multimedia, web development, and word processing) on a regular basis that I can’t do in Linux, and often more quickly and easily than I can do with Windows. For free, even.

Okay, setting up cdrecord with an IDE burner takes some work…

I won’t debate which OS is ‘better’ as there really is no true answer. Whatever works for you is what you should use. I’m sure the linux jihad will say otherwise.

restating my original post:

If you have windows applications you would like to run on your new OS, you’re better off finding a cheap copy of WIN98.

I still like how quickly WinMe boots up. So there. Nyah.

I haven’t had any more trouble with it than other Win9x versions.

Linux would work just fine, though I’d bet having a windows box in this situation would make passing files around a lot easier in his home network.

-k