NBA Live 98
Page Last Updated: 2/17/17
Windows 7/8/10 Installation Guide
Table of Contents:
1. 64-bit Windows Installation - Copying Files from CD
2. 64-bit Windows Installation - Adding install.dat
3. Install the Database Patch (32 & 64 bit systems)
4. Install the EA SPORTS Patch (Optional)
5. Enable 3dfx Mode w/nGlide
7. Fix Sound Issues w/dsound.dll
8. Additional Troubleshooting at the Message Board
Notes About This Page
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​*These instructions are intended to be used with the English language version of NBA Live 98. They *may* work for other regions, but this is not at all guaranteed.
*For the sake of brevity, this page assumes you have some intermediate-level knowledge of Windows, File Explorer, folder structure, and the registry. It will often tell you 'what' to do as opposed to 'how' to do it. If you need help with how to perform any of the actions described, please leave me a note on the message board and I will be happy to walk you through.
1. 64-bit Windows Installation - Copying Files from CD
NBA Live 98 has a 16-bit setup program, so it can't be installed the conventional way in 64-bit versions of Windows. The game itself can be made to work, however - even on Windows 10.
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**This step, as well as step 2 (install.dat) is ONLY necessary for 64 bit Windows users! If you are using a 32-bit version of Windows, you should be able to install the game normally by running setup.exe, located on your game CD in the Setup\English folder.
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To begin, insert your Live 98 CD and open your CD drive in File Explorer. You'll want to highlight and copy the "NBA98" folder.
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Now, paste this folder somewhere on your hard drive. Where is up to user preference, but I recommend keeping the game out of the Program Files directories if possible.
After the files have been copied to the hard disk, open up the NBA98 directory. Inside it you should have the following subfolders:
ART
CSV
DBDATAE
DBDATAI
DBDATAS
MOVIES
ORIGDBE
ORIGDBI
ORIGDBS
SONGS
SOUND
SPEECH
You will need to rename the "DBDATAE" folder to "DBDATA", and the "ORIGDBE" folder to "ORIGDB".
You may delete the DBDATAI, DBDATAS, ORIGDBI, and ORIGDBS folders if you wish - these are Italian/Spanish language files.
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2. 64 bit Windows Installation - Adding install.dat
You will also need to add this install.dat file to your NBA98 directory in order for the game to work. The file includes a reference to the user's CD drive letter, and the game will not run if this letter does not match the user's CD drive. This file is easily editable in notepad, but for the sake of simplicity, I'm offering several versions for download:
Download install.dat (For CD Drive Letter D)
Download install.dat (For CD Drive Letter E)
Download install.dat (For CD Drive Letter F)
Download install.dat (For CD Drive Letter G)
Unzip to your NBA98 folder. At this stage, your game directory should look identical to this:
3. Install the Database Patch (64 and 32 bit)
Now download and install this small database patch. This will hopefully fix a few incompatibilites with the game and enable it to run on newer PCs. Unzip these files to any folder and run "PatchInstall.bat"
4. Install the EA SPORTS Patch (Optional)
This is not required, but if you're going through all this trouble, may as well play the best version of the game, right? Head on over to NBA-LIVE.com and download the official EA patch for the game.
5. Enable 3Dfx Mode w/nGlide
Live '98 was the first in the series to make use of 3dfx graphics. For whatever reason, though, you can't enable this feature from inside the game itself.
To play in 3D mode, you have to create a shortcut to your NBAWIN.EXE. Right click this shortcut, then hit "properties".
Where it says "Target" you will want to add "3DFX" (without the quotes) to the end of the line. As long as you always start the game with the shortcut, it should run in 3D mode.
Note that you will need to have the nGlide glide wrapper installed on your system first in order for this feature to work.
6. Configuring nGlide
Once you installed nGlide, it should have added an nGlide folder to your start menu. Inside that folder is the nGlide configurator, and it is important to spend a moment or two using it before you fire the game up, as this program is what will actually be controlling your graphics output, rather than the in-game settings.
The most important setting here is the screen resolution. By default, this is set to "by app" which means NBA Live '98 will control what you see - you will be limited to the (640x480?) resolution '98 supported at release.
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By specifying a custom setting here, you can improve the game's visuals drastically -- just be sure to use modes your monitor supports. "By desktop" is typically a safe setting, as it will set the game to whatever resolution you use on your desktop.
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The other options can safely be left on default settings, but you may wish to turn off the 3Dfx logo splash screen which pops up every time you start the game.
At this point you can try launching the game. If it worked, great! If it didn't, any and all complaints about how I just wasted your time may be directed to the message board. :)
7. Fix Sound Issues w/dsound.dll
If your game runs, but it suffers from sound popping/skipping, try adding this dsound.dll to your NBA98 game directory.
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8. Additional Troubleshooting at the Message Board
If you run into problems, or if you simply have a question or comment about NBA Live '98, please stop by the message board.
