[cannie]

HOW TO INSTALL WINDOWS 98 IN MODERN MOTHERBOARDS USING MORE THAN 1 GB.

If you try to install Windows 98 using more than 512 Mb memory the install operation will not be possible: you simply get a "Lack of memory" message (¿?) and that's all.

Nevertheless Windows 98 can be installed successfully by making the computer believe that your memory is below that limit, and the purpose of this tutorial is to explain how to do it.



A) INSTALL PROCEDURE.-

- Get a DOS boot floppy and verify previously that the file "edit.com" is included into it.

- Configure BIOS if needed, in order to set the floppy drive as first boot device (Ctrl+Supr at boot).

- Insert the floppy and boot the computer.

- If you want to install Windows at the C: drive, create previously the "Windows" folder and the file "system.ini" into it, by typing in the DOS command line:

c:
md windows
cd windows
edit system.ini

- When the edit screen is open, copy exactly into it the following lines:
[386Enh]
MaxPhysPage=30000

[vcache]
MaxFileCache=393216

- Save "system.ini" and close the program.

- Keep inserted the floppy and start normally the install operation.

- The floppy must be inserted until reboot. Don't withdraw it when you are required for that by the install program. Let the computer reboot using it.

- After reboot you will find again the DOS command line. You must write into it:
c:
cd windows
edit c:\windows\system.ini

- When the edit screen is open you will see that the lines you wrote before have been modified. You must restore them copying again the given values, that is:
[386Enh]
MaxPhysPage=30000

[vcache]
MaxFileCache=393216

- Save system.ini, close the program, withdraw the floppy and reboot. The install process will go on.

- Insert again the DOS floppy before the next reboot, and leave the computer reboot using the floppy.

- One more time, replace again the new values given by the install process, writing in its places MaxPhysPage=30000 and MaxFileCache=393216.

- Withdraw the floppy and leave the install process go on normally up to the end.

- At first you don't have any problems with the video driver because the install is done in 16-color VGA. You must install the video drivers of your video card to obtain the normal color and definition values.



B ) HOW TO SOLVE SOME FREQUENT PROBLEMS.

- Maybe you don't find the needed video driver to substitute VGA. You can download a generic one, very simple and easy to install covering most resolutions, from here:

http://aokneufi.dynd...tmp/VESA/vbe9x/

- The name of the universal drivers are VBE.VXD and VBEMP.DRV. Mind that they are only meant for pure Windows. If you need to use DOS you must first close Windows using the Start in DOS mode option.

- You can find other drivers for large HD, NTFS and other purposes in the posts provided by other members in the previous section of this forum.



C) HELPFUL HINTS:

- Even if you don't find all needed drivers for Windows 98 and you decide to install XP, it pays keeping both because that duplicity gives you a lot of freedom and makes you feel secure. You can find a tutorial about it here:

http://www.msfn.org/board/create-easily-se...er-t118623.html

- As said there's a generic video driver which covers most resolutions. That's sufficient if you install Windows 98 only for maintenance and repair of XP. If you don't install any other device you will notice a complete security and an unexpected speed.




REMARKS:

This is the way I did it. After this first post and all along this thread other members have described excellent alternatives and ideas that I didn't know, in special the way to create a self-installing Windows 98. Go on and read it in their own and well documented words.

Please post in this thread any new idea about how to do it better.

Thanks!.

This post has been edited by cannie: 10 January 2010 - 06:05 AM

[TooMuchFreeTime]

If you have MSBATCH.INF file in the folder you are installing Windows 98 from you could make following changes to it:

Modify the [Install] section to include the following line:
UpdateInis=Edit.Files

And these lines at the end of MSBATCH.INF:
[Edit.Files]
%10%\system.ini,386Enh,,"MaxPhysPage=40000"
%10%\system.ini,vcache,,"MaxFileCache=524288"

This should get you past Windows 98 installation without having to boot to DOS to edit System.ini or without having to remove RAM modules to get past the "Not enough memory" error.

You could also put some other stuff under the [Edit.Files] section... some examples:
%10%\system.ini,386Enh,,"PagingDrive=C:"
%10%\system.ini,386Enh,,"PagingFile=C:\PAGEFILE.SYS"
%10%\system.ini,386Enh,,"MinPagingFileSize=1048576"
%10%\system.ini,386Enh,,"MaxPagingFileSize=1048576"
Forces Windows 98 to create a fixed 1Gt swapfile called PAGEFILE.SYS at the root of C-drive... might be useful when dualbooting with Windows 2000 or XP.

%10%\system.ini,386Enh,,"ConservativeSwapfileUsage=1"
Forces Windows 98 to use up all physical RAM before switching to the slower swap file.

%30%\msdos.sys,Options,,"Logo=0"
Gets rid of the Windows 98 boot logo.

[cannie]

TooMuchFreeTime, on Feb 21 2009, 02:27 PM, said:

If you have MSBATCH.INF file in the folder you are installing Windows 98 from you could make following changes to it:

I took good notice of all this. As it is said, nobody knows everything and "four eyes see more than two".

