Fresh W98 install - what drivers do I need?

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swee'pea99

Legendary Member
I've just got an old Thinkpad that's been formatted and had a fresh install of W98 put on it. I've been to the Lenovo site and downloaded a bunch of drivers, but I'm not sure which ones I actually need to instal. I did the video/display one, to get away from 16 colours, and that's worked. But I'm not sure about things like bios (surely if it didn't have that it wouldn't work at all?), multimedia and so on. Could any of you whizzy techy types point me in the right direction? Many thanks. (It's a 570, if that makes a difference.)
 

Oddjob62

New Member
WIthout knowing the laptop better, look for

Motherboard/Chipset
Soundcard/Multimedia
Graphics/Display - Already done you say
Network Card
Wireless Network Card
Modem
Bluetooth?

Check in device manager (can't remember w98 but try right click "my computer" -> properties) to see if you've missed anything. Devices without a driver installed will come up as a yellow question mark

BIOS, i wouldn't bother flashing the bios unless you are having issues with it. If you do want to make sure you follow the instructions carefully, a screwed up BIOS flash can turn your laptop into a brick.
 
Taking into account its W98 and age of laptop I wouldn't bother too much searching out the right drivers if it does what you want. Graphics you have sorted. Can't find any detailed specs for it but looks like its a similar machine (Advent, PIII, W98) to one that was kicking about at work so would be very surprised if it had wireless network or bluetooth. Possibly not even a wired network either.
As you've managed to install W98 can assume the CD (DVD?) drive is working.
Think that leaves sound. If you are hearing the windows startup music it will be using a generic driver and I'd leave it at that if its working.
There is no support for win98 now, think it stopped around 3 - 4 years ago. Service packs probably still available from MS website.
I wouldn't expect much from it, email, surfing, run an older copy of office. Laptops are now much more consumer items than when it was built as a business tool.
The correct drivers may give more features and work a little faster of course.
I wouldn't flash the bios. As Oddjob posted there is a risk involved and its unlikely you'll notice any difference anyway. Its an older laptop, so if its got to its present age without it why start fiddling with it now?

OR...if you fancy having a play give Linux a try. Ubuntu can run from a LiveCD so you can get a feel for it without having to install it. It's the only distribution I've used so others will be better placed to advise if its suitable for your use.
 
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swee'pea99

swee'pea99

Legendary Member
Thanks - much appreciated. I think it's all tickety-boo now. One other thing: I want to get a PCMCIA card to connect to my Belkin wireless router - will it work with any card? I've found a 'Wireless G' card on ebay, which stirred up vague memories of different kinds of connectivity - some faster, some slower - with different letters attached. Do you have any idea if this card will work in an old Thinkpad? Thanks.
 

Oddjob62

New Member
Your main issue might be finding win98 drivers for that card. If it is a new card it possibly won't have drivers.
 
I actually found a wireless netgear pcmcia card around 18 months in comet (admittedly was end of line type thing). Plugged into the W98 machine it worked fine.
You should ask the seller about drivers, it may well say on the box or driver cd. Or if its a particular manufacturer / model you're looking at check their website
 
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swee'pea99

swee'pea99

Legendary Member
I've now discovered that the Belkin card will work - at least theoretically. Unfortunately the thinkpad seems to have forgotten the CD in the docking station. Just can't see it. It definitely could before - I used a CD to get the drivers onto the beast in the first place. But since blundering about sorting out conflicts by randomly reassigning things to new resources (those FF-0000 type things) it's disappeared completely. I can only assume it's been muscled off its resource by something with letters tattoed on its knuckles and it's gone off in a huff.

*sigh* one step forward, two steps back.
 
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