Need help getting Steam to run on Windows 98

[EatYourSheep]

I have a old Dell Latitude C610/C510 with a copy of Windows 98 installed on it. It works just fine and I am trying to install a copy of the Steam before Valve discontinued it in 2007.


I have so far have found:
A copy of steam.exe version 1.0.0.0
A steam.dll from 2/06/2006

EDIT: I got the files here: http://originaldll.com/file/steam.exe/19251.html

I have read that steam.exe will continually try to update unless you put steam.dll in C:\Windows\System. However, doing this will do nothing and steam.exe will continue to try to update with no success.


I was wondering if anyone has been able to at least trick it into getting past the update screen or has been able to get anything else to work. I am just trying to see how far I could get, and I would love some pointers!


//Do not tell me that I need a new machine or that I need to get a new copy of Windows. I have a computer I had just built last year with a copy of Windows 10 on it.

Thanks in advance!

[cSg|mc-Hotsauce]

it can not run on 98 anymore.

System Requirements
Windows XP, Vista, or 7
512 MB RAM
1 Ghz or faster processor

http://store.steampowered.com/about/

it will always tell you that you can not run the program if you get an older version because it will always look for an update.

[EatYourSheep]

That is true. As said though, I am trying to see how far I can get running the older version of Steam compatible with Windows 98. EDIT: (By using other older files besides steam.exe)

[cSg|mc-Hotsauce]

as far as downloading the new client and not running because the os is not supported.

[EatYourSheep]

All of the files I am using are before 2007. I understand what you mean though.

[EatYourSheep]

There could be a possibility that you can bypass the update screen and use Steam in offline mode like the new client.

[cSg|mc-Hotsauce]

this is one of the reasons steam exists. so that games and the client are always up to date.

it must go online and be set to offline mode before you can do that.

[EatYourSheep]

I am pretty sure you can cancel a Steam client update as long as there are files to begin with. That is why I am trying to find stuff like the old steam.dll's and other old files so that I can find out for sure if this possible to get it up and running again. (Thanks for the help so far by the way.)

[Dionysus 🐭]

The oldest OS steam can run on is XP.

[EatYourSheep]

As said, I am using files from before Valve cut support for Windows 98. So far I made it to the update screen and it just hangs. In theory if you install the old files like the steam.dll I have from 2006 then it should get past that update screen.

[cSg|mc-Hotsauce]

Originally posted by EatYourSheep:

I am pretty sure you can cancel a Steam client update as long as there are files to begin with. That is why I am trying to find stuff like the old steam.dll's and other old files so that I can find out for sure if this possible to get it up and running again. (Thanks for the help so far by the way.)

nope.

it will always look for the most current update.

you can always google "steam client files from 2006."

next to last search on the 1st page. not quite sure how safe that site is but there is a dl.

[EatYourSheep]

This is the website I have been using: http://originaldll.com/file/steam.exe/19251.html

[shiel]

Even if you could somehow trick it into starting, you'd never be able to sign in/download games. To do so it has to communicate with the Steam servers.

[EatYourSheep]

That is true. No one has documented anything about the Steam actually running on Windows 98 (not just theoretically) past 2007 when Valve discontinued the platform. I am just seeing how far I can get. Even if I cannot login or if I can only see blank menus.

[EatYourSheep]

Thanks for all of the pointers by the way everyone!

[cSg|mc-Hotsauce]

the original client did run on 98.