virtualbox.org

I used to have VirtualBox setup on a laptop. I could not get Win 95 to work, but I was able to get Win 98 SE to work.

Now I have the following desktop system and have the exact opposite issue. I can get Win 95 to install and run fine but when I run Win 98 SE I get this error: While initializing device NDIS:
Windows protection error. You need to restart your computer.

I have tried Win 98 SE Standalone and installing Win 95 and using a Win 98 SE Upgrade. Both with the same results. I have searched and searched for a solution but nothing is working. It has to be one of my settings below:

Verison: VirtualBox 6.1

Main OS: Windows 10 Pro, AMD Ryzen 3 Quad Core 3500 MHz, 8GB RAM, AMD Radeon RX 560

Host OS: Windows 98 SE (tried Win 95 with upgrade AND Win 98 SE standalone)
Host Information:

GENERAL
Basic
Version: Windows 98
Type: Microsoft Windows

SYSTEM
Motherboard
Base Memory: 256MB
Boot Order: Hard Disk
Chipset:PIIX3
Pointing Device: PS/2 Mouse
Extended Features: Enable I/O APIC (checked)
Enable EFI: (unchecked)
Hardware Clock in UTC Time: (unchecked)

Processor
2 CPUs
Execution Cap: 100%
Enable PAE/NX (unchecked)

Acceleration
Paravirtualization Interface: Default
Hardware Virtualization: Enabled Nested Paging (checked)

DISPLAY
Screen
Video memory: 18MB
Monitor Count: 1
Scale Factor: 100%
Graphics Controller: VBoxVGA
3D Acceleration: (unchecked)

STORAGE
Floppy - empty
Controller: IDE - Windows 98.vdi
CD Rom - empty
Controller: USB

AUDIO
Enable Audio (checked)
Host Audio Driver: Windows DirectSound
Audio Controller: SoundBlaster 16
Extended Features: Enable Audio Output (checked)
Enable Audio Input (unchecked)

NETWORK
Adapter 1
Enable Network Adpater: (checked)
Attached to: NAT

Thank you

Take a look at Tutorial: Windows 95/98 guest OSes

People generally report that "protection error" problem with Win95, not Win98SE. Are you sure about that report?

I think people have also reported problems getting Win98SE to run on AMD Ryzen processors. I'm not sure anything can be done about it. I've never had problems running Win98SE on Intel processors, e.g. the i9-10900K I'm using right now. I've tended to avoid AMD since the "fx 8-core" debacle.

FWIW, googling the complete error message gives a lot of results.