Have anyone tried to install a Windows 9x on an Asus Eee PC computer?

I'm actually thinking about buying one. But there are several issues with win98.

Here's what I found about the eeepc 701 (but 9xx hardware is quite similar).

Drivers:
Chipset + GPU : Intel 910 GML -> no win98 drivers !!! That's the main problem Bearwindows VESA drivers / SNAP graphics
Lan : Atheros L2 Fast Ethernet -> no drivers but generic NDIS drivers should do the trick
Audio : Realtek High definition -> no drivers avaible
Wifi : Atheros AR 5007EG -> drivers avaible but what about the connection program?
Touchpad : Synaptics Touchpad -> avaible

Another issue is the resolution (1024/600). It's 16/10. That's not a problem in windows but it is if (like me), you plain to play old dos/windows games that run in 4/3. I don't want to play with stretched resolutions...

That's why I thought about waiting for a via based notebook (like the everest MAX) but they won't be for sale until 2009...

EDIT : post corrected

I've just bought a linux version of the Eee PC 900. So, I connected an external USB hard drive in hope of doing some experiments with Windows 98. I've switched the boot drive to the external HDD in the BIOS, leaving the linux intact on the SSD.

The first problem was the setup causes a strange effect on the pannel. It looks like it melts (or something) and the computer feezes. So, I used the SETUPCOR.EXE instead. This time the procedure froze on running scandisk. So, I used SETUPCOR /is. The setup started, the files were copied, the computer rebooted properly,.....

The licence agreement screen appeared. I'll see what will come as next.

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The system froze after PnP devices detection. Both keyboard and touch pad are not working. It can have something to do with the USB controller PnP detection. I've started the system from an USB drive. I think I will have to move to the SSD and leave the USB unpopulated during the setup, in the next experiment.

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But, perhaps not. The setup contiunes after a reboot, starting at the point the computer froze. Keyboard and touchpad are working correctly, this time. So, I had an additional unplanned reboot. I does not seem to be a big problem, after all.

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It seems to be working. The Intel® Chipset Software Installation Utility was useful. But, still, just the standard VGA 640x480 16 colours graphics stretched to the full size of the LCD pannel. No LAN, no Wireless, no Sound.

I've managed to get network connection through an external USB network card.

An interesting feature of the Eee PC is the very good BIOS support for USB drives. Also, SD cards are supported in the BIOS, as the SD card reader is in fact an USB device. Every USB drive is treated as a separate HDD. It is possible to select any of them as a boot device.

So, since the BIOS does the USB storage support and Windows 98 functions are very limited because of the unavailable device drivers, the Windows 95 should do almost as fine as the Windows 98 does.

Just an idea, but maybe the 9x version of the Universal Video Driver:
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/?showtopic=2325
http://www.geocities.com/bearwindows/vbe9x.htm

is worth a shot for a higher resolution.

jaclaz

The universal VBE driver seems to be working fine. I was able co increase the screen resolution to 800x600. Also, I'm able to select any color depth from just 256 up to 32bit.

I made quite an interesting observation while copying data from an SD card to SSD drive. Apparently such an operation took just a few minutes in clean DOS, while the Windows 98 explorer did the same job many times longer.

Could be a visualizing problem. I observe the same with deleting large directories, especially on slow (network-)drives. Deltree does it fast, while explorer takes much longer, while it tries to tell which files are being deleted at each moment.

I do not believe it is the case. The same happens with copying just a few large files.

Funny, on many eeepc forums, people report regular slowdown caused by the ssd on winXP on Linux. However it could be a chipset problem linked to missing win98 drivers.

I found a problem with the Universal Video Driver. Running a DOS application locks the computer with an interesting screen effects.

I have moved the Windows 98 to internal SSD. The speed difference is huge. The system boots to desktop icons in less than 15 seconds. The hour glass is gone in less than another 15 seconds.

I've noticed the Windows 98 does not detect the new devices connected to the USB ports. It is necesary to reboot the system in order to to use them.

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Another observation, the DOS application window problem is related only to the windowed DOS processes. If a DOS application is running the full screen mode, everything seems to be working correctly.

Perhaps there is a way to force every DOS process to use the full screen mode. But, I have to find it, still.

I've managed to bring the built in internal ethernet port to life with Atheros NDIS2 DOS driver.

In order to do so I had to:
- start the new hardware wizard
- skip the auto detection and to go for "find the driver from the list"
- find the NDIS2 driver related entry
And it went the usual automatic way from this point. The driver is started in the AUTOEXEC.BAT with the NET START command. It looks like the Internet and Microsoft Networking functions are working correctly.

It's a bit funny the DOS driver is provided, when the newer 9x systems are forgotten. And still, the 9x systems are able to use the DOS driver. It would not be possible with the NT based system.

