Stuck installing Win98 OS

[lolage]

Hi, im trying to install Win98 OS via VirtualBox, so far I havent been able. Heres where im at..

I start up the OS and a menu appears giving me 3 options.

1 - Start computer with CD-Rom support.
2 - Start computer without CD-Rom support.
3 - View the help file.

I choose 1.

Then it does some BUS scans, it takes a few seconds.
Next menu appears..

"The diagnostic tools were succesfully loaded to drive D.

to get help, type HELP and press ENTER.

A:\>"

So right now im "in" drive A, so I write "D:\" to acces drive D, followed by "dir" to see the directory of Drive D.

A list of files appears:
ATTRIB.EXE
CHKDSK.EXE
COMMAND.COM
DEBUG.EXE
EDIT.COM
EXT.EXE
EXTRACT.EXE
FORMAT.COM
HELP.BAT
MSCDEX.EXE
README.TXT
RESTART.COM
SCANDISK.EXE
SCANDISK.INI
SYS.COM

..and this is pretty much where im at, I dont know what to do further to get the OS installed. I did try "cd i386" which some claimed that the Setup/Install.exe would be placed in, but the folder is not valid.

My original OS is XP PRO SP2.. oh and, if someone was gonna ask, Yes, a Partition of the Win98 OS IS running and is active, and im running the OS via an image-file.

I hope someone can help me and knows what to do.

- lolage

[mpack]

You are starting with a FreeDOS install I take it?

It looks like that FreeDOS VM already has C: and D: drives (possibly two partitions inside one VDI). The CD, if it exists, is some other drive letter, perhaps E:. Try changing to some other drive letters, view the directory, look for setup.exe, either in the root folder of the CD, or some obvious subfolder.

Edit:  Or if not second partition, perhaps this DOS install sets up a ramdisk?

[lolage]

Im really just running "Sun xVM VirtualBox", not any other programs are you refer to (FreeDOS VM). I checked both drive C, D and E, none contains the file im looking for (Setup and/or Install.exe).

There is only one partition, im not sure about what "ramdisk" is, but of what I know I did not install such a "thing" in the virtual OS, yet.

So im still stuck on this :/

[mpack]

?? Your very first sentence was that you were trying to install Win98 "via VirtualBox". The "A>" prompt and all those files "ATTRIB.EXE" etc are DOS files, which I presumed you were seeing inside the VM. So where do you see those things if not inside a VM? If not inside a VM then I don't know what "via VirtualBox" means!

Please tell me again from the start.

First, given the forum I assume you have a Windows host.

Next, what are you installing with (eg. install CD, ISO of an install CD, or floppy images).

Next, outline precisely the steps you have taken to create the VM (what settings do you select).

Having created the VM, what steps have you taken to install the guest OS?


Please think about this carefully, and do nothing without discussing it first, as it sounds to me like you are in danger of trashing your host OS.

[Sasquatch]

Mpack, he is booting the Windows 98 install disc and is seeing the normal MSDOS prompt.

Lolage, what do you see if you do a dir on A: and C:? Did you create a partition and format it so you can install 98 on that? If not, run fdisk. For the rest of the install, that's off-topic on this forum.

[lolage]

I got it to work now, it seemed the file I was using to install the OS was crappy and didnt work

Got it installed now.