It will be welcome any other contribution for a better tutorial useful to other members.

Thank you very much, TooMuchFreeTime!

P/S: I had the idea that if you install Millenium MaxPhysPage=40000 is correct, but in the case that you install Windows 98 the dimension should be expressed like this:

%10%\system.ini,386Enh,,"MaxPhysPage=30000"

Am I wrong?

This post has been edited by cannie: 22 February 2009 - 02:13 PM

[dencorso]

cannie, on Feb 22 2009, 07:39 AM, said:

P/S: I had the idea that if you install Millenium MaxPhysPage=40000 is correct, but in the case that you install Windows 98 the dimension should be expressed like this:

%10%\system.ini,386Enh,,"MaxPhysPage=30000"

Am I wrong?

Read Day-to-day running Win 9x/ME with more than 1 GiB RAM, hardware and setup used by members who do it. Read post #2 real carefully and ponder over it for some time, then plunge into the links of post #1. There are more than just one solution. But they're all descrbed there.

Win ME'll run OK up to slightly less than 2 GiB and Win 98SE up to about 1150 MiB. For Win 98 SE you may let the system reboot to the floppy, and then just add Xeno86's patched VCache.VxD (v. 4.10.2223) to C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\VMM32, and use only MaxPhysPage=40000, without any VCache limit, reboot and let the setup continue. After the system is starting-up OK you may increase MaxPhysPage to about 48000.

This post has been edited by dencorso: 11 May 2009 - 07:44 PM

[cannie]

Thank you, dencorso!

BTW, if you include MSBATCH.INF into the folder in which you have copied the Win98 install CD to fasten the install process, I wonder if there is any possibility to save into it your own product key (only for your own use, of course).

[dencorso]

cannie, on Feb 23 2009, 04:27 AM, said:

BTW, if you include MSBATCH.INF into the folder in which you have copied the Win98 install CD to fasten the install process, I wonder if there is any possibility to save into it your own product key (only for your own use, of course).

Yes, there is. Just after the [Version] section, add the product key at the following section (or create it, if it doesn't exist):
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Setup]
ProductKey="XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Substitute XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX by your product key but be sure to keep the quotation marks.

This post has been edited by dencorso: 24 February 2009 - 12:42 AM

[cannie]

dencorso, on Feb 24 2009, 07:11 AM, said:

Yes, there is. Just after the [Version] section, add the product key at the following section (or create it, if it doesn't exist):
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Setup]
ProductKey="XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Substitute XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX by your product key but be sure to keep the quotation marks.

Excellent! Thank you very much!

[frankminek]

I have the following problem. I have ME and 2 GB memory, it is in fact 2 048 MB, and it is trouble. Installation is crashed, so I remove one of my two memories, so I effected installation with 1 GB memory. After installation process I made: Run - msconfig - Advanced and Restrict using memory on 999 MB. I have Czech version, my translation is uncorrect, but I hope, you know, what I mean. Then I returned memory-module in slot, so Windows XP can work with 2GB memory, ME with 1 GB memory. But, is this possible increase value from 999 MB on 1 900 MB? After all, it si almost 2 times...

[dencorso]

frankminek, on Feb 24 2009, 05:10 AM, said:

But, is this possible increase value from 999 MB on 1 900 MB? After all, it si almost 2 times...

Short answer:
edit the statement MaxPhysMem your machine's system.ini so that it reads MaxPhysPage=76C00 and you've got it.
Long answer:
Read KB181862 first, and the go on to the full Day-to-day running Win 9x/ME with more than 1 GiB RAM, hardware and setup used by members who do it.

BTW, with 2 GiB RAM you qualify for the list, so if you kindly PM me the necessary details about your machine, you shall be added to the list.


@cannie: since you started this topic, it may be your case too... If you do use more than 1 GiB yourself, please PM me the details and you too shall be added.

This post has been edited by dencorso: 24 February 2009 - 02:00 PM

[cannie]

dencorso, on Feb 24 2009, 09:59 PM, said:

@cannie: since you started this topic, it may be your case too... If you do use more than 1 GiB yourself, please PM me the details and you too shall be added.

I use just 1 GB, that's why I didn't do it. If I increase it I'll post you.
Thanks for your help once more.

[frankminek]

Thanks all, who wrote me answer. I´m unhappy to work with XP, not mention Vista and 7. I´m fan of ME, but things go worse and worse. You ask me with detailed information about my PC: Motherboard: MSI 865PE Neo3-V, memory: Kingston 2xKVR400X64C3AK2/2G kit of 2, (ME run with 2 modules 1024+512, but I thing, it is not good combination, but if I used 1024+1024 ME crashed), Graphic card: MSI FX5500 TD128LF 128 MB).

In BIOS I have IDE Devices Configuration: enabled + auto, SATA Devices Configuration: Enhanced Mode/SATA1 master!!!!!!!! It is very important, it is only one combination, when OS ME is able to boot with: Primary IDE Master - HDD, Primary IDE Slave - HDD, Secondary IDE Master - HDD, Secondary IDE Slave - DVD-ROM, Third IDE Master - none, Fourth IDE Master - SATA HDD.

