# Flash drive problem - Windows 98 (not SE)



## boweasel (Nov 5, 2006)

Been trying for a while to get a flash drive to work on my old Win 98 PC. I found a drive made by CRS Electronics in China that the box said would run under Windows 98. So I downloaded the driver, unzipped the RAR file, which created a folder called Win 98 Driver. However, in this folder was another RAR file, which I also unzipped, getting a msg "broken header file". I downloaded the driver 3 separate times (deleting the originals) and got the same msg each time. WinRAR was unable to repair the file. Emails to the company were returned. So I took the drive back. Was there anything else I could have done?

Then I buy a flash drive from Sony. Dependable name, I figure. I load the driver to my desktop, stick the flash drive in the USB port, reboot the machine, and... nothing. It does NOT recognize any new hardware.

So I go to Add New Hardware from the control panel. It doesn't find anything. So then I use the option to find it myself from the list. But I don't know what hardware type I'm looking for. I have nothing in my list that says 'USB devices', 'Flash drivers' or 'Mass storage devices'. 

So what do I do now?


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## bonk (Sep 8, 2005)

That flash drive works with USB 1.1 and 2.0 and if so what are your USB ports ...probably 1.1


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## flavallee (May 12, 2002)

Windows 98 does not have full USB support.

Windows 98SE has full USB support, but even then there are certain USB files that should be updated and certain setting changes in the Device Manager and in the BIOS that should be made.

This would be a good website for you to read:

http://www.usbman.com/win98seusbguide.htm
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## boweasel (Nov 5, 2006)

Uh, okay... a coupla things...

To the 1st responder - I don't know whether my USB port is 1.1 or 2.0, or even how to find out. It's not like it shows up under my computer/properties/device manager (if it did I'd know how to install the new hardware). But perhaps more importantly, I don't know what the answer to that question has to do with my problem. FYI the Sony flash drive says USB 2.0 (in large letters) & USB 1.1 (in smaller letters.

To the 2nd responder - I followed your link to usbman.com. But since I specified that I'm NOT running Windows 98 SE, only 98 basic, and your link only applies to SE, I don't know if you're suggesting I download the Windows 98SE Unofficial Service Pack. Are you?
The rest of the information on the link means nothing to me...
Reading that:

Windows 98 and Windows Me support two USB host controller standards: 
 Open Host Controller Interface (OHCI) 
 Universal Host Controller Interface (UHCI) 
Windows 98 and Windows Me include drivers that support each of these hardware standards

tells me nothing. Neither of those two standards show up in my Add New Hardware.


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## flavallee (May 12, 2002)

I definitely am *not* trying to convince you to download and install the unofficial service pack, especially since you don't have 98SE in the first place.

What I'm trying to tell you is that even if you had 98SE, which has full USB support, there are still problems that you would have to overcome with certain USB devices.

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## boweasel (Nov 5, 2006)

Well flavallee, while I certainly appreciate anyone taking the time to reply, I was looking for something a little more pro-active.

I know that Windows 98 has some difficulties with USB devices, but at the same time I know (from casual surfing) that many, many people with 98 basic have been able to use flash drives on their PC. I'd simply like to be among that group.

And I fail to see how the kind of USB device I'm trying to install would have any bearing on the fact my Add New Hardware *never* detects the Windows 98 drivers I've just downloaded, or that I don't seem to have any USB devices in my Device Manager.

I *think* that if I only had something show up in my Device Manager, that Windows itself would detect the new drivers.

I did run some sort of diagnostic .exe file I downloaded that's supposed to tell you if everything is hunky-dory with your USB ports. Everything was just fine, supposedly.


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## flavallee (May 12, 2002)

I haven't used Windows 98SE or Windows ME myself in over a year. I gave you my 2 cents worth. Good luck.

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## almostsmart (Jul 30, 2003)

I am running Win 98 and I use a Verbatim 2GB flash drive, however I have already loaded a driver(?) for mass media that came with my external enclosure which I suspect is allowing it to work. Specs for the flash drive said Win98SE. If you could get your hands on USB mass media driver that might work.


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## SqDancerLynn (Nov 7, 2004)

Go to my computer rt click - devices check the usb for ?


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## boweasel (Nov 5, 2006)

Well, I've gotten a little bit farther along...

I DID NOT know that when you're installing new hardware through the wizard, and the device is not listed, that you should click on Other Devices, indicate that you have a disk (even though I did not), and change the location from the A: drive to the C: directory on which you downloaded the drivers. I never knew that. I figured that when you say 'have disk' that you are actually holding a floppy or a CD-ROM ...

So anyway, I get through that install, plug in the flash drive, see that drive D: exists in Windows Explorer, and nothing...

The PC stops responding, and hitting <cntrl,alt,delete> shows that msgsrv32 is not responding. Simply unplugging the device re-enables all the normal functionality, but of course the flash drive can't be used if it ain't plugged in.

Any more thoughts?

Anyone?


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## SqDancerLynn (Nov 7, 2004)

I have had to upgrade my own computer to win98SE because a lot of programs are not supported under win98


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## mjh452006 (Sep 28, 2007)

I have been working on this all week (because I want to put all my files from this computer in a flash drive and not in my new computer) - almost drove me crazy - but i figured it out. I have a windows 98 and it would not recognize my flash drive - i downloaded about three different drivers - (one for cruzor mini, a USB 98 Driver, another usb 98 SE driver) i don't know which one worked. I was reading your problem. I went to usbman website, went to drives/patches and downloaded usb driver selector intel 98 and SE. I plugged in my flash drive, went to my control panel, add new hardware, picked UStorage Device from the list, clicked next, says found but with problems, finish, goes to update driver, click update driver, next, pick from display, it should be there, highlight it and click next, say yes, next and finish. Then your flash drive is on my computer as a removable disk. But you have to go to control panel and do this each time you use your flash drive. Hope this helps and I hope it helps with any flash/pin/etc. drive. I will let you know.


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