virtualbox.org

Hi there,

sorry if this has been asked a million times before but I really tried to find something myself on google. Not very successful unfortunately

I´m trying to install Windows 98 in a new VirtualBox (v3.0.4). My host operating system is Windows Vista Home Premium. I´ve created an image from my cd and boot-floppy and mounted both. When I start the VM it freezes after a Point called "Copyright 1990 - 1997 Adaptec, Inc.".

I use these settings as I found in this topic:
http://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=21082

General
Name:Win-98
OS Type:Windows 98
System Base Memory: 64 MB
Processor(s): 1
Boot Order: Floppy, CD/DVD-ROM, Hard Disk
VT-x/AMD-V: disabled
Nested Paging: Disabled
Display Video Memory: 16 MB
3D Acceleration: Disabled
Remote Display Server: Disabled
Hard Disks IDE Primary Master: Win-98.vdi (Normal, 3.00 GB)
CD/DVD-ROM Host Drive: D:
Floppy Not mounted
Audio Host Driver: Windows DirectSound
Controller: SoundBlaster 16
Network Adapter 1:PCnet-PCI II (NAT)
Serial Ports Disabled
USB Disabled
Shared Folders None


I also trid to run it with VT-x/AMD-V enabled. Then it works a few seconds until "PCI bus scan complete". After this the whole window shows strange characters and I can´t read anything anymore.

Does anybody know what to do to get Win98 installed properly? You would make a beginner in virtual computers extremely happy

Why use an image if you have the real thing?
Set the CD to be D: and enable the floppy and install that way.
The Adaptec drivers are for the CD, if memory servers me right.

Do you really have the OSE version of VBox that your profile states?

Oh thanks for the fast reaction

I tried what you told me: I set CD to the physical drive an inserted the disk. But that didn´t change anything It´s the same behavior as it was with the CD-image.

No, I don´t have the OSE version. I just downloaded VirtualBox 3.0.4 for Windows hosts from the download area (http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads)
Do I have to choose PUEL or REQUIRED in that field in profile? All the other ones start with OSE

When you got it from the download area then it is the PUEL version.

Ok, changed it.

Still need help

Did you set the boot order (in the guest settings) to A then D then HDD?
You need to boot from the floppy first to create the partition and format the V-HDD.
Otherwise you will need to prepare the V-HDD manually and then install the OS from CD, which is a lot harder than just doing it the way that it was intended to do.

Yes I did set the boot order like floppy, CD, HDD.
And it does work but it freezes after a few seconds with VT-x/AMD-V disabled and with VT-x/AMD-V enabled it shows only cryptic characters after the message "PCI bus scan complete".

All I can tell you is I know it works on Vista as host. I have it running myself although it did not install easily.
You need to mess with the settings some, but I would not turn on VT-x/AMD-v. 98 had no idea about that and you need to try to keep it as close to the native install as possible.

Typically Windows 98 was installed on a 386/486 some Pent.I machines with about 64 Meg of RAM and hard drives back then were usually 150/300 meg or so. No agp. or USB until later on. Video was usually svga and some people had vesa cards that worked with special drivers.

Still once you get this working it is more for nostalgia because you can't do much with it these days.

Hi,

yes, I´m trying to install Win 98 just for nostalgia. It was the first operating system which I really worked with
Unfortunately it still doesn´t work on my system
Is it possible that my floppyimage is damaged? Could this be the reason why it freezes everytime I run the VM?
Do you know a site where I can download floppyimages for older windows versions?

Have a good one,
cow

Perryg wrote:Typically Windows 98 was installed on a 386/486 some Pent.I machines

Uh.. I don't think so. The Pentium had existed for about five years by the time Win98 arrived (an eternity in a Moore's law context), so the 486 was long obsolete by then. In fact people would have been using P2's or maybe even P3's by the time they first installed Win98. Perhaps you were thinking of Win95, which possibly did overlap the 486 era.

cow wrote:it does work but it freezes after a few seconds

I seem to recall that I also had freezing problems when trying to install Win98 (also for nostalgia). It only locked up if I had a (virtual) CD in the drive during a boot, I had to remember to unmount it, then mount it again after the boot was complete.

I hate to disagree with Perry, but I think you are quite right to use an ISO image in preference to a physical CD. The physical CD is also visible to the host, and when that host is Vista, then who knows what "helpful" things the host is trying to do with the CD? This problem can't arise with an ISO. Plus, the ISO is faster and quieter.

mpack wrote:

Perryg wrote:Typically Windows 98 was installed on a 386/486 some Pent.I machines

Uh.. I don't think so. The Pentium had existed for about five years by the time Win98 arrived (an eternity in a Moore's law context), so the 486 was long obsolete by then. In fact people would have been using P2's or maybe even P3's by the time they first installed Win98. Perhaps you were thinking of Win95, which possibly did overlap the 486 era.

Well there were some over laps but I was talking more from a service stand point where upgrades were being done on existing machines. The minimum requirements were 486 see here. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/182751
Also you should use this for the basis of the machine that you are setting up now.

Oh and as a foot note the 386 I was referring to was called a Nexgen 386 which was the first RISC chip and did in fact operated Win 98 albeit with a little tuning and a special driver. The Nexgen company was then purchased by AMD and there you have it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NexGen

The sad thing about all of this is I remember this so well...