diff --git a/configure b/configure
index d4cebfe50b..f1b7bdd29e 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -2112,11 +2112,6 @@ case $target_os in
             { check_cflags -mdynamic-no-pic && add_asflags -mdynamic-no-pic; }
         ;;
     mingw32*)
-        # Adding _WIN32_WINNT=0x0501 makes functions that require
-        # XP visible and thus may make it binary incompatible with
-        # earlier versions. Set --target-os=mingw32-prexp if this
-        # isn't desired.
-        test $target_os = "mingw32" && add_cflags -D_WIN32_WINNT=0x0501
         if test $target_os = "mingw32ce"; then
             disable network
         else
@@ -2576,8 +2571,6 @@ if enabled network; then
             network_extralibs="-lws2" || \
         { check_func_headers winsock2.h closesocket -lws2_32 && \
             network_extralibs="-lws2_32"; }
-        # getaddrinfo is available if _WIN32_WINNT >= 0x0501 is defined
-        check_func_headers ws2tcpip.h getaddrinfo $network_extralibs
         check_type ws2tcpip.h socklen_t
         check_type ws2tcpip.h "struct addrinfo"
         check_type ws2tcpip.h "struct ipv6_mreq"
diff --git a/doc/general.texi b/doc/general.texi
index 3fb7a3a7de..3942e404a1 100644
--- a/doc/general.texi
+++ b/doc/general.texi
@@ -995,13 +995,6 @@ 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 must use @code{--target-os=mingw32-prexp}.
-Additionally, for Windows 98/Me you must install KernelEx from:
-http://sourceforge.net/projects/kernelex/
-
 @section BeOS
 
 BeOS support is broken in mysterious ways.