Only two problems are to resolve:

reading and writing from IDE HDD is almost fast like at XP, but writing on SATA HDD is very slow. Copying - frozened PC - copying - frozened PC - copying - frozened PC...

Many softwares don´t work under ME. Motherboard MSI P4M900M2 don´t support ME. I tried installation, but I must add soundcard to PCI port, but there is no slot AGP, only video-regime VGA is disponible...

I apologize you, I have problems with English language, I hope you understand me and thanks for answers

[dencorso]

frankminek, on Feb 25 2009, 06:07 AM, said:

Only two problems are to resolve:

reading and writing from IDE HDD is almost fast like at XP, but writing on SATA HDD is very slow. Copying - frozened PC - copying - frozened PC - copying - frozened PC...

Many softwares don´t work under ME. Motherboard MSI P4M900M2 don´t support ME. I tried installation, but I must add soundcard to PCI port, but there is no slot AGP, only video-regime VGA is disponible...

Your video problems may be solved by using Bearwindows free Universal VESA/VBE Video Display Driver. Read also this thread for more on it: Asus Eee PC and Windows 9x.
Your sata problems require RLoew's (beta) SATA.INF... It's not free, but IMHO it's worth the cost. For more about it, check his site.

Good luck!

This post has been edited by dencorso: 03 January 2010 - 01:35 AM

[rloew]

frankminek, on Feb 25 2009, 05:07 AM, said:

Thanks all, who wrote me answer. I´m unhappy to work with XP, not mention Vista and 7. I´m fan of ME, but things go worse and worse. You ask me with detailed information about my PC: Motherboard: MSI 865PE Neo3-V, memory: Kingston 2xKVR400X64C3AK2/2G kit of 2, (ME run with 2 modules 1024+512, but I thing, it is not good combination, but if I used 1024+1024 ME crashed), Graphic card: MSI FX5500 TD128LF 128 MB).

In BIOS I have IDE Devices Configuration: enabled + auto, SATA Devices Configuration: Enhanced Mode/SATA1 master!!!!!!!! It is very important, it is only one combination, when OS ME is able to boot with: Primary IDE Master - HDD, Primary IDE Slave - HDD, Secondary IDE Master - HDD, Secondary IDE Slave - DVD-ROM, Third IDE Master - none, Fourth IDE Master - SATA HDD.

Only two problems are to resolve:

reading and writing from IDE HDD is almost fast like at XP, but writing on SATA HDD is very slow. Copying - frozened PC - copying - frozened PC - copying - frozened PC...

Many softwares don´t work under ME. Motherboard MSI P4M900M2 don´t support ME. I tried installation, but I must add soundcard to PCI port, but there is no slot AGP, only video-regime VGA is disponible...

I apologize you, I have problems with English language, I hope you understand me and thanks for answers

I recently developed a Patch for Windows 98, 98SE and ME that provides support for Integrated Motherboard SATA Controllers.

This should resolve the slow reading and writing on your SATA Hard Drive.

You can find details on my website:

http://rloew1.no-ip.com

This post has been edited by rloew: 30 August 2009 - 12:39 AM

[dencorso]

On the other hand, as you have a GeForce FX5500, you can also use nVidia drivers 77.72, or if you're more adventurous, the unofficial 82.69.
But dont remove nVidia drivers with add/remove or unistall. Do it using the great freeware Driver Cleaner Pro Version 1.5 (*NOT* Driver Cleaner .NET !!!). HTH

[frankminek]

Yes, ME goes up to 1995 MB memory, e.g. in file System.ini write the value:
MaxPhysPage=7CB00. It is maximal value!

[seaweed]

Is there any possibility to install Windows 98 in a SATA HD ?

I have 1 GB memory.

Thank you.

[dencorso]

seaweed, on Apr 8 2009, 06:16 AM, said:

Is there any possibility to install Windows 98 in a SATA HD ?

If your bios recognizes it and can boot from it, it's possible.
If you've got a Via chipset, there are free drivers for it. Read this and this.
If not, you'll will need rloew's SATA inf and patch.

[cannie]

seaweed, on Apr 8 2009, 11:16 AM, said:

Is there any possibility to install Windows 98 in a SATA HD ?

IMO if you are really interested in loading Windows 98 you could also check the possibility of installing an ATA/PATA HD. Maybe your motherboard allows it.

HTH

This post has been edited by cannie: 23 April 2009 - 03:47 PM

[seaweed]

I've changed my HD because it was damaged and installed a Maxthor 80 GB ATA instead.
Thanks dencorso and cannie for your help!

This post has been edited by seaweed: 08 May 2009 - 06:16 AM

[starcraftmaster]

shouldent this be in the Important Topics
as no one will replay and it will go back intill no one sees it
so put it in Important Topics so new win 98 user that dont know how make their systems 1gb and more can see it easy insted