Windows 98 Default Internet Explorer Home Page

When Microsoft released Windows 98, the operating system came bundled with Internet Explorer, which was configured out of the box to direct users to Microsoft's own web properties. Depending on whether a system ran the original Windows 98 release or the Second Edition, as well as whether the computer came from a third-party manufacturer, the browser defaulted to Microsoft's "Internet Start" portal, the MSN network, or an OEM-branded landing page.

The Standard Microsoft Home Page

In the standard retail release of Windows 98 (First Edition), which included Internet Explorer 4.0, the default configured home page URL was:

  • http://home.microsoft.com

This address pointed to Microsoft's Internet Start portal. The page served as a centralized dashboard offering customizable news feeds, stock tickers, weather forecasts, web search engines, and shortcuts to Microsoft software and services.

By the time Windows 98 Second Edition (SE) debuted in 1999 bundled with Internet Explorer 5.0, Microsoft was heavily consolidating its online identity under the MSN banner. While the browser was still often pre-configured with http://home.microsoft.com, the URL automatically redirected visitors to:

  • http://www.msn.com

Local Welcome Pages on First Launch

Before reaching the live internet portal, a brand-new installation of Windows 98 often presented a locally hosted welcome page on the very first browser launch. Stored locally within the Windows directory or compiled into system DLL files (often referenced via internal protocol URLs such as res://iesetup.dll/ or res://mshtml.dll/), this introductory screen introduced users to Internet Explorer features, channel bars, and connection wizards without requiring an active internet connection. Once the user connected to the internet, subsequent browser launches went to the configured online portal.

Regional and International Defaults

For users outside the United States, Microsoft utilized regional redirects. The browser checked the localized language version of Windows 98 and directed users to regional directories, such as http://home.microsoft.com/intl/, which subsequently routed users to localized versions of Internet Start or MSN in their native language (such as UK, German, Japanese, or French editions).

OEM Customizations

A significant number of Windows 98 PCs were purchased pre-built from Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) such as Compaq, Gateway, Dell, Hewlett-Packard, and Packard Bell. Microsoft permitted OEMs to modify the default home page in the Windows registry prior to shipping. Consequently, millions of users had default home pages set to manufacturer-branded portals (such as http://www.gateway.com or custom co-branded Excite/MSN portals) rather than the standard Microsoft address.