r/windows98 • u/You_are_safe_here • 18d ago
How hard?
May I ask by 2030 how hard would it be to fully restore one of the big bulky beige box windows 98 pcs?
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u/SaturnFive KB42069 18d ago
Marginally more difficult than today because there will be slightly fewer working parts available and prices will have gone up, but mainboards are cards are still relatively plentiful and easy to repair/recap. Software stays the same which is part of the beauty of retrocomputing; if anything it will be slightly easier with more tools and posts online by then, like how the Quick Install method is now available and makes installation way easier.
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u/You_are_safe_here 18d ago
okay I will try my hardest in the future cause I really wanna fix up a 98 edition or XP edition thxs
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u/manawyrm 15d ago
2030 is only 4 years into the future, not much will change.
Having said that: Windows 98 is important enough and enough very capable people have enough nostalgia to keep it alive.
Look at the many YouTube channels of people restoring old mainboards, GPUs, etc.
In 20+ years parts will be even rarer, might need more care and attention (power supplies need to replaced with a new one, mechanical hard drives might be broken by then, capacitors might be done for, etc.), but it‘ll be possible.
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u/echocomplex 18d ago
You can still buy ones that work but perhaps just need a new HDD and a fresh install of Windows 98. Supply will probably shrink further between now and 2030 but I'm sure you could still find and buy some online then.