Windows 98 build 1721.3

4.10.1721.3
	Build of Windows 98
Release name	Release Candidate 1
OS family	Windows 9x
Version number	4.10
Build number	1721
Build revision	3
Architecture	x86
Compiled on	1998-03-30
Expiration date
Timebomb	2001-04-01 (+1,098 days)
Product key
	HGBRM-RBK3V-M9FXV-YCXDK-V38J4
About dialog

Windows 98 build 1721.3 is the official Release Candidate 1 build of Windows 98, which was released by Microsoft to beta testers on 3 April 1998^[1]. The Spanish version of this build was uploaded to the Chinese website BetaWorld on 18 December 2021,^[2] and its full CD (claimed to be RTM) was used as a base for the warez CD "Super 98" which was uploaded to the Internet Archive on 16 December 2021.^[3] A CD photo of the Korean version of this build alongside with the CD for build 1910.2 in Korean have been shown in a BetaArchive thread on 14 August 2013,^[4] the Simplified Chinese version was shown in a book named "如何使用Windows 98中文版" (How to use Windows 98 Chinese version),^[5] a CD of the Japanese version was originally sold at Yahoo Auctions, but has since been sold.^[6] while the Korean, Simplified Chinese, and Japanese versions of this build remain unleaked. Currently, this build is available only in the English and Spanish languages.

This build was released with the following information from Microsoft to beta testers during the time:

Dear Windows 98 Beta Testers,

We have taken the incredibly fast feedback we received on 1720 as well as
fixes that were already in the works and we are closer than ever to RC1.
We have implemented some core fixes which should help Power Management,
Multimedia and Dial-Up Networking. We would like all of you to download this
build if possible and give it a thorough run through.

Note: You do not have to download this build to stay active; this is an
optional download.

Release information^[7][edit | edit source]

The Windows 98 test team has declared that build 1721.3 is Release Candidate
1!

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This means that this build has undergone a thorough regression test pass on
a broad variety of hardware and software, to ensure that it meets certain
standards and that it has no ship-stopper problems. Release Candidate 1 is
of significantly higher quality and robustness than RC0. Many beta testers
have already let us know that 1721.3 is RC1 quality for them. Of course, we
have found a few more issues from recent 1720 and 1721.3 feedback, and from
internal testing, that we need to fix. We will be addressing these issues in
an upcoming RC2 build, and providing many of these fixes via Windows Update
(some are already posted!).

We posted build 1721.3 this past Monday. For those of you that have already
downloaded it, this is exactly RC1. For anyone else, please feel free to
download 1721.3 now.

Why did we post it as 1721.3 rather than telling you it was RC1 earlier in
the week? A build is not ready to be declared a "Release Candidate" until it
has undergone this regression test pass. Rather than sitting on 1721.3 until
we knew whether there would be any more critical fixes, or that it would be
RC1, we posted it this past Monday and continued our internal testing.

Wait for CD or Download Now? Unfortunately, we will not be able to send CDs
to all current beta sites. There are a number of logistical reasons for
this. We are sending CDs to top bug submitters, and to a random sampling of
people who have filled out the installation surveys. Many of you will
receive these CDs starting early next week. If you don't receive a CD, you
are still welcome and encouraged to download 1721.3. We have no way of
telling you now if you will get a CD. You will have to decide yourself
whether you want to download now or wait to see if you get a CD. We
apologize that we are not able to send CDs out to everyone, but the
logistics and manufacturing capacity would have slowed down distribution,
and delayed the critical feedback we need. All Active testers (bug reports
and/or installation surveys) will receive a copy of the final RTM CD.

Release Notes: Please read the release notes that are posted on the web site
and in the newsgroups for known issues. They will not be on the CD, but will
be provided as hard-copy with the CDs. Most, if not all, of these known
issues will be fixed in RC2.

Windows 98: Built on Customer Feedback: Over the past few years, we have
worked to improve the core Windows 95, while adding improvements throughout
the product. We believe that the resulting Windows 98 product provides
seamless Internet integration, significant quality improvements, and
improved supportability. The product reflects significant customer impact, a
great deal of which has come directly from Beta sites, in previous Windows
95 beta programs as well as during the Memphis/Windows 98 beta program. Your
feedback and testing has directly resulted in significant improvements and
fixes.

However, we are not quite done. Each code change for the past few months
typically involves fixing a specific bug, adding custom support for
problematic hardware and software, or otherwise addressing test feedback.
Each time we make a change in one area, we run a slight risk of introducing
problems in another area. As we fix hundreds of minor issues, there are
always some other problems. You’ve seen these “regressions” in recent
builds – overall quality is way, way up over Beta 3 and RC0, except in a
couple of cases where something new was broken. Well, we think we’ve gotten
most of the primary issues, as well as regressions, fixed. Now is the time
to go through a thorough “regression test pass,” making sure that everything
works as well as it can. For this, we need your help one last time.

Please look for any critical bug that may have been recently introduced. The
criteria at this point are:
Major functionality impairment for which there is no workaround, that would
prevent you from using Windows 98 or some significant feature.
Setup problem that prevents a successful upgrade, and leaves a system
unusable.
Significant hardware or software incompatibility, that renders the device,
system or program unusable, with no workaround.
Disk Data loss.
Etc.
We need to minimize the changes at this point so that we don’t introduce any
additional regressions, so the requirements for making a fix are fairly
high. But at the same time, now is not the time to give up. Please help us
to find and fix those last few issues that will make the most impact in
improving the overall product quality.

Also read this information about the fix for RC1 already out on Windows
Update:

In addition to the RC1 release (1721.3) that is now available for download,
the first of the RC1 updates are now available for download via the Windows
Update web site. Please visit the site at:

Start -->Windows Update

You will see the available updates that are specific to your system. Also,
until the final release of Windows 98, we will continue to make further
system updates available through the Windows Update site. Please be sure to
read the entire description of each update you choose to install, and there
may be special instructions.

Note: Please do not uninstall RC1 Update version 1. These core system files
are necessary and should not be uninstalled.

Finally, by making these updates available to you via the Windows Update
site, we can deliver these components in a more timely fashion, and
therefore look forward to your seeing your feedback more efficiently. We
look forward to your comment in the
microsoft.beta.Memphis.Internet.SystemUpdate newsgroup.

The Windows 98 Windows Update Team