This table outlines the new functionality built into the
Microsoft® Windows® 98 operating
system and compares it against Microsoft Windows 95 from a corporate
perspective.
|
Easier to Support |
Windows 98 |
Windows 95 |
 |
| Microsoft System Information Utility: collects
information on existing hardware and software.
Invaluable in solving system problems. |
Yes |
No |
|
|
System File Checker Utility: a new utility
designed to verify system file modification or
corruption and restore original versions when
necessary. |
Yes |
No |
|
|
System Configuration Utility: an enhanced
configuration troubleshooting tool. |
Yes |
No |
|
|
More Reliable |
Windows 98 |
Windows 95 |
|
|
Web link to dynamic
online help.
|
Yes |
No |
|
|
Windows Update Web Site: a Web-based resource
site which keeps users' systems tuned and up-to-date by
providing access to the latest drivers and file
systems. |
Yes |
No |
|
|
Troubleshooting Wizards: fifteen wizards provide
scenario-based walkthroughs to help you quickly diagnose
and solve technical problems. |
Yes |
No |
|
|
Registry Checker: this proactive support program
finds and resolves Registry problems. |
Yes |
No |
|
|
Automatic Skip Driver Agent (ASD): identifies
potentially dangerous failures and marks them so they
are bypassed on subsequent start ups. |
Yes |
No |
|
|
Dr. Watson Utility: intercepts and indicates what
software faulted and why; records system information to
assist product support personnel in determining the
cause of the fault. |
Enhanced |
Limited |
|
|
Version Conflict Manager: detects and corrects
file version conflicts, ensuring optimal system
compatibility. |
Yes |
No |
|
|
Windows Maintenance Wizard |
Windows 98 |
Windows 95 |
|
|
ScanDisk:
runs automatically after improper
shutdown or when your hard disk suffers a hard
error. |
Yes |
No |
|
|
Disk Cleanup: automated cleaning of unwanted hard
drive files to increase free space. |
Yes |
No |
|
|
Easier Deployment |
Windows 98 |
Windows 95 |
|
|
Batch 98 allows hands-free installation of
Windows 98, based upon a "model PC"
configuration |
Yes |
No |
|
|
New Windows 98 INF Installer tool will automate
integration of post-Win98 device drivers into a single
server-based setup |
Yes |
No |
|
|
Windows 98 Image Preparation Tool allows
"disk duplication" of standard corporate
desktop setup (available for Microsoft Select customers
only). |
Yes |
No |
|
|
Complete Internet Integration |
Windows 98 |
Windows 95 |
|
|
Faster loading of your most frequently used
applications with new disk defragmenter. |
Yes |
No |
|
|
FAT32:
support for hard drives bigger than 2
gigabytes (GB) without the need for multiple
partitions. |
Yes |
No |
|
|
FAT32 Conversion Utility: safely converts your PC
from FAT16 to FAT32. |
Yes |
No |
|
|
Backup Utility: supports SCSI tape devices for
easier and faster data backup. |
Yes |
No |
|
|
Windows Scripting Host (WSH) - a flexible
scripting engine which provides access to Windows
objects such as Registry keys and access to OLE
Automation in application components. Removes the need
to drop to DOS and run batch files. |
Yes |
No |
|
|
Built-in Support for Microsoft
IntelliMouse®: gives you easier screen
navigation. |
Yes |
No |
|
|
Easier Web Navigation |
Windows 98 |
Windows 95 |
|
|
Integrated Internet Shell: a seamless user
interface, which provides fast Internet access and acts
as one utility to view local, network, intranet, and
Internet data. |
Yes |
No |
|
|
Web search, AutoComplete, Favorites, Forward/Back
buttons, History features |
Enhanced |
Limited |
|
|
Dynamic HTML |
Yes |
No |
|
|
Just-in-time Java compiler |
Yes |
No |
|
|
Support for all major Internet standards
including HTML, Java,
ActiveX®, JavaScript, Visual
Basic® Scripting Edition (VBscript), and
major security standards. |
Yes |
Limited |
|
|
Internet Connection Wizard: simplifies your first
time connection to national Internet Service Providers
(ISPs) for quick, easy Internet access. |
Yes |
Limited |
|
|
Online Service Folder: links to major Internet
Service Providers, with an automatic ISP registration
feature. |
Yes |
No |
|
|
Microsoft
Outlook® Express: a full-featured,
built-in e-mail and news reading client. |
Yes |
No |
|
|
Personalized Internet Information Delivery:
automatically selects and schedules downloads of the