About the full-screen problem, I think you can use the shortcut properties to make a DOS app running full-scrren, or good ol' .pif files.

Would this work on Win9x/Me?

http://windowsitpro.com/article/articleid/...rent-state.html

or maybe there is a similar 9x/Me utility?

jaclaz

The problem with the Universal VBE driver requires to force all DOS text mode applications to use the full mode. It is possible to do it with .PIF files. But, it would require to create a .PIF file for every DOS application.

The FSTOGGLE.EXE is designed to switch between full screen and the windowed modes. It is not the solution, as it does not allow to select the mode before running the command processor.

I'm wondering if there is a .PIF file with default DOS application settings, or something like that.

Maybe there is another way through APPS.INF.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/138410/en-us


APPS.INF has an empty entry for COMMAND.COM:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/130971/en-us

Would something like this work?:

or


And maybe also playing with the "aen" and "lie" switches....

jaclaz

_default.pif, Google it!

The _default.pif file does the job.

I've modified the command prompt in the Start menu and the /WINDOWS/PIF/COMMAND.PIF files. The COMMAND.PIF is the best template for the _DEFAULT.PIF, as it does not have the working directory set. The _DEFAULT.PIF should be placed in the WINDOWS directory.


I've noticed a side effect when doing a computer reboot from the Xandros Linux system. The DOS NDIS2 driver freezes when testing the network connection, in such a case. It is necesary to power the computer off, then to boot to Windows 98 with a cold start, after working with Xandros.

Did you try using the default windows NDIS2 driver? I've seen someone claiming it works fine on his eee701. Besides, I've never seen a network card that wouldn't work with it.

Erm... The Windows 98 does not appear to have a default NDIS driver. When installing a NDIS driver, Windows asks to provide a proper driver disk, or to show where it is located.

Besides, NDIS is the protocol used between driver and OS. So, the same driver can be used with any network software compatible with the NDIS specification.

I've got a correction to the way the Windows 98 treats NDIS2 drivers.

(I do not have an English language version, so I can not provide the proper option names)
In order to install a NDIS2 driver it is necesary to skip the hardware auto detection procedure and to select the manual installation option. Then open the network adapters list, then to click the button letting to search the driver on the disk. When a NDIS2 driver location is provided Windows will go the usual network driver procedure with just one difference. Windows will not check the compatibility of the driver with the hardware. So Windows will install just any NDIS2 driver without complaining.

The Atheros NDIS2 driver han an ability to change the MAC address in the protocol.ini file. This gives an ability to use Eee PC 900 with Windows 9x as a quite useful network testing tool. Especialy, when the Internet services provider uses MAC restriction techniques.

I've been successfully using my Eee to do some test in the WAN. The Windows 98 seems to be unable to keep multiple network configuration sets. So, I had to change the services and protocols bindings every time I was changing the LAN and WAN connections. I tried to solve this problem in multiple ways:
- a second copy of the Windows easy switchable on the system start. - occupies a lot of disk space
- mutiple hardware profiles - displays an additional menu at the system start. Very inconvenient
- a second driver to the same network adapter with different bindings. - quite complicated to set up, but it works.

It is possible to modify the L2.DOS and corresponding .INF file to create a new driver. The Windows will install both drivers. Then it is necesary to make different protocol and services bindings to both drivers. Switching between drivers is possible through changes in the protocol.ini file, and making the unwanted driver .DOS file unavailable in the windows directory. I did it with two .BAT files. One is switching to the LAN adapter, the other to WAN. Running one of them disables one adapter, and enables the other. I'm still playing with the idea to exploit all the possibilities.

I'm curious if there are other ways to switch between the network enviroment settings easily.

Yet another observation.

Windows 98 without a network driver installed boots in just 9 seconds, while it takes 43 seconds to boot with a NDIS2 driver with the ethernet connection detached.

The DOS NDIS driver tries to detect the network connection speed , first. Then the TCP/IP protocol stack tries to get an IP through DHCP. Both tasks are useless while booting in the move. Luckily there is a very easy way to select if we want to boot with or without the network adapter driver.

For the NDIS2 driver to work it is necesary to run NET START command from the AUTOEXEC.BAT. Wihout it the driver gets disabled after booting. As the result the system boots in 9 seconds, instead of 43.

Using the [MENU] section in the CONFIG.SYS it is possible to create a boot menu and give an option to start the system with the network driver disabled.

an example for the CONFIG.SYS


an example for the AUTOEXEC.BAT


The code page and keyboard settings should be different in your case (unless you are using Polish language).

