I am using it on one of my retro pc's. I am using version 3.65 though. Had installation problem with the latest version (3.66). No problems whatsoever with version 3.65.

Only installing the main patches and ADS from this pack. The rest I install by hand if needed.

Nope, because all the newer versions completely trash the OS.

All I do now is install the MS updates from the 2004 Microsoft update CD and NUSB.

No need for any other updates for a standard setup.

I tried it once, and it really slowed the machine down. Never again. There is a very good guide on this forum if you haven't seen it already: Generic Win98SE Installation & Setup Guide

Same here - tried it once, and it made a mess. Don't feel like trying again.

Avoid the SP3, it adds senselessly lot of files from newer windowses and will cause problems. The early versions of it are fine when they weren't doing such stuff but I am unsure since what version things began to go south. There's 2.1 that has worked fine for me years ago when I still had a 98SE based daily driver machine.
http://www.tmeeco.eu/9X4EVER/GOODIES/WIN98SE_SP_21a.EXE
http://www.tmeeco.eu/9X4EVER/GOODIES/WIN98SE-sp30b3-en.exe

cyclone3d wrote on 2021-10-10, 18:40:

Nope, because all the newer versions completely trash the OS.

All I do now is install the MS updates from the 2004 Microsoft update CD and NUSB.

No need for any other updates for a standard setup.

Where would I find a copy of said CD?

On vogonsdrivers of course:
http://vogonsdrivers.com/getfile.php?fileid=8 … &menustate=56,0

circa 2008 I mangled a perfectly good 98se install with it, so I won't give it another chance.

cannot recommend USP3 v3.xx for Win98. I had various random errors / crashes and slow downs with it. Installing a plain vanilla W98 with necessary updates is better.

The same goes for Autopatcher 98 / UBCD98.

cyclone3d wrote on 2021-10-10, 20:21:

On vogonsdrivers of course:
http://vogonsdrivers.com/getfile.php?fileid=8 … &menustate=56,0

Duh! I didn't even think to look there. Thanks for the link!

Well looks like I'm off to reinstall Windows 98. At least I'm only redoing a new install, only a little bit of time lost.

Appreciate everybody's input. Now that I know the unofficial update pack is a dumpster file I'll avoid it like the black plague.

I always used SP2.0* (dutch version which afaik never received a 2.1 version) and it worked flawlessly from what I remember.
I don't think I ever tried any of the 3.* versioned ones because the 2.* versioned ones basically worked just fine for me.

That and I always felt like the 3.* versioned were always meant for putting 98se on much more modern systems.

I tried SP 2.1 several times...there always was some trouble with it...installed some drivers f.e. and the whole SP had to be reinstalled or even the whole Win98SE. I can't recommend these packs.

cyclone3d wrote on 2021-10-10, 20:21:

On vogonsdrivers of course:
http://vogonsdrivers.com/getfile.php?fileid=8 … &menustate=56,0

That's great! Didn't know of it (or forgot it long time ago). Even found the German version on archive.org -> https://archive.org/details/ms-security-cd-2004-ger

Maybe next year I have the time to have a look at it...maybe an ISO with all latest updates can be built out of it. Nevertheless I will download it for sure, for now it goes to my data graveyard.

kind regards
soggi

Brawndo wrote on 2021-10-10, 15:32:

Or perhaps additional updates are not necessary for a stable Windows 98 system? All I'm using these systems for is games, and maybe a few applications. Not surfing the web, doing any sort of music or video production or anything like that.

This is my thinking, you know what they say. Less is more!

Brawndo wrote on 2021-10-10, 15:32:

Or perhaps additional updates are not necessary for a stable Windows 98 system? All I'm using these systems for is games, and maybe a few applications. Not surfing the web, doing any sort of music or video production or anything like that.

For gaming purposes, all you need to add to a clean Win98SE installation is DirectX and the Windows Installer Update. The latter is needed by a few utility programs and certain drivers. Which DirectX version you want to install depends on your hardware and the games you want to play. I usually go with DirectX 7.0a since I don't use my Win98 system for any games made after 2001.

If you want USB flash stick functionality, add Nusb 3.3 on top of that as well. Don't use later versions of Nusb as they reportedly replace some Win98 files with their WinME counterparts thereby creating a "Frankenstein" system.

Brawndo wrote on 2021-10-10, 15:32:

So it would appear I hosed my fresh install of Windows 98 last night when I installed the "main files" portion of the unofficial […]
Show full quote

So it would appear I hosed my fresh install of Windows 98 last night when I installed the "main files" portion of the unofficial Windows 98 SP3 pack found here:

http://www.htasoft.com/u98sesp/

After the required reboot, the OS loads, but when opening My Computer or any other explorer window, it's blank. Can't see or access any drives or files in the window. I can only assume it's due to the install.

I read elsewhere on the web that version 2.1a of the pack is pretty much officially released updates and patches, and in version 3 (which I installed) they began including stuff from later versions of Windows , which I don't want or need in my Windows 98 systems.

Does anybody use this unofficial service pack successfully? Since I'm only interested in officially released updates for Windows 98 is there a better option? Or perhaps additional updates are not necessary for a stable Windows 98 system? All I'm using these systems for is games, and maybe a few applications. Not surfing the web, doing any sort of music or video production or anything like that.

"After the required reboot, the OS loads, but when opening My Computer or any other explorer window, it's blank. Can't see or access any drives or files in the window. I can only assume it's due to the install."

That has happened to me too. If you go to toolsbar " view" and change the view preference to any other, icons appear again.

Other than that, I´ve had no problems with this service pack. I only select to install very few things though.

Official MS updates up to 2004 are mostly pointless too. Well, maybe if you want to play some DX9 games or something. On Windows 98. In <insert current year>.

Install IE6 SP1 afterwards to resolve the broken webview.

i actively use sesp21a, bhdd31, nusb36e, 4in1435v, r loews ram patch and kernelex-4.5.2. i also have the last working versions of directx 9, ie 5, java 6 and .net 2 installed. this is my first win98se retro system and it is still going strong. i own 98lite (and xplite) from back in the day, but don't bother to use it now.

no