information you care about. |
Yes |
No |
|
|
Easier Interface Customization |
Windows 98 |
Windows 95 |
|
|
Start Menu Organizer Wizard: simplifies
configuring the Start Menu. |
Yes |
No |
|
|
Accessibility Configuration Wizard: helps adapt
Windows options to individual preferences; low-end
screen magnifier helps visually impaired users. |
Yes |
No |
|
|
Display Setting Enhancements: includes full
window drag, font smoothing, wallpaper stretching, large
icons, hi-color icons. |
Yes |
No |
|
|
Create and Post Your Own Web Site |
Windows 98 |
Windows 95 |
|
|
Microsoft FrontPage®
Express: this
WYSIWYG HTML editor based on the Microsoft FrontPage 97
Web site creation and management tool allows even novice
users to create Web pages easily. |
Yes |
No |
|
|
Personal Web Server: with Web Publishing Wizard,
you can easily publish Web pages on intranets or the
Internet. |
Yes |
No |
|
|
Networking |
Windows 98 |
Windows 95 |
|
|
Microsoft NetMeeting®
conferencing software: an
Internet conferencing solution with audio, data, and
video conferencing functionality. |
Yes |
No |
|
|
Remote Access Server: allows your desktop to act
as dial-up server. |
Yes |
No |
|
|
Dial-Up Networking including Multilink Channel
Aggregation: allows use of multiple modems
simultaneously, resulting in higher potential transfer
speeds. |
Yes |
No |
|
|
Virtual Private Networking: networking support
for remote users which enables them to access their
corporate network via a secure connection. Utilizes a
Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP) system. |
Yes |
No |
|
|
Support for New Features |
Windows 98 |
Windows 95 |
|
|
OnNow Support: enables new PCs to always be ready
for immediate use. |
Yes |
No |
|
|
Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI)
provides next generation plug and play and power
management for new PCs. All PC devices are fully plug
and play. Windows 98 manages power schemes - no need to
access BIOS |
Enhanced |
Limited |
|
|
Advanced Power Management (APM) 1.2 Extensions:
includes disk spindown, modem power down, and resume on
ring. |
Enhanced |
Limited |
|
|
DirectX® 5.0: gives you the best
and fastest 3D graphics. |
Yes |
No |
|
|
Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP): a dedicated
graphics card slot more than 2x faster than a normal PCI
card. |
Yes |
No |
|
|
MMX Technology: designed to better handle sound,
video, and graphics. |
Yes |
No |
|
|
Support for thousands of new hardware devices
including printers, monitors, tape backup units, modems,
keyboards, joysticks, mice, gamepads, CD changers, DVD,
still image capture and video capture. |
Enhanced |
Limited |
|
|
Universal Serial Bus (USB): hot Plug and Play
peripheral devices; no power required; can hub or
daisy-chain up to 127 devices at speeds up to 10x faster
than serial ports. |
Yes |
Limited |
|
|
IEEE 1394:
same benefits as USB with support for
high speed devices (up to 400Mbps) |
Yes |
No |
|
|
Windows Driver Model: Mini-driver architecture
improves driver quality and consistency. Many common
drivers for Windows 98 and Windows NT®
5.0 operating systems |
Yes |
No |
|
|
Multiple Monitor Support |
Windows 98 |
Windows 95 |
|
|
Runs up to eight monitors from a single
PC. |
Yes |
No |
|
|
Runs multiple graphics adapters on a single
PC. |
Yes |
No |
|
|
PCMCIA Support |
Windows 98 |
Windows 95 |
|
|
PC Card 32 (Cardbus) Support: enables notebooks
to perform high-bandwidth applications. |
Yes |
No |
|
|
3.3 Volt PC Card Support: enables hardware
manufacturers to use lower power consumption. |
Yes |
No |
|
|
Multifunction PC Card Support: allows two or more
functions on a single PC card. |
Yes |
No |
|
|
Wireless Connectivity |
Windows 98 |
Windows 95 |
|
|
Built-in Support for Infrared Data Association
Standard. |
Yes |
Limited |
|
*Some Functionality may be available via download from http://www.microsoft.com/ or through the separate
installation of Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0
© 1998 Microsoft
Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft, ActiveX, DirectX,
FrontPage, IntelliMouse, NetMeeting, NetShow, Outlook, Visual Basic,
Windows and Windows NT are either registered trademarks or
trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or
other countries.
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