cloudblue

I bought a Windows 98SE from an ebay seller but my P.C. just isn't reading it.

Are there versions of 98SE that have to be run/installed from DOS?

When I try and run setup from the disc in XP I get a message telling me to re-start and run from DOS, and to consult the instruction manual (but it the instruction manual's missing).

Do I need a boot disc? Shouldn't it boot from the CD if the primary boot device is set as the CD/DVD drive?

Maybe the HD needs to be formatted as FAT to get it to install? Might that be the problem?

Or might it be a faulty disc?

I've got my DVD drive set as my first boot device but it's as though the disc isn't even in the drive. The PC just doesn't seem to know it's there at all.

If I can't get this to work I'm probably going to have to upgrade my Vista so that I can run Virtual PC, I thought this would solve the problem but it's as though the disc isn't even in the drive.

sobeit

you may need a boot disk - not all win98se are bootable. get one from bootdisk.com and give it a try.

cloudblue

I think I'm going to put the 98 back on ebay and make do with XP for the majority of my programs.

I've got two I need 98 for but I think it'll be easier to install Vista basic and activate it with my Vista premium key so that I can take a look at virtual PC.

Jlp1928

Hi Cloud,

Sobeit is correct. You can also make the Boot disk from Win98 at Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs, StartUp Disk. It can be made on any running 98 comp that has a floppy. It will boot, setup the CDs to read and has lots of helpful programs. It will move your CD reader letter but will tell you what it is at the end of the boot. Run SETUP. EXE on the CD by clicking it.

Good Luck, Jim

cloudblue

I've got a 3.5 floppy drive and some discs on their way to me so I'll be able to try and get it installed soon.

Thanks for the responses and the help, and my apologies for not responding sooner but my internet connection's been problematic.

Hopefully once the drive arrives and I get it installed and the boot disc written I should be able to get it installed.

Jlp1928

Hi again Cloud,

I misspoke about clicking the file. That works from WIn98 or Win98 Safe mode. If you use the Startup Disk navigate to the CD, type SETUP and hit enter.

More good Luck, Jim

cloudblue

Thanks, but I'm not sure that I entirely understand.

I created a boot CD with a file downloaded from allbootdisks.com and it booted up but I have absolutely no idea how it's supposed to help me to install 98SE

Right now I'm using the command prompt to format one of my drives as FAT32 to see if that might help me install it (Before now they've all been formatted NTSC).

If that doesn't work I'm stumped.

Jlp1928

Hi Cloud,

If you are able to use command prompt then you should be able to insert the Windows Install CD, go to that CD, type SETUP and hit enter. From there just follow the prompts.

Jim

Jlp1928

Hi Cloud,

You are 100% correct. Win 98 can not handle NTFS. You should be OK now.

Jim

cloudblue

Unfortunately, the format didn't work. The message I got was that the disc was too large for FAT32.

Ultimately I'm going to sell the 98SE on ebay and put the money towards an upgrade to XP Ultimate so that I can get Virtual PC working. It seems more cost-effective in terms of time to do it that way and in truth I could really use the added functionality of switching between programs under the one OS.

Thanks for responding and for the advice. It's helped me to figure out which route to take.

Jlp1928

Hi Cloud,

XP may be the easiest way out. Large drives can usually be formatted by partitioning into smaller sections. Also in the past the manufacturers formaters could add an extension to the BIOS to allow the larger drives. Maxtor's MAX BLAST series was one. Check the manufactures site before you give up.

cloudblue

Do I need extra software to partition the disc?

I'm guessing it can't be done through Vista.

Is there a good free software program that I can use to create partitions?

OldGrayGary

Hi all


CloudBlue --- I was glancing through this thread tonight, and it seems that your project is to run a program that requires Windows 98 to run, yes? It also seems that your current machine has Windows Vista installed & running - right? If so, I'd recommend that you stop trying to get Windows 98 to run on hardware recent enough to run Vista, and go the Virtual PC route = installing Windows 98 in a virtual environment.

There just aren't any Windows 98 drivers for the chipsets on recent motherboards, nor for the video and audio components, the new hard drive interfaces, etc. Very few machines are in that in-between-zone of being old-enough-to-run-Windows-98-OK and yet still new-enough-to-run-Vista-adequately (more likely: very slowly).

And, while it is true that you are supposed to have Vista Business or higher, it rather funny that Virtual PC 2007 works pretty well on Vista Home Premium. No one has ever accused Microsoft of laying all its cards on the table at once. The language has to do with degree of "support". Virtual PC 2007 can run fine on Vista Home Premium, you just have to pay attention to details (and perhaps visit a forum for help if you get stuck) -- you just have to know that you can't call Microsoft for help.
_______________

If you ever did happen to successfully install Windows 98 onto your current hardware (by the magic of having that in-between-hardware), you would then have to fuss with something like the EasyBCD tool to get a dual boot menu (or your machine would only boot into Windows 98, and Vista would be as invisible as Casper the Ghost), as you would likely have overwritten the Vista bootloader.

Another alternative is to acquire some old - but still working - hardware, and put Win98 on that.

Best of luck
. . . Gary

Jlp1928

Hi Cloud,

The Win98 STARTUP DISK does everything you would need. You would use FDISK to partition the drive and FORMAT to format it. Not all "Boot" disks do the things you need.

Jim

cloudblue

@OldGrayGary

Gary that's brilliant, thank you so much. I've usually been able to work most stuff out by trial and error and a few google searches, but since the introduction of Vista and the new advances in hardware it's now just beyond my capabilities.

I am running Vista. I've been meaning to update my OS information but between the flu and the appearance of some quite severe connection issues I just hadn't been able to get to it.

I'll try Virtual PC again and see if I can figure out how to get it running under vista. Is there a dedicated forum for that? Is it the kind of guidance I can get from a forum here?

Ultimately I want to upgrade to a Vista that supports Virtual PC but I just don't have the cash to do it right now.

@Jlp1928

Jim, thanks for the input. I think I'm probably just going to try and go the virtual environment route and see how far I can get with it. The 98 disc I have seems to be a nonstarter.

Jlp1928

Hi again Cloud,

Good Luck. Sounds good. Thanks for the thanks but again, Gary did all the work.

Jim