Installing the Windows 98 Unofficial SP3 but Everything Goes Wrong…

Summary of technological concepts / product features / tutorial & review analysis

• What the software is: An unofficial Windows 98 Second Edition (SE) Service Pack 3 distributed by htasoft.com. It is not official Microsoft software and is explicitly intended only for Windows 98 SE (not Windows 98 First Edition).

• Download + compatibility notes:

  • Main site: htasoft.com → “w98se updates” → download page redirects to a TechTalk.cc thread with an executable.
  • Date ambiguity:
    • The download page shows March 19, 2021
    • The changelog suggests most recent updates: Nov 27, 2020
    • The site includes a line implying it “will not be released to the public” despite being available.
  • Emphasizes reading disclaimer + prerequisites and recommends backups.

• What it includes (capabilities):

  • Under-the-hood improvements:
    • Updates files
    • Adds registry keys
    • Later versions reportedly remove registry keys
  • Stability / performance / functionality / speed improvements, plus cosmetic tweaks such as:
    • Boot/shutdown/start menu visual changes
    • Additional backgrounds
    • Icon changes
  • Key standout fix: Claims to address Windows 98’s 512MB RAM cap. Without the patch, installing beyond 512MB is said to cause issues (a major technical feature claim).

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Installation guide / recommended order (step-by-step process)

The included help/documentation CHM file requires a specific installation sequence:

1. Install Windows 98 SE (already done in the author’s steps).
2. Install all hardware drivers.
3. Install Internet Explorer.
4. Install latest service pack 3 “main updates” only.
5. Restart.
6. Install DirectX 9.0c.
7. Return and install optional components you want.

Installer behavior notes

• The installer shows a component list, but the speaker notes it’s not straightforward:
  • It doesn’t clearly disable other options until prerequisites (notably “main updates”) are selected/installed first.
  • This can lead to installation failures.

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Cosmetic/product changes shown

• Boot/shutdown logo modification:
  • Adds “Second Edition” text to boot/shutdown screens
  • Adjusts the start menu banner to include “Second Edition”
• Adds Windows Me / Windows 2000-style icons
• Adds additional backgrounds (referenced as tied to Plus! 98 / Windows 2001)
• Theme changes:
  • Adds a Windows Me / Windows 2000 theme
  • Installation of the theme appears problematic during this run

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DirectX + add-on bundle approach

• DirectX 9.0c is installed from within the service pack via a DirectX folder/component, with the stated intent to avoid burning extra CDs.
• The pack includes many Microsoft-related utilities and extras, including:
  • FrontPage Express
  • Outlook Express 6.0
  • Tweak UI
  • Registry cleaner
  • TrueType fonts
  • Terminal Services Client 5.2 (remote desktop client)
  • NTFS-related tools/drivers
  • Performance tweaks

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Outcome of the demo (review results / failure modes)

The author repeatedly experiences the installer freezing / becoming unresponsive, particularly during “main updates / system core files”:

• The installer repeatedly results in non-responding processes
  • Example: the INFEX-related window does not show progress
• After killing tasks and restarting:
  • Installation becomes incomplete

Concrete failure observed

• Outlook Express installation appears broken:
  • Error indicates msoe.dll could not be loaded, suggesting an incomplete or corrupted install.
• Some components (e.g., Tweak UI) appear missing or not installed fully.

Extra installer quirk

• Sometimes a secondary hidden DOS prompt/extraction window completes but doesn’t close automatically, which can look like a hang.

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NAS/networking verification

• Despite partial installation issues, the author confirms the NAS connection feature works, attributing it to the pack.
• It also references that it previously fixed a similar problem with logging in/copying files (from an earlier related video).

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Conclusions / analysis

Overall, the pack appears highly capable based on its claims (e.g., RAM cap removal, stability improvements, and many bundled add-ons). However, in this specific run:

• Core updates fail or apply only partially, preventing a complete working install.
• Some components install while others do not, leading to runtime problems—most notably with Outlook Express.

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Main speakers / sources

• Main speaker: “mjd” / Future Michael (appears as a segment inside the video: “hey it’s future michael here…”).
• Project/source websites referenced:
  • htasoft.com
  • TechTalk.cc (download/changelog thread)