By Brett O'Keefe, Plains Regional News Cooperative, Pierre, S.D.
PIERRE, S.D. — Authorities in central South Dakota are investigating an unusual crash involving a stolen truck that overturned along a rural highway and spilled thousands of mini compact discs labeled as Chinese-language versions of Microsoft Windows 95, a software product discontinued more than two decades ago.
The crash occurred early Tuesday morning outside Hughes County. When state troopers arrived, they found the truck abandoned, its cargo scattered across a ditch and nearby field. The driver had fled the scene.
“What caught everyone off guard was the cargo,” said South Dakota Highway Patrol Sgt. Mark Ellison. “They were new, professionally pressed Windows 95 mini CDs, shrink-wrapped, labeled, and boxed. They still make these things?”
The discs appear to be 8-centimeter mini CDs, a format briefly popular in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Each disc is marked as containing a Chinese-language version of Windows 95, complete with printed logos and installation instructions.
Investigators said there is no immediate explanation for why such software would still be manufactured, or who the intended recipient might have been.
Microsoft declined to comment on the specific shipment but said in a statement that Windows 95 has not been produced or licensed for distribution for many years.
Surveillance footage from a gas station roughly 40 miles from the crash site shows the truck stopping briefly late Monday night. The video shows two men wearing dark clothing exiting the vehicle. One is seen carrying a shoulder bag. Authorities said the footage is under review.
“It’s not clear whether both individuals were involved in the transport or if one joined the truck later,” Ellison said.
The truck was reported stolen earlier this month from another state, though officials declined to specify where, citing the ongoing investigation.
Technology experts say the discovery raises questions about the continued use of legacy systems.
“There are still industrial machines and specialized equipment around the world that run on very old operating systems,” said Daniel Wu, a software historian who studies obsolete computing platforms. “But seeing this volume, in this format, suggests something more organized than a hobbyist operation. Could they be used for malicious purposes? Yes. Small-town water treatment plants, power facilities, things of that nature. Systems that aren’t current because of cost.”
Wu said the discs could have been intended for export or for use in isolated systems not connected to the internet.
Authorities have not determined whether the discs are counterfeit, unauthorized reproductions, or part of some other distribution effort. The cargo has been seized, and federal agencies have been notified.
Local residents who drove past the scene described the sight as surreal.
“It looked like someone dumped shiny coasters everywhere,” said rancher Paul Hendricks, who stopped when traffic slowed. “Then I heard they were computer discs from the ’90s. That just made it stranger.”
As of Wednesday, no arrests had been made. Investigators said they are working to trace the origin of the discs and identify the individuals seen on surveillance footage.
“We don’t know yet what this shipment was for,” Ellison said. “That’s what makes it so strange.”
Officials said there is no known threat to the public at this time and urged anyone with information about the truck or its occupants to contact authorities.
