Windows 9X operating system introduction

One is the Windows 9X series, including Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows 98 se and Windows Me. The main program of the Windows 9X system base layer is 16-bit DOS source code, which is a quasi-32-bit operating system with 16-bit/32-bit mixed source code, so it is unstable. Mainly for the desktop computer
series.

Windows 95

Windows 95 is a hybrid 16-bit/32-bit Windows system released by Microsoft Corporation on August 24, 1995, with a version number of 4.0. Windows 95 is a direct successor to Microsoft's previous stand-alone operating system, MS-DOS and Windows. For the first time, the previous generation of 16-bit x86 support was abandoned, so it required Intel's 80386 processor to run on a compatible faster processor in protected mode. It features important improvements to the GUI and underlying workings. It is also the first version of Windows that is bundled with a version of DOS (Microsoft DOS 7.0). In this way, Microsoft can maintain the dominance of the GUI market established by Windows 3.x, while allowing non-Microsoft products to provide the underlying operational services to the system. In other words, Windows 95 has a dual role. It brings a more powerful, more stable, and more practical desktop graphical user interface, and it also ends the competition between desktop operating systems. (Technically, the Windows graphical user interface can be run on DR-DOS, or it can be run on PC-DOS —— this situation was revealed in court a few years later, when other major DOS markets were The merchant has already withdrawn from the market.) In the market, Windows 95 is absolutely successful, and within a year or two of its release, it has become the most successful operating system ever.

Windows 95 was released with a strong offensive, including the commercial Rolling Stones song "Start Me Up". Many customers without computers are queued to buy software because of the propaganda, but they don't even know what Windows 95 is.

Windows 95 marks an introduction to the "Start" button and the toolbar on the desktop of the desktop PC, which has been retained in all subsequent products in Windows.

After the Windows 95 version came with Internet Explorer 3, then Internet Explorer 4. When Internet Explorer 4 is integrated into the operating system, it will bring some new features to the system. Internet Explore is used to provide HTML support to the system's desktop. This is also the focus of Microsoft's antitrust case, because the integration of Explorer crowded out Microsoft's competitor Netscape products.

Windows 98

Windows 98 is a hybrid 16-bit/32-bit Windows system released on June 25, 1998, with version number 4.1. This new system is based on Windows 95 and it improves support for hardware standards such as MMX and AGP. Other features include support for the FAT32 file system, multi-monitor, Web TV support, and Internet Explorer integrated into the Windows graphical user interface, called Active Desktop.

Windows 98 SE (Second Edition) was released on June 10, 1999. It includes a number of improvements such as Internet Explorer 5, Windows Netmeeting 3, Internet Connection Sharing, support for DVD-ROM and USB.

Windows 98 will stop major security updates starting July 11, 2006.
Windows ME

Windows ME (Windows Millennium Edition) is a 16-bit/32-bit hybrid Windows system released by Microsoft Corporation on September 14, 2000. Windows Me is the last DOS-based mixed 16-bit/32-bit Windows 9X series of Windows with a version number of 4.9. Its name has two meanings. One is to commemorate 2000, Me is the meaning of the millennium, and the other is the personal use version. Me is the meaning of English. This system was developed on the basis of Windows 95 and Windows 98. It includes related minor improvements such as Internet Explorer 5.5. One of the main improvements is Windows Media Player 7 for competing with popular media player software RealPlayer. However, both Internet Explorer 5.5 and Windows Media Player 7 can be downloaded for free online. Movie Maker is a new component in this system. This program provides basic editing and design of video and is easy to learn for home users.

In Windows Me, the most important modification is that the system no longer includes real-mode MS-DOS. This means that unlike Windows 95 and 98, Microsoft hides the process of loading DOS before loading the Windows graphical interface, which reduces startup time. It still provides DOS mode and can run in a window, but some applications (such as older disk tools) require real mode and cannot run in a DOS window. Microsoft abandoned the Windows DOS real mode, which helps the system to speed up and reduce the use of system resources. However, this has adversely affected Windows Me based on DOS source code, which caused the system to be more unstable than Windows 98, and even caused Windows Me to run slower than Windows 98. Windows Me has a blue screen of death more often than Windows 98. After Windows Me has been in use for a while, the system has become significantly slower.

In addition, Windows Me introduced the "System Restore" log and restore system, which means simplified
troubleshooting
troubleshooting and problem solving. Conceptually, this is a big improvement: users no longer need the knowledge of mysterious DOS line commands to maintain and repair the system. In fact, removing the DOS function is an obstacle to maintenance, and the system restore function also brings some trouble: the performance is significantly reduced; it is also proved not to be effective for some common error recovery. Since the system automatically creates a backup of the previous system state each time, it is difficult for non-professionals to implement some of the much-needed modifications, or even delete an unwanted program or virus.