Setting Up Windows 98 on VirtualBox: A Comprehensive Guide

Windows 98 holds a special place in the hearts of many, evoking memories of a simpler digital era. For those looking to revisit this classic operating system, or perhaps explore it for the first time, running Windows 98 On Virtualbox is an excellent solution. This guide provides a detailed, step-by-step walkthrough to get Windows 98 up and running smoothly within a virtual environment, even on modern hardware. Rediscover the charm of Windows 98 and its legacy applications with this comprehensive tutorial.

Setting Up Your Windows 98 Virtual Machine in VirtualBox

Before diving into the nostalgic world of Windows 98, you’ll need to create a virtual machine (VM) in VirtualBox. This virtual machine will act as a container for Windows 98, allowing it to run independently on your current operating system. Here’s how to set it up:

1. New Machine Creation: Open VirtualBox and click on the “New” button to create a new virtual machine. Give your VM a descriptive name, such as “Windows 98 VM” or “Retro Win98”. A clear name will help you easily identify your virtual machine later, especially if you manage multiple VMs.

2. OS Selection: In the “Type” dropdown menu, select “Microsoft Windows”. Then, in the “Version” dropdown, choose “Windows 98”. This selection tells VirtualBox the intended operating system for the VM, allowing it to optimize settings accordingly.

3. Memory Allocation: This is a crucial step for Windows 98. Set the “Memory size” to between 256MB and 512MB. It’s essential to stay within this range. Allocating more than 512MB of RAM can actually lead to installation problems with Windows 98 due to limitations in how the older operating system manages memory. Sticking to this recommended range ensures a smoother installation process.

4. Hard Disk Creation: For the “Hard disk” options, select “Create a virtual hard disk now” and click “Create”. In the subsequent window, VDI (VirtualBox Disk Image) is a suitable hard disk file type. Choose “Dynamically allocated” for storage allocation; this allows the virtual disk file to grow as needed, rather than taking up the full allocated space immediately. For the size, at least 5GB is recommended. While Windows 98 itself is small, allocating at least 5GB provides ample space for applications and files within your virtual environment. Click “Create” to finalize the virtual hard disk creation.

Configuring VirtualBox Settings for Windows 98

With the basic VM structure in place, you need to adjust a few key settings in VirtualBox to optimize performance and ensure compatibility for Windows 98.

1. Boot Order: Navigate to the “System” settings of your newly created VM and go to the “Motherboard” tab. In the “Boot Order” section, ensure the order is set to “Floppy,” “Hard Disk,” and then “Optical.” This boot order prioritizes booting from a floppy disk first (which we’ll use for a boot image), then the hard disk, and finally from an optical drive (for the Windows 98 installation CD/ISO). This order is important for the installation process.

2. Video Memory: Go to the “Display” settings. Set the “Video Memory” to 32MB or 64MB. For Windows 98 and its era of applications, this amount of video memory is more than sufficient and avoids potential compatibility issues that might arise with excessively high video memory allocations.

3. Floppy Drive: In the “Storage” settings, under “Controller: Floppy,” click on the empty floppy disk icon labeled “Empty”. On the right side, click the floppy disk icon again and choose “Choose a disk image”. Browse to and select the patcher9x-0.8.5.ima floppy image file. This is a modified boot image crucial for overcoming some hardware compatibility issues when running Windows 98 in a modern virtualized environment. You can find modified versions of patcher9x-0.8.50-boot.ima online, often on platforms like GitHub. This image contains essential patches for smoother operation.

4. IDE Storage: Under “Controller: IDE,” you should see the virtual hard disk you created earlier. Click on “Empty” under the IDE Controller. On the right side, click the CD/DVD icon and choose “Choose a disk image”. Browse to and select your Windows 98 Second Edition ISO file (or the ISO of whichever Windows 98 version you intend to install). If you have a physical Windows 98 CD, you can also use your physical optical drive instead of an ISO.

5. Save Settings: Click “OK” to save all the changes you’ve made to the VirtualBox settings for your Windows 98 virtual machine.

Step-by-Step Windows 98 Installation Guide

With your virtual machine configured, you’re now ready to install Windows 98. Follow these steps carefully:

1. Starting the VM and Initial Boot: Select your Windows 98 VM in VirtualBox and click “Start”. The virtual machine will boot from the patcher9x-0.8.5.ima floppy image. You will be presented with an A:> command prompt.

2. Disk Partitioning with FDISK: At the A:> prompt, type fdisk.exe and press Enter. FDISK is a disk partitioning tool. Follow these commands exactly:

   • Press Y to enable large disk support.
   • Press 1 to Create a DOS partition or Logical DOS Drive.
   • Press 1 again to Create Primary DOS Partition.
   • Press Y to use the maximum available size for the primary partition.
   • Press Esc to exit FDISK.
   • Press Esc again to exit the FDISK menu.
     These commands partition your virtual hard disk, create a primary DOS partition, utilize the maximum disk space, and set it as active.

3. Formatting the C: Drive: Restart the virtual machine by pressing Host key + R (usually Right Ctrl + R). After the restart, you’ll be back at the A:> prompt. Before installing Windows 98, you must format the newly partitioned drive. Type format.exe C: and press Enter. Type Y when prompted to proceed with formatting and press Enter. Formatting prepares the partition to receive the Windows 98 installation files.

4. Initiating Windows 98 Setup: Assuming your Windows 98 installation media (ISO or CD) is mounted as drive D: in the VM, type the following command at the A:> prompt and press Enter: d:setup.exe /p j /nm /ie
   Let’s break down these parameters:

   • /p j: Enables ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface) support, which can improve power management and hardware compatibility.
   • /nm: Disables memory check during setup, which can sometimes cause issues on virtual machines with older operating systems.
   • /ie: Disables the creation of a Startup Disk floppy. This is important because we are already booting from a floppy image, and creating another one could overwrite or conflict with the existing boot image, potentially causing installation failure.

   The Windows 98 Setup program will now start, copying necessary files to the Windows folder on your virtual hard disk.

5. Post-Setup Restart and Floppy Image Removal: After the Setup program copies files, the virtual machine will restart. If prompted to remove the floppy disk, do not remove it yet. The VM will restart back to the A:> prompt. Now, go to the VirtualBox menu: “Devices” -> “Floppy Drives” -> “Remove disk from virtual drive”. This detaches the floppy image. Then, reset the VM again via “Machine” -> “Reset” (Host key + R).

6. Reinserting Floppy and Applying Memory Fix: The VM will restart again. During the initial Windows 98 setup process, it’s crucial to re-attach the floppy image before