How to Install a USB Mass Storage Device on Windows 98
Microsoft stopped official support for Windows 98 in 2006. As a result, newer external hard drives and USB flash drives may not include driver support for the aging operating system. When inserted into the computer, the drive will not be recognized and thus will not be accessible. However, sometimes manufacturers still include support for Windows 98 with the installation software included with the drive. Your best bet is to try that route first. If it doesn't work, you can install a generic driver that will help with compatibility.
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Instructions
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Insert the software CD included with the USB device and run the installer. If your USB mass storage device is compatible with Windows 98, this will install the necessary drivers to allow the system to interact with the device. If the device is still not recognized after installing the drivers, continue to the next steps.
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Download the generic Windows 98 USB Mass Storage Device Driver (see Resources). Save the executable to your desktop.
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Open the Windows Device Manager by right-clicking “My Computer” and selecting “Properties.” Open the “Device Manager” tab.
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Look for any unknown USB devices in the list of hardware components. Unknown devices are typically signified by a yellow question mark or a red X and listed as “unknown device.” Highlight the unknown device and click “Remove.”
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Select “Universal Serial Bus Controllers” to unfold a list of installed devices. Remove any flash or hard drive drivers and USB 2.0 drivers by highlighting the listings and selecting “Properties.” Click the “Drive” tab and select the uninstall option.
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Double-click the downloaded generic driver. The installer will launch. Follow the onscreen instructions and restart the computer when finished. When the computer boots back up, you should be able to use your USB mass storage device without any problems.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit usb flash drive image by Bosko Martinovic from Fotolia.com
