To bridge the gap between Windows 98 and Windows 7, you must apply legacy updates from the official site's update page :

Here's how I/they did it in case anyone is interested. 1. Download Gearhead Garage from somewhere. 2. Install the game regularly (

This is critical for any operating system newer than Windows 2000. Step 3: Fix Modern Graphics Crashes

If the installer hangs, right-click the setup file, go to Properties > Compatibility , and set it to Windows 98 with Run as Administrator . Step 2: Apply Necessary Patches