Download windows98

[GuiYr]

hello ，，friends，where can download windows 98？ thanks。

[XerXis]

hello ，，friends，where can download windows 98？ thanks。

you can't legally and you shouldn't ask any further

[Numpad]

i thought it was legal as long as he owned an original official serial?

[hdood]

You thought wrong. Copyright law doesn't deal with "serials" at all.

Windows 98 can be legally downloaded from TechNet if you have a subscription.

[XerXis]

i thought it was legal as long as he owned an original official serial?

no, only microsoft has the right to distribute, and they don't offer it anywhere as download unless you are a technet or msdn subscriber. And those are very specific licences anyway

[Subject Delta]

I don't think the downloads are even offered on Technet or MSDN any more

[Fred Derf Veteran]

hello ，，friends，where can download windows 98？ thanks。

At this point and time you will need to contact Microsoft and ask them.

There is no other legal way to distribute that software online.

Perhaps you can find an original CD on eBay.

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

I don't think the downloads are even offered on Technet or MSDN any more

Windows 9x was taken off MSDN because it contains the old MS Java VM which Microsoft isn't allowed to distribute anymore (see the Wikipedia article on the MS Java VM for details).

[Subject Delta]

Windows 9x was taken off MSDN because it contains the old MS Java VM which Microsoft isn't allowed to distribute anymore (see the Wikipedia article on the MS Java VM for details).

That's kind of lame, couldn't they include an altered version with no Java VM? Considering you can still download VB3 from MSDN, I thought it was a bit odd that they have stopped 95, 98 and 2000

[aexphoric]

It's still on MSDNAA if you have access to that.

[nokiaxion]

At this point and time you will need to contact Microsoft and ask them.

There is no other legal way to distribute that software online.

Perhaps you can find an original CD on eBay.

Isnt Windows 98 considered "abandonware"?

[FunkTrooper]

Isnt Windows 98 considered "abandonware"?

There is no such legal concept as abandonware.

[Rudy]

Isnt Windows 98 considered "abandonware"?

no, abandonware is something to make people feel better about download software illegally

[hdood]

I don't think the downloads are even offered on Technet or MSDN any more

You're right, it doesn't seem to be there anymore. Oh well. The easiest way is probably to just find someone with a 98 disc lying around in the attic.

[nokiaxion]

There is no such legal concept as abandonware.

Correct.

no, abandonware is something to make people feel better about download software illegally

Not entirely correct. If a company disappears and leaves a copyright behind, that copyright doesnt belong to anyone so it is "lost" in a sense.

Or "abandoned" ;)

[Ironman273]

The funny thing is that you can get Windows 3.1, 3.11 and 3.2 (which I didn't even know existed) but not Windows 95/98/Me.

[Rudy]

Not entirely correct. If a company disappears and leaves a copyright behind, that copyright doesnt belong to anyone so it is "lost" in a sense.

Or "abandoned" ;)

Copyright has to be defended by the owner, so if the company disappear, no one will enforce the copyright. But in this case MS is still around ;) But who knows if they would go after someone pirating Win98.... but really they don't go against individual pirates

[Fred Derf Veteran]

Copyright has to be defended by the owner, so if the company disappear, no one will enforce the copyright. But in this case MS is still around ;) But who knows if they would go after someone pirating Win98.... but really they don't go against individual pirates

Most countries have copy-protection laws which would allow the courts to pursue criminal charges with or without Microsoft's consent.

[hdood]

Copyright has to be defended by the owner, so if the company disappear, no one will enforce the copyright. But in this case MS is still around ;) But who knows if they would go after someone pirating Win98.... but really they don't go against individual pirates

When a company goes under, the assets (including copyrights) are normally transferred to someone else so that someone still holds the copyright even though the original company no longer exists.

Some countries also have criminal copyright laws that allow the state to prosecute infringement independently of the copyright holder (not on behalf, and the holder can still sue).

In any case, it's still against the law even though the risk of getting caught is minuscule.

[rawr_boy81]

I'm not trying to be rude or a troll but have you looked at an alternative/free operating system? I assume you want it due to limited hardware capabilities - Xubuntu is a good option given its light weight desktop and most software that is of the age which runs on Windows 98 would probably run under wine without too many problems.

[vvtunes]

no, abandonware is something to make people feel better about download software illegally

Lol, that is so true. But I consider it less foul if the company at stake no longer exists. Still, I agree that all people involved in the development process should always be rewarded for their effort sooner or later, even after 20+ years.

[Pablo2008jedi]

*Jumps into time machine*.....

[leesmithg]

Windows 9x was taken off MSDN because it contains the old MS Java VM which Microsoft isn't allowed to distribute anymore (see the Wikipedia article on the MS Java VM for details).

I finally stopped using vm in vista.

Yahoo don't support it anymore I think as when I went to play dominoes I had to use java.

[InterceptorX]

I'm not trying to be rude or a troll but have you looked at an alternative/free operating system? I assume you want it due to limited hardware capabilities - Xubuntu is a good option given its light weight desktop and most software that is of the age which runs on Windows 98 would probably run under wine without too many problems.

You could always give ReactOS a try.

[halluc1nati0n]

It's still on MSDNAA if you have access to that.

Negative. Only XP is avble in MSDNAA..