BleepingComputer.com: Trimming the fat on a 98SE machine

I have three computers in my home. An XP machine, a laptop, and an old 98SE box. I'm currently zeroing the 98SE box, because it's just become too ungodly slow, and even the usual tools aren't helping anymore. (Granted I keep up on defrag and scandisk, it has been just over 2 years since I zeroed it last.) I do this to keep my 98SE box for my messenger services and low-end web browsing. I find this keeps me from spending hours on hours in chats or streaming video and game sites (flash-based games will be the death of me yet), and keep my "work" computers free of distraction.

So, I try to use lightweight apps (Opera is one of the slimmer browsers out there, for example) to keep the old P3 processor running at top speed. But there has to be some fixes, tweaks and options I can dial in to maximize performance on the old 98SE box and make it feel fast as a new computer, even if it's really not. What secrets of 98SE do you know to turn the old workhorse into a venerable clydesdale?

Speaking of lightweight apps... Is there anything better than trillian for multi-client messaging? It seems to eat more resources than it should. The meat of the problem has to be things I can meddle with in the OS, I'm sure... But even a little bit off the top can help, right?

The best way is to reformat and a fresh install

That's what I am going to do. I was wondering about ways to keep it resource-light, once its up and running, though.

Disable Task Scheduler (Open it, Advanced, Untick Enable Task scheduler I think, don't have a 98 box to check on)
Disable programs that launch in the background

Thats about all I can think of. I used 98lite in the past, but thats not much good if you want to use the PC for the internet.