The only reason I'm upgrading at all is because I
want USB support. I wanted
 to get 8.6 but no one sells it anymore. Know a supplier? Or can I patch
 8.1 to do this? 
I don't think you could buy 8.6 when it was current.  I thought it involved
going to 8.5 and applying the 8.6 update.  I might be mistaken though.  If I
am you should be able to find 8.6 with a little looking.  Every now and then
I see people selling old copies of the OS still in shrinkwrap.
                        Zane