I just saw this and i think you want to enable folders in a window to open without reusing the window. Go to Tools at the top of any folder, and hit Folder Options and under the General tab select Open each folder in it's own [NOT the same] window. Then click Apply on the bottom right. That should do it.
No need to apologize for still having to sail the W/98 ship; I used it up until last year. You can do more than what most people think with certain software, but it is inferior to XP.