Question for support people

**blah789** · 11-19-2008, 08:01 AM

This is for support people, because you're more likely to stumble upon large copies of Windows 98 media.

Does anyone know if ALL Windows 98 CD's are bootable? Does it apply to both first and second editions? The only copy I ever had was an OEM copy from a restore media, so I never got to check it out.

Another miscellaneous question: I'm looking on ebay, and I notice some Windows 98 CD's look plain like the Windows 95 CD, while others are holographic, like the Windows 2000 and XP CD's. Anyone know when or what the distinction is between those? (first edition? second edition? past a certain mfg date?)

Jlp1928 · 11-19-2008, 08:30 AM

Hi Blah,

I have never seen an official MS Win98 install CD that is bootable. Some OEM disks may be.
Someone else on here may have better info for you. GUYS?

Good Luck, Jim

**blah789** · 11-19-2008, 10:18 AM

I'm asking because I'm getting conflicting info.
For example this site
http://www.windowsreinstall.com/win9...exfullpage.htm
suggests from the screenshot that the CD is bootable
But the steps on the Microsoft site are similar to Windows 95 with the boot floppy that later passes control to the CD-ROM
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/221829

My hunch (and it's just a wild guess) is that the holographic CD's are bootable, but I'd want someone to confirm.

**blah789** · 11-21-2008, 02:48 PM

bump! someone must know! i don't want to go out and buy random Windows 98 CD's just to find out something so trivial!

**OldGrayGary** · 11-21-2008, 09:32 PM

Hi blah 789

As far as being able to use the Windows 98 CD, it doesn't matter much if it's bootable or not, so long as the PC that it's destined for has a floppy drive. Bootable Win98 floppy diskettes are redistributable, and available at sites such as bootdisk.com.

I'd recommend a Windows 98 2nd Edition CD, since it is the better version. It also happens that many of the 2nd Edition CDs are bootable. I hope the PC that you intend to use the Win98se on is a vintage PC, since newer machines (especially those with cpus faster than 2ghz, and newer chipsets on the motherboard) just don't have Win98se drivers available. It does run reasonably well when installed inside Virtual PC or VMWare. I haven't tried it in Xen on a Linux box, but that might be a possibility as well.

Best of luck
. . . Gary

**kev1952** · 11-22-2008, 03:17 AM

Tend to agree with Gary - get a 98SE disk (I have one and it's bootable). That said, tho', you could get a 98 disk (any flavour) and use it to create a bootable CD (keep the one you bought as a backup). Do a Google search for "bootable 98" and you'll find any number of sites that will guide you through the (easy) process.

**sobeit** · 11-22-2008, 05:14 AM

better make sure they are legal, if oem but been used before, they will not be valid to use anymore. Some are bootable, I have one that is. If they are upgrades, then they will need older versions of windows in order to use.

You can get a bootdisk from bootdisk.com

there is no way to generalized and say that only holographic coated are bootable or all 98se are bootable. Its like saying all non holographic disk are pirated. So many different disks was released.

11-19-2008, 08:01 AM	#1 (permalink)
blah789 TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 2,312 OS: Windows 2000 SP4 and Windows XP SP3	Question for support people This is for support people, because you're more likely to stumble upon large copies of Windows 98 media. Does anyone know if ALL Windows 98 CD's are bootable? Does it apply to both first and second editions? The only copy I ever had was an OEM copy from a restore media, so I never got to check it out. Another miscellaneous question: I'm looking on ebay, and I notice some Windows 98 CD's look plain like the Windows 95 CD, while others are holographic, like the Windows 2000 and XP CD's. Anyone know when or what the distinction is between those? (first edition? second edition? past a certain mfg date?)

11-19-2008, 08:30 AM	#2 (permalink)
Jlp1928 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Chicago Posts: 441 OS: Win98, XP, 2000	Re: Question for support people Hi Blah, I have never seen an official MS Win98 install CD that is bootable. Some OEM disks may be. Someone else on here may have better info for you. GUYS? Good Luck, Jim

11-19-2008, 10:18 AM	#3 (permalink)
blah789 TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 2,312 OS: Windows 2000 SP4 and Windows XP SP3	Re: Question for support people I'm asking because I'm getting conflicting info. For example this site http://www.windowsreinstall.com/win9...exfullpage.htm suggests from the screenshot that the CD is bootable But the steps on the Microsoft site are similar to Windows 95 with the boot floppy that later passes control to the CD-ROM http://support.microsoft.com/kb/221829 My hunch (and it's just a wild guess) is that the holographic CD's are bootable, but I'd want someone to confirm.

11-21-2008, 02:48 PM	#4 (permalink)
blah789 TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 2,312 OS: Windows 2000 SP4 and Windows XP SP3	Re: Question for support people bump! someone must know! i don't want to go out and buy random Windows 98 CD's just to find out something so trivial!

11-21-2008, 09:32 PM	#5 (permalink)
OldGrayGary Mentor, Microsoft Support Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Woodland Hills, CA Posts: 2,240 OS: Windows 98se/2000/XP/Vista	Re: Question for support people Hi blah 789 As far as being able to use the Windows 98 CD, it doesn't matter much if it's bootable or not, so long as the PC that it's destined for has a floppy drive. Bootable Win98 floppy diskettes are redistributable, and available at sites such as bootdisk.com. I'd recommend a Windows 98 2nd Edition CD, since it is the better version. It also happens that many of the 2nd Edition CDs are bootable. I hope the PC that you intend to use the Win98se on is a vintage PC, since newer machines (especially those with cpus faster than 2ghz, and newer chipsets on the motherboard) just don't have Win98se drivers available. It does run reasonably well when installed inside Virtual PC or VMWare. I haven't tried it in Xen on a Linux box, but that might be a possibility as well. Best of luck . . . Gary __________________ Last edited by OldGrayGary; 11-21-2008 at 09:34 PM.

11-22-2008, 03:17 AM	#6 (permalink)
kev1952 TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Townsville, Australia Posts: 1,007 OS: Win Vista Home Premium	Re: Question for support people Tend to agree with Gary - get a 98SE disk (I have one and it's bootable). That said, tho', you could get a 98 disk (any flavour) and use it to create a bootable CD (keep the one you bought as a backup). Do a Google search for "bootable 98" and you'll find any number of sites that will guide you through the (easy) process. __________________ Cheers.... Kev *"The Definition of an Upgrade: Take old bugs out, put new ones in."* Please don't send me PM's for support. Post in the forums for everyone to benefit.

11-22-2008, 05:14 AM	#7 (permalink)
sobeit TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: NEAR Posts: 7,433 OS: windows/linux	Re: Question for support people better make sure they are legal, if oem but been used before, they will not be valid to use anymore. Some are bootable, I have one that is. If they are upgrades, then they will need older versions of windows in order to use. You can get a bootdisk from bootdisk.com there is no way to generalized and say that only holographic coated are bootable or all 98se are bootable. Its like saying all non holographic disk are pirated. So many different disks was released. __________________ there's been global warming since the ice age