윈도우 98용 데스크탑 꾸미기 cd의 경우 윈도우 10~11버전에서도 돌아가나요?

Question

Windows 98 데스크탑 꾸미기용으로 출시된 cd를 windows 10~11에 연결해서 사용할 시 정상적으로 작동할까요? 또는 작동시킬 수 있는 방법이 있을까요?

Answer 1

As I know A CD that was released for decorating the Windows 98 desktop (likely containing themes, wallpapers, icons, sounds, screensavers, etc.) may partially work on Windows 10 or 11 — but not perfectly or directly in most cases.

-> What Might Still Work :

• Wallpapers (.BMP/.JPG/.GIF/.PNG)
  • Likely to work fine — just copy them and set as background manually.
• Icons (.ICO)
  • Supported in modern Windows. You can use them by changing icons via shortcut or folder properties.
• Sounds (.WAV)
  • Still usable; go to Sound Settings > Advanced Sound Settings to assign them manually to system events.

-> What might work with manual help or Compatibility Mode:

• Themes (.THEME or .DESKTHEMEPACK)
  • Classic .theme files may not apply correctly in Windows 10/11 but can be manually extracted and reconstructed.
• Screensavers (.SCR)
  • Can still work if they are 32-bit. Copy to C:\Windows\System32, right-click > Install.
  • However, some 16-bit screensavers (from early Windows 95/98) will not run on 64-bit systems.
• Programs or Installers (16-bit or old 32-bit EXEs)
  • May not launch at all on 64-bit Windows due to lack of 16-bit subsystem.
  • Try Compatibility Mode: Right-click > Properties > Compatibility > Set to Windows 98.
  • Or use a virtual machine.

-> What will not work:

• 16-bit executables (especially setup programs)
  • Windows 10/11 64-bit does NOT support 16-bit apps.
  • Workaround: Use DOSBox or a Windows 98 virtual machine (like VirtualBox or VMware).
• Active Desktop content (HTML-based desktop gadgets used in Windows 98)
  • No longer supported. Can only simulate with 3rd-party tools.

-> But how to make it work today:

• Extract the files manually:
  • Open the CD, explore folders for *.bmp, *.ico, *.wav, etc.
  • Copy them to modern folders and apply manually.
• Use Compatibility Mode:
  • Right-click on any EXE or setup file > Properties > Compatibility > run in Windows 98 or XP mode.
• Use a Virtual Machine for Full Experience:
  • Install Windows 98 in VirtualBox or VMware.
  • Mount the CD and run it as originally intended.

-> This gives the best experience if you're after nostalgia or theme authenticity.

• Rebuild the theme manually:
  • Create a new .theme file using the old assets and apply it via Windows 10/11 personalization settings.