diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 691155af0a..915557976c 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -2023,6 +2023,8 @@ case $target_os in
             { check_cflags -mdynamic-no-pic && add_asflags -mdynamic-no-pic; }
         ;;
     mingw32*)
+        # Only WinXP or greater are supported
+        add_cflags -D_WIN32_WINNT=0x0501
         if test $target_os = "mingw32ce"; then
             disable network
         else
diff --git a/doc/general.texi b/doc/general.texi
index 8e2296937c..3c4eb5ce4f 100644
--- a/doc/general.texi
+++ b/doc/general.texi
@@ -996,6 +996,13 @@ and for a build with shared libraries
 ./configure --target-os=mingw32 --enable-memalign-hack --enable-shared --disable-static --extra-cflags=-mno-cygwin --extra-libs=-mno-cygwin
 @end example
 
+@subsection Win9x/Win2000 support
+
+FFmpeg is built by default for Windows XP and above. To run it on any Windows
+version prior to XP, you may have to disable network support. Additionally, for
+Windows 98/Me you must install KernelEx from:
+http://sourceforge.net/projects/kernelex/
+
 @section BeOS
 
 BeOS support is broken in mysterious ways.