Portals 98
The Soul Management Operating System
A MicroSoul Corp Product
System Requirements — Is your terminal ready for Portals 98?
💻 Minimum System Requirements ▬ □ ✕

Minimum System Requirements

Your terminal must meet the following minimum specifications to install and run Portals 98:

Component Minimum Requirement
Processor 486DX/66 MHz or compatible soul processor
Soul Bus Active soul bus, version 2.0 or higher
Soul Memory 16 MB (32 MB recommended for multi-soul operation)
Hex Space 500 MB available hex space (full installation requires 650 MB)
Floppy Drive 3.5" high-density floppy drive (mandatory)
Display VGA-compatible entropy display (800×600, 256 corruption levels)
Input Device Soul-compatible pointing device (mouse or equivalent)
Decay Port One available decay port (serial or parallel)
💡 Note: The 3.5" floppy drive is mandatory for Portals 98 installation, first-run setup, driver loading, and soul backup operations. Terminals without a floppy drive cannot run Portals 98. This is a hardware requirement, not a suggestion.
⭐ Recommended Specifications ▬ □ ✕

Recommended Specifications

For the best Portals 98 experience, MicroSoul Corp recommends the following configuration:

Component Recommended Specification
Processor Pentium-class processor, 133 MHz or higher
Soul Memory 64 MB (128 MB for heavy soul processing workloads)
Hex Space 2 GB available (allows room for soul swap files and soulware updates)
Display SVGA entropy display (1024×768, 16-bit corruption depth)
Sound Card Soul Blaster-compatible sound card for soul resonance features
Network 28.8 Kbps modem or soul network adapter for Soul Navigator
Terminal MicroSoul Corp-certified terminal (see Hardware Compatibility List)
⚠ Compatibility Notes ▬ □ ✕

Compatibility Information

⚠ NOT compatible with FreeSoul OS. Do not attempt dual-boot. Terminals that have previously run FreeSoul OS may require a full soul bus reset before Portals 98 installation. MicroSoul Corp is not responsible for soul bus corruption caused by unauthorized operating systems. See EULA Section 14: Unauthorized Soul Platforms.

Upgrade Path

  • From Portals 95: In-place upgrade supported. Soul files and settings will be preserved. Soulware will be upgraded automatically. Third-party soul applications may require reinstallation (or replacement with MicroSoul Corp equivalents).
  • From Portals 3.11: Clean installation required. Soul files can be migrated using the Portals 98 Migration Wizard.
  • From FreeSoul OS: Not supported. See above.
  • From Other Platforms: Not applicable. There are no other platforms.

Hardware Compatibility List

The Portals 98 Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) contains all terminals and devices tested and certified for use with Portals 98.

The HCL is available on the Portals 98 installation CD-ROM in the \SUPPORT\HCL directory. An online version was planned but has been delayed indefinitely. The intern was assigned to upload it.

Known Hardware Issues

  • Soul bus v1.x devices may experience intermittent disconnection. Upgrade to v2.0 recommended.
  • Non-certified entropy displays may show incorrect corruption levels. Use a MicroSoul Corp-certified display.
  • Third-party floppy drives from Stac Soul Solutions are no longer supported. (Stac Soul Solutions no longer exists.)
  • Terminals manufactured before 1995 may require a BIOS update for soul bus v2.0 compatibility.
💾 Portals 98 Second Edition — Additional Requirements ▬ □ ✕

Portals 98 Second Edition

Portals 98 Second Edition includes all features of Portals 98 plus additional improvements. The following additional requirements apply:

  • Existing Portals 98 installation (Second Edition is an upgrade, not a standalone product)
  • Additional 50 MB hex space
  • Soul Navigator 4.0 or later (included with Second Edition)

See What's New in Portals 98 Second Edition for a full list of changes.

CLASSIFIED
CONFIDENTIAL — MICROSOUL CORP INTERNAL
Distribution: Executive Team Only
Date: October 14, 1997
From: Helena Ash, Head of Product
Subject: Soul Market Consolidation — Three Phase Approach

Phase 1: ABSORB

Identify market leaders in each soul application category. Initiate "strategic partnerships" to access their technology and user base.

Phase 2: ADAPT

Develop internal alternatives. Bundle with Portals at no additional cost. The price is zero.

Phase 3: ARCHIVE

Discontinue partnership agreements. The partners will not survive the transition. Prepare memorial pages.

"We don't need to be better. We need to be included."

Case No. SCC-2000-4471 — Exhibit A.