From the 1-st post:

As I know Scitech SNAP Graphics is the accelerated video driver that supports I910GML.
i910 chip is a variant of 915G/915GV/910GL. See: http://scitechsoft.com/chiplist/snap_win_chiplist.html

It's somewhat true, but I have found nothing about Scitech support for Windows 98.

http://www.scitechsoft.com/sdd_win.html


http://www.scitechsoft.com/ftp/sdd/



jaclaz

The SciTech SNAP driver does not support Windows 98.

The SciTech Display Doctor does not support i910.

The conclusion is there are no Windows 98 SciTech driver for i910.

There IS. Unfortunately page with them (http://my.scitechsoft.com/) vanished.

So as abadonware, i can release my build with support for Intel graphics up to 965G (and some other graphic chipsets, too):
http://rapidshare.com/files/61460110/snapdriver.rar.html

The SNAP driver works correctly with DOS applications. But, the system does not switch off itself. It is necesary to use the power button.

The top possible resolution on the LCD is the 800x600, still. It is possible to select a higher resolution, but the LCD will cut it to the top left 1024x600.

using GAMODE.EXE tool it is possible to add any resolution "on the fly" in Windows9x//NT/2000/XP/2003.
Link: http://www.bearwindows.boot-land.net/myproj.htm
Usage from command line:

This way I add std DVD PAL resolution 720x576:

No restart is required.

After adding the 1024x600 modes I had to restart the system. Then I was able to select the 1024x600 mode.

Unfortunatelly, the screen remained at 800x600. The desktop was resized to 1024x600, but the visible part is 800x600, only.

So, GAMode does not change much


I've checked the 1024v768 mode, again. I was wrong. The screen is cut to just 800x600 instead of 1024x600.

I have no idea how to set the native 1024x600 LCD resolution.

That won't help. For me to use 1280x800 resolution i had to install resident VBIOS patcher, and that worked only with VBEMP, not with any SciTech driver.

Is there Windows 98 compatible VBEMP driver available?

All I've found is Windows NT related, so far.

You mean apart the one by bearwindows?
http://www.msfn.org/board/Asus-Eee-PC-Wind...1.html&st=4

Didn't you already tried it?

jaclaz

Oh, I did not realize the VBEMP = Universal VBE. Apparently there are two branches of the same project (9x and NT compatible).

Still, it allows to use just 800x600 mode.

How can I "persuade" the BIOS to use 1024x600?

If I get it right, you have a i910 which should behave (wrongly) like the 915 G.

On the same page:
http://www.geocities.com/bearwindows/vbe9x.htm#7


You may want to try running INFOVBE:
http://www.geocities.com/bearwindows/vbe9x.htm#7
http://www.bearwindows.boot-land.net/infovbe.zip
to make sure about the available resolutions, then try contacting bearwindows , he may have (or find) a solution .

jaclaz

No, it does not seem to be the case.



So, the BIOS reports more than enough of memory available.

Sfor
I see no problems with your VBIOS.
There is another way. Use Intel Embedded Graphics Drivers for i915/910 - http://www.intel.com/design/intarch/swsup/...ics_drivers.htm . It includes Terminate-and-stay-resident VBIOS module with editor. You can add needed mode, load VBIOS into RAM and then use VBEMP 9x or SNAP Graphics in VESA mode. Some people tell that this method works well.
Same functionality used in 915resolution.

I was able to build a VBIOS. It seems to be working fine in DOS. But, Windows 98 fails to load with the VBEMP 9x, if the VBIOS module was loaded to the memory.

I found no indication how the VBIOS should be loaded, so I've added it to the AUTOEXEC.BAT.

I was unable to switch the SNAP driver to the VESA mode. The "gaoption.exe vesa on" command brings an iformation the nga_w32.dll could not be loaded.

The IEGD package suggests it is possible to build own EFI module. The EEE supports EFI, as far as I know. The linux version of the EEE PC 900 does have the EFI partition by default. Still, I do not know what to do with it.

Sfor
You can use my infovbe tool to see which VESA modes are available after you loaded VBIOS.

October 21 I made a new VBEMP 9x version with ASUS EEE PC (with Intel 91xG Graphics) support.
It requires a loading of TSR VBIOS before loading driver (included with 08.10.21 driver).
See my site for details.

Good news is the DOS sessions are working in windowed mode with the new driver. So, it is significantly better, than the regular one.

The bad news is, I can not load Windows with the VBIOS loaded, still.

The InfoVBE tool works correctly without the VBIOS. But, with the VBIOS it does not exit as it should to. A lot of informations scrolls through the screen, then stops at some point. It is necesary to reboot the system then. I've tried to redirect the screen output to a file. But, the contents of the output file gets lost after the reboot. So, I can not check if the new modes are present in the VBIOS.

