Windows 98 Q and A

Q: Can I really run Windows 98 on a 66-MHz PC with 16MB of RAM, like Microsoft says?

A: If you're a glutton for punishment. We've found that low-end systems perform about as glacially with Windows 98 as with Windows 95. If you value your sanity, don't take on Win 98 unless you have at least a midlevel Pentium system (say, 120 MHz) with 32MB of RAM.

Q: Will my peripherals still work with Windows 98?

A: Probably. The new OS is compatible with old drivers and automatically upgrades many drivers with the most recent versions. But in some instances you may need an updated driver for full compatibility. For example, users of Wacom graphics tablets may need to install a patch from the company's Web site to enable pressure sensitivity.

Q: I'm a diehard Netscape Navigator user from way back. Since Internet Explorer 4.0 is built into Windows 98, am I out of luck, or can I still use Navigator effectively?

A: Everyone from Bill Gates to Janet Reno thinks that the integration between Internet Explorer and Windows is a big deal, but guess what? Navigator blends seamlessly into new Windows 98 desktop features such as the Address toolbar. The one major instance where the OS insists on turning to IE 4.0 is when you type a URL into Windows Explorer.

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