Motherboards for Win98se and Vista (soon)

[harry12]

I read all the review and get excited that I need a new motherboard. My recent fault with a printer (LPT1) has made me go and buy a new motherboard-
Whoah!
That means a new processor
A new memory
a new video-card
a new PSU (OK I went for a new case with PSU fitted)

Just about to hand over the money and I said:- "I want to use Win98se, will that be OK?"
No says the vendor - you must use XP - there are no motherboard drivers for Win98se"
Sale fell through........I'm not buying XP for it to last under a year...and then have to buy Vista to get the full benefits of new software versions.

SO, the question is_ at what point does Win98se need drivers for the motherboard - in all the times I've installed Win98SE I cannot recall having motherboard drivers.......sure I need them for the Video card and for the CD/DVD drive and for the new USB- memory-card reader (so much better than the digi-camera).......but I have these drivers.......
So what drivers are needed to get the motherboard working?

((I have also loaded Ubuntu/Linux onto a fresh (new) HDD and didn't need hardware drivers - come to think of it I don't recall needing any drivers...they all came with it or were spirited from the internet))

FWIW Ubuntu was a tad difficult and although the software supplied is very good...ther are a few iritations - so after 6months I returned to Win98SE.........

Details: Motherboard Asus....model M2V ( takes a 3200 Althon)....but don't go to ASUS website - it's a nightmare - and their "contact us" so annoying, I might buy an Intel board again. -or ABIT which has good rewiews.

SO anyone suggest a motherboard that takes modern memory (I'm planning on 1G, with a tweek for Win98SE I know) and so on...parallel and serial HDD.........and 10/100 built-in I guess. I'm not keen on "integrated graphics" as I'd prefer to use a cheapo dedicated card. Sound doesn't bother me but I might fit a SoundBlaster later.........
All suggestion welcome but bear in mind in the UK we have a resticted number of mothereboards to choose from....not all models are available.
...THANKS...