Updating Windows 98 SE Kernel to install on newer hardware

[Infikiran]

I understand that this is a long shot but I always loved the simplicity of Windows 98 and loved the classic user interface. I was wondering if it is possible to install an up to date Windows kernel on Windows 98 so that it could be installed on a modern PC and run modern apps.

I have tried various GUI hacks for Windows 10 as well as premade themes but it never comes out right and the task bar looks funky.

I found unofficial kernel patches but they only work after the OS is installed and still the patch is a few years old.

 

[ex_bubblehead]

No. Your only recourse is to run Windows 98 in a VM, and even then you'll never be able to make it run anything current.

 

[ragnar-gd]

I run W98SE on a AMD 870 board (AM3+), with 32GB Ram, a Geforce 7900 GTX 512MB PCIe, a SoundBlaster Audigy PCI, a Realtek 8111B GBit NIC PCIe, and an Opteron 3280 (8-core, 65W), from a SuperTalent 120GB SATA2 SSD. Another PCI AddIn card for USB2 was necessary, as onboard USB2 wasn't working with W98SE. CPU and GPU are cooled passively.
Some colleague is doing that with an 8-core AMD FX CPU on an AMD 970 MoBo, fresh from the shop.
So yes, it is possible, and has been done.
W98SE will only see one core, and some clever patches are necessary for it to become blind to memory over 1GB, as it would crash otherwise.
I dual-boot on this machine with XP Pro 32bit (which sees 3.4 GBof Ram), and W10 Home 64bit. Both boot from a SATA3-SSD, and can additionally make use of USB3. I can run Borderlands 2 on low settings on W10, which is due to the GPU.

 

[Infikiran]

I run W98SE on a AMD 870 board (AM3+), with 32GB Ram, a Geforce 7900 GTX 512MB PCIe, a SoundBlaster Audigy PCI, a Realtek 8111B GBit NIC PCIe, and an Opteron 3280 (8-core, 65W), from a SuperTalent 120GB SATA2 SSD. Another PCI AddIn card for USB2 was necessary, as onboard USB2 wasn't working with W98SE. CPU and GPU are cooled passively.
Some colleague is doing that with an 8-core AMD FX CPU on an AMD 970 MoBo, fresh from the shop.
So yes, it is possible, and has been done.
W98SE will only see one core, and some clever patches are necessary for it to become blind to memory over 1GB, as it would crash otherwise.
I dual-boot on this machine with XP Pro 32bit (which sees 3.4 GBof Ram), and W10 Home 64bit. Both boot from a SATA3-SSD, and can additionally make use of USB3. I can run Borderlands 2 on low settings on W10, which is due to the GPU.

Sorry this is so late for a reply and thank you so much for your assistance. If you don't mind could you list the patches I would need to slipstream into the OS for the install to work? Or a link to where I could find them? Thank you so much.

 

[ragnar-gd]

At msfn.org, there is a big community of hackers, doing this for profit:
http://www.msfn.org/board/forum/8-windows-9xme/

But in a Nutshell:
- Get a carefully selected AMD 970 board (i.e. MSI 970 Krait SLI - the secondary PCIe slot better be faster then PCIe 2.0 4x)
- Install an AMD FX of your chioce
- Install a fitting compatible old GPU (i.e. a ATI x800 PCIe 265MB) in the first slot, connect via VGA
- install an SSD (120GB max., format with FAT32 via a XP boot CD) on port 5 or 6
- install a PCIe Gigabit NIC with chipset Realtek 8111B (optional, but helpful. If you don't need LAN for W98SE, use the oboard LAN later on)
- Copy W98SE installation CD and all required software for W98SE to the Disk (veeery important)
- install W98SE
- install the "latest" patches by MS (IE, DX)
- install drivers for W98SE
- install community-servicepacks (SP3.6e at the moment)
- install community universal USB2-driver "New USB" (NUSB 3.6 at the moment - for mouse, keyboard, storage, not for any other device)
- add a Soundblaster Audigy (1 or 2) PCI for EAX-fun and profit.
Done, this will run. Fast. As Hell.
Then, install a fast GPU of your choice in the secondary PCIe-Slot (i.e. a GTX 950), connect to i.e. DVI-D, DisplayPort or HDMI.
Install a fast and big SSD on port 1 to 4.
Install W10. This will use the old GPU at first.
Install all patches first.
Install the driver for your fast GPU last, reboot. The system will seem to hang (but does not, in fact). You will have to switch off and on the monitor, once the driver takes over...
Einjoy your modern gaming Rig.
Don't use this for everyday chores (browsing, work, etc.), as this uses too much power in Idle.
But as a secondary machine, meant for playing games from all periods, this is perfect. Or i.e for guests for LAN-games.

 

[Infikiran]

Awesome man, I'll have to give this a shot. Thanks a lot.

I don't have a AMD 970 board. My rig is Intel based - ASUS Rampage Black Edition IV - Intel Core i7 4930k.
I have a laptop - Lenovo ideapad Z585 with an AMD A10. Would that work?

I may get around to building another rig and use the AMD 970 chipset for gaming as I am also in the middle of setting up a web server on the above build. Just low on funds right now :/

At msfn.org, there is a big community of hackers, doing this for profit:
http://www.msfn.org/board/forum/8-windows-9xme/

But in a Nutshell:
- Get a carefully selected AMD 970 board (i.e. MSI 970 Krait SLI - the secondary PCIe slot better be faster then PCIe 2.0 4x)
- Install an AMD FX of your chioce
- Install a fitting compatible old GPU (i.e. a ATI x800 PCIe 265MB) in the first slot, connect via VGA
- install an SSD (120GB max., format with FAT32 via a XP boot CD) on port 5 or 6
- install a PCIe Gigabit NIC with chipset Realtek 8111B (optional, but helpful. If you don't need LAN for W98SE, use the oboard LAN later on)
- Copy W98SE installation CD and all required software for W98SE to the Disk (veeery important)
- install W98SE
- install the "latest" patches by MS (IE, DX)
- install drivers for W98SE
- install community-servicepacks (SP3.6e at the moment)
- install community universal USB2-driver "New USB" (NUSB 3.6 at the moment - for mouse, keyboard, storage, not for any other device)
- add a Soundblaster Audigy (1 or 2) PCI for EAX-fun and profit.
Done, this will run. Fast. As Hell.
Then, install a fast GPU of your choice in the secondary PCIe-Slot (i.e. a GTX 950), connect to i.e. DVI-D, DisplayPort or HDMI.
Install a fast and big SSD on port 1 to 4.
Install W10. This will use the old GPU at first.
Install all patches first.
Install the driver for your fast GPU last, reboot. The system will seem to hang (but does not, in fact). You will have to switch off and on the monitor, once the driver takes over...
Einjoy your modern gaming Rig.
Don't use this for everyday chores (browsing, work, etc.), as this uses too much power in Idle.
But as a secondary machine, meant for playing games from all periods, this is perfect. Or i.e for guests for LAN-games.