97 Simulator | Windows

Using a simulator brings back the unique limitations and quirks of the era:

occasionally used during the development of what would eventually become Windows 98

Separate from these official builds, the "Windows 97" moniker has also been used for a fan-made mod. Based on a customized version of Windows 95, this unofficial "Windows 97" was a personal project by an "enthusiast" who called themselves "ideeman1994". These custom ISO images, which can still be found on archives like the Internet Archive, are essentially modified versions of Windows 95 B OSR 2.x. These modifications can include using a UI named "mask98" and are known to be quite unstable and buggy. One must approach such unofficial releases with caution, as they are community creations, not actual Microsoft products, and often contain unknown modifications.