You can make USB 2.0 drivers work with Windows 98SE

Dom · Jun 5, 2003, 05:54 PM

YESTERDAY I received an "el cheapo" USB 2.0 pcmcia controller (32-bit Cardbus, to be exact) that I mail-ordered a few weeks ago to bring USB compatibility to my ancient but trusty IBM Thinkpad 380ed. Due to its memory constraints (80mb) and slow CPU, this seems destined to end its days still running Windows 98 SE.
The no-name, no-brand card, in a plastic blister, only has text on it saying "USB 2.0 Cardbus", "Made in Taiwan", and "This device complies with all FCC regulations". It arrived with no drivers, and while the package was badly damaged, I don't think a 3.5" diskette could have slipped out out of the envelope unnoticed..

No problem, I thought. "Maybe there is an USB 2.0 update pack at Microsoft.com which I can download, as there is one for Firewire support". So I headed to google.com with a bit of hope and a bit less confidence and searched for some random mix of "Win98se" "USB 2.0" and "drivers".

I read the results, looking for links with the microsoft.com domain name. My eyes landed on a link that seemed to be just what I needed, a document appropiatelly titled "USB 2.0 and Windows" so I clicked on it.

The document in question, available here, and dated January 13, 2003, includes a nice overall picture of Microsoft's USB 2.0 support across its Windows family of operating systems.

While it reads "This article provides details on Microsoft plans for USB 2.0 support", users of "legacy" Win32 platforms like myself are given the bad news without any attempt to be diplomatic. "Microsoft will not provide USB 2.0 support for the Windows 9x platform".

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Jun 5, 2003, 05:54 PM	#1
Dom DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 12,940 Rep Power: 0	You can make USB 2.0 drivers work with Windows 98SE YESTERDAY I received an "el cheapo" USB 2.0 pcmcia controller (32-bit Cardbus, to be exact) that I mail-ordered a few weeks ago to bring USB compatibility to my ancient but trusty IBM Thinkpad 380ed. Due to its memory constraints (80mb) and slow CPU, this seems destined to end its days still running Windows 98 SE. The no-name, no-brand card, in a plastic blister, only has text on it saying "USB 2.0 Cardbus", "Made in Taiwan", and "This device complies with all FCC regulations". It arrived with no drivers, and while the package was badly damaged, I don't think a 3.5" diskette could have slipped out out of the envelope unnoticed.. No problem, I thought. "Maybe there is an USB 2.0 update pack at Microsoft.com which I can download, as there is one for Firewire support". So I headed to google.com with a bit of hope and a bit less confidence and searched for some random mix of "Win98se" "USB 2.0" and "drivers". I read the results, looking for links with the microsoft.com domain name. My eyes landed on a link that seemed to be just what I needed, a document appropiatelly titled "USB 2.0 and Windows" so I clicked on it. The document in question, available here, and dated January 13, 2003, includes a nice overall picture of Microsoft's USB 2.0 support across its Windows family of operating systems. While it reads "This article provides details on Microsoft plans for USB 2.0 support", users of "legacy" Win32 platforms like myself are given the bad news without any attempt to be diplomatic. "Microsoft will not provide USB 2.0 support for the Windows 9x platform". Read More...