----- Edit
The new VBEMP 9x comes with a properly working VBIOS TSR included. After loading the /1024x768/alv_1411.exe in the autoexec.bat the 1024x600 mode becomes available.
-----

I found another strange behavior connected with disabled wireless network card. The Windows 98 started to crash at booting when the unknown ethernet adapter device was present in the device manager and disabled in BIOS. To make everything working correctly with both enabled and disabled wireless adapter, I had to let the windows detect both Atheros network cards as unknown network cards, and then I have disabled both in the device manager. Now everything works fine, no matter if the wireless card is enabled or disabled.

Maybe you can redirect the output to a serial port? Or doesn't the EEE has one?

Asus EEE PC does have just USB ports. So, no RS232 available.

Thanks to Bearwindows there is a new version of VBEMP 9x driver available.

The problem with DOS applications have been solved. It is possible to run them in a window, now.

The 1024x600 screen resolution is available as well. To make it work it is necesary to add a VBIOS TSR utility in the autoexec.bat.

Both driver and utility are available at http://www.geocities.com/bearwindows/vbe9x.htm.

Oooops! The problem with DOS applications was not solved, yet. On the other hand, the system does not hang, as it was with the older driver.

When starting a DOS application in a windowed mode the screen contents gets destroyed completely. In order to get back to normal, it is enough to switch the DOS application to full screen, and then back to windowed mode (ALT+ENTER).

When starting a DOS application in full screen mode, everything works correctly. So, it is a good idea to keep the _DEFAULT.PIF file forcing DOS application to use full screen as the default mode.

Bearwindows helped me again.

It is possible to enable the ACPI support in Windows 98. To do so it is necesary to import a following registry settings:



Then the "new hardware wizard" will detect the ACPI BIOS.

However, there is a catch in it. In my case, enabling ACPI BIOS made the windows detect the built in USB card reader. Now SD cards are both detected by the BIOS USB drive support and the Windows giving two drive letters for a single SD card. It does not seem to be a very important issue, but it is a bit irritating.

I've been thinking about removing the duplicated USB MS-DOS compatible drive letters from Windows by creating a DOS utility. It should be possible to remove a USB drive letter from the DOS.

But, there are a few problems:
- Where the Windows takes the DOS drive informations from? (DOS or BIOS) Is it necesary to remove the drive from both BIOS and DOS disk drive devices list?
- The DOS support for the USB drives comes with loading IO.SYS, as BIOS does the whole job. So, there is no possibility to remove a driver or something. It would be necesary to undo quite a few things, probably.
- Perhaps a boot manager could do the trick of removing the unwanted USB drives.

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I've tried to hide the partition on the USB drive using XOSL boot manager. It did hide the drive in DOS, and the Windows showed just one drive letter. Unfortunatelly, Windows detected the SD card as an unformatted one. So, this system is useless.

Clearly XOSL is hiding partitions through a change in the partition table. The Windows can not access the drive in such a case.

It could be possible to enable the partition back, after DOS booted. So, the windows gets a correct partition information, that way. But, it would require to create an application to change the partition of the flash drive. It should be relatively simple, when compared to the task of forcing the DOS to loose the USB drive letter support.

You can switch it to APM instead, and see how it behaves... It's easy, just set:
"ACPIOption"=dword:00000002, restart, redetect your hardware and restart. This may solve your duplicate drive letter problem and keep the auto turn-off working.

Indeed. Switching back to APM does remove the problem of duplicated USB drive letters. However, the ACPI buttons are a very useful function. I do not want to loose the button function by switching to APM.

Its been awhile, so I have to ask--any updates on this? I'm happy enough with my Ubuntu install, but being that I really cut my teeth on Win9x I'm hoping these issues get worked out and I can install Win9x for a little mucking about. Besides, I can't imagine Win9x taking as long to boot up as Ubuntu does on my EeePC...

--iWindoze

I did not made any progress, unfortunatelly. I had some more important matters to attend to, and I'm quite satisfied with the dual boot Xandros and Windows 98 marriage.

Windows 98 is sufficient and efficient for working, while Xandros is used just for wireless network and entertaining purposes.

There is a new 0906 BIOS version available for the 900 series. But, I was unable to upgrade the BIOS, so far.

I would like to see some power and VGA BIOS improvements, as it could push the thread forward.

I've just received a brand new Asus EEE PC 900 with factory Xandros setup. It had exactly the same BIOS version, as the old one. But, in this case I was able to successfully upgrade the BIOS.

The BIOS upgrade procedure requires to reboot the system. Then another OS is started (it's probably some kind of DOS). After the BIOS upgrade, the computer has to be switched off. Then the Xandros starts, again.

I do believe the factory third small FAT partition is used during the BIOS upgrade. So, when making a dual Xandros/Windows 98 system, the default 4 partition layout is changed. And thats the reason, why I was unable to upgrade the BIOS in my old EEE PC.

The only BIOS difference visible on the first sight is the table showing the PnP interrupt assignments and hardware details before system booting starts.