Windows 98 installation from USB encountered issues.
Windows 98 installation from USB encountered issues.
I'm trying to install Windows 98 on a vintage machine, but I hit a roadblock at the initial setup screen. I'm using FreedOS to launch it and manually starting the installation. From the USB, I navigate with CD commands to reach the Win98 directory. After that, I run setup.exe and it boots into the Windows 98 environment. As soon as the setup begins, it reports an issue stating Windows needs a minimum of 16MB RAM. I press OK, but it sends me back to FreedOS. My system is an old Dell with just 512MB RAM and an 8GB IDE hard drive. The memory requirement keeps appearing. Anyone have any suggestions? I've confirmed the folder structure on the flash drive, which was created using Rufus.
I believe Win98 and USB boot aren't compatible. For better results, consider setting up a simple Linux distribution instead.
Sorry to hear that. You don’t have any more CDs, though you do have Windows 98 SE on one. It’s not a bootable CD, and you’re having trouble getting FreeDOS to work or recognize the CD drive.
Suggest Install FreeDOS onto the formatted FAT32 drive. After that, transfer the USB contents into a folder on the hard disk—such as a "winsetup" directory—and move the relevant files from WIN98 or similar containing .cab files. Restart using the hard disk, navigate to that folder, and execute setup commands like mkdir to create directories, then copy x:\win98\*.* into c:\winsetup\*.* or similar paths. For directory changes, use CD with /? for command-line guidance or type HELP. If you prefer a GUI, add a copy of Dos Navigator to your USB stick and run it for a better interface: https://www.ritlabs.com/en/products/dn/. The Windows 98 setup.exe includes options to bypass memory restrictions—see http://www.thpc.info/how/switches9x.html. You might try repeating the process several times until successful, or use VirtualBox to emulate a Pentium 2 system with an 8 GB SSD and 512 MB RAM.
I'm working with a vintage Dell tower for installing Windows 98. When it's connected to the hard drive, I intend to transfer it to a custom-built Windows 98 machine.
My memory isn't clear, but it seems USB functionality was properly built into Windows 98 SE rather than being limited to the standard edition.
You're asking about setting up FreeDOS on a hard drive and transferring the Windows 98 installation files via USB. You want to know how to locate the USB drive letter for moving those folders, especially using SE edition.
Create a bootable USB with FreedOS installation and all files. Transfer Windows 98 data from the disk to the USB. Add a copy of Dos Navigator for easier file handling (open it in FreedOS like Windows Explorer). Follow the installation steps, format the C: drive if desired, and use the setup utility there. Once done, you can detach the USB and everything will run from the hard drive.