Create A Bootable USB for Windows 98

Ah, the good old days, when Microsoft didn’t force updates on us every five minutes and when we were still struggling to figure out the mechanics of Minesweeper. For these nostalgic types, there are still versions of Windows 98 floating around on the internet and, because Microsoft has stopped all active support and development of these dinosaurs, many of these versions are legally free. Still, the million question is: how exactly do you load these operating systems onto your PC or laptop?

Luckily, there’s a relatively simple answer to this question, and that’s what this guide focuses on. You’ll need to download Rufus, which essentially turns a flash drive into that Windows 98 bootable USB. We’re here to walk you through this process, though, as the idea of reloading your operating system can sometimes be a bit daunting.

Take Me Back Down That Road

This is not an overly complicated or lengthy process as Rufus does most of the work for you, but creating a Windows 98 bootable USB does need to be done correctly, so, without further ado, let’s begin.

Step 1: Insert a clean flash drive

First, you’ll need to plug in a clean flash drive and start-up Rufus. Ensure that the correct flash drive is selected under the Device tab.

Step 2: Customize settings

Under Boot Selection, you’ll need to make sure that it’s set to Disk or ISO image and then click on Select next to it to select the Windows 98 ISO file that you downloaded.

Step 3: Select partition scheme

Under Image Option, select Standard Windows Installation. Rufus will then select the best partition scheme and target system based on your machine, but you can customize these in any way you choose to if you know what you’re doing. This step is essential to create a Windows 98 bootable USB.

Step 4: Finalize your Windows 98 bootable USB

You can change the Volume Label to whatever you choose, or leave it as the default name and leave all of the other settings as-is. Then click on Start, and Rufus will begin to program your USB. Once it’s finished, then your bootable USB is ready to go.

Booting Up The Past

Many people in this world will say that previous versions of Windows were way better than the version that we are using today, and, in some ways, this may be true. There was far less bloatware that we were forced to run, and we could choose when we wanted to install our updates. We had more freedom, and the programs that we worked on were much simpler and straightforward.

But as time has gone on, we’ve moved into an era that depends on technology for its survival. Once we had to leave the telephone at the end of its cord, it now travels with us as an ever-present best friend. And where computers were a bonus to any workplace, now it’s impossible to function without them. Technology is a phenomenal thing, but sometimes it’s nice to take a trip down memory lane and remember where it all started.