There are 3 primary flavors of Windows 9x, each suited for a different use case.
No matter which version you choose, you should make sure to install the latest updates from the Windows Security Update CD (98/Me only) and Windows Update Restored to ensure a smooth Windows 9x experience.
Windows 95 is the first version of Windows 9x, and it is especially suited to lower end hardware. It's not very suited to Pentium 3 class systems and higher despite some systems shipping with it, due to Windows 95 not supporting SSE instructions, ACPI, and newer programs.
Due to this, I only recommend it on older systems that struggle with the bloat of Windows 98 and Me, where running newer apps isn't a priority.
If you want a specific version to install, I recommend Windows 95 D Lite (download).
Windows 98, specifically its Second Edition is generally the go-to version of Windows 9x to the point where most people think of it when they hear the term 'Windows 9x'.
98SE is regarded as the most stable Windows 9x, and the last one to have native real mode DOS support, though it is lacking many quality-of-life features that Me provides, such as USB Mass Storage drivers.
You can't go wrong with Windows 98 SE, but if you tire of installing USB drivers, you might want to consider Windows Me.
Windows Me is ideal on more modern hardware that wouldn't benefit from
having real mode DOS due to lacking sound card support.
Even if you do need DOS, the DOS mode patch by iMic restores DOS with
zero downsides (except slightly slower boot times) unlike prior DOS
patches.
It notably features built-in USB Mass Storage support and NTLMv2 can be enabled without needing an update, making interconnectivity with modern systems much easier than Windows 98 SE.
Me is not without its downsides however. Mixed VxD and WDM drivers can make it unstable and may simply behave badly on some hardware with no apparent cause.
My recommendation is to try Me first, then downgrade to 98SE if it gives you trouble.
i may sound like a windows me shill but i dislike 9x in general and prefer windows 2000. it's just that windows me is the least shitty 9x
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