instructables

How to Use USB Drives With Windows 98

by Chris Ray

When I was a kid, my first experience with computers was with Windows 98. I remember doing things like playing
solitaire and making my grandparents gift cards in Print Shop. Times have changed a lot since the times of W98
and one of those changes is USB. If you have your own W98 machine in 2018 you have probably realized that
USB thumb drives don't work natively. That is where this instructable comes in.

First of all, why would you need USB support? Or even a 98 machine for that reason?

The reasons for using W98 vary from person to person but some of the most common reasons are:

1. Retro Gaming
2. Programs that only work on 98
3. Working with floppies and ATA drives
4. Nostalgia

So, without further ado, let's jump into it!

https://youtu.be/46H600nSB_8

1. Brings back memories every time! 1. Oh look, my drive!

How to Use USB Drives With Windows 98: Page 1

Step 1: Supplies

This process is relatively simple but it is important to have a few key components.

A modern computer with:

An internet connection
A way to send files to the W98 computer (ex: disk drive)

Keyboard and mouse with a PS/2 connector (image 1 and 2)

W98 install disk
Flash drive (image 3 is mine)

Notes:

You will be deleting USB drivers so you can't use a USB keyboard and mouse. After the installation,
however, you can switch to USB. (image 4)
Technically you don't need a PS/2 mouse but it's a lot easier to not have to tab around when
installing the drivers.

How to Use USB Drives With Windows 98: Page 2

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1. It's called PS/2 because of the IBM Personal System 2 computer.

1. Logitech K400 Plus is my go to keyboard.

Step 2: Download the New Driver

First, you are going to want to download the new
driver on your modern computer.
You can find it here . (If this link isn't working just
send me a message and I can send it to you directly)
Once you get the driver on the W98 PC, you are
going to want to put it somewhere easy to access like
your Desktop or Documents. This is extremely
important if you aren't using a mouse for the
installation.

After the driver is on your modern computer, you Remember where you put the file and move on to the
need to transfer it to the W98 PC. There are a few next step without running it.
ways to do this such as a CD or a floppy disk. If your
W98 computer doesn't have a CD drive, you can
always pick them up for a few bucks at a thrift store.

How to Use USB Drives With Windows 98: Page 3

Step 3: Delete Old Drivers

Before you install the driver, you are going to have to
delete all of the old USB drivers. You can do this by
right-clicking on "My Computer" (if you don't have a
mouse, use tab and arrow keys to select "My
Computer" and press the menu key.) and select
properties.
Once in properties, select the "Device Manager" tab
and scroll down to the bottom.
Expand the "Universal Serial Bus controllers" and
delete all of the drivers.
Now you can close out the properties menu and
return to the desktop.

How to Use USB Drives With Windows 98: Page 4

Step 4: Install Drivers and Restart

All that is left is to run "nusb36e". Just run the driver, accept the Licence Agreement, and install it.

After you are done, simply restart the computer and when it reboots you should have access to USB flash drives.

Something to keep in mind: I can't guarantee that every drive will work, so if your drive is still not recognized, try a
different flash drive. I'd also suggest using USB 2.0 drives.

1. I put the driver here.

Step 5: Conclusion

If everything worked properly, you should now have
access to external storage. Now you can transfer files
freely. Something to keep in mind, however, is that
you still have to make sure the files you are trying to
transfer are supported by W98. This includes things
like word documents and zip files. Something else to
keep in mind is that your W98 computer probably only
has a couple of gigs of storage so this can also be
used as a semi-permanent storage option if you just
leave your drive plugged into the back of your PC.
So guys, I hope you enjoyed this instructable and
found it useful. If you have any comments or
questions make sure to post them down below. Good
luck in your retro endeavors!

How to Use USB Drives With Windows 98: Page 5

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1. My restored Dell Dimension. It originally came with Windows ME... but that
was a mistake.

How to Use USB Drives With Windows 98: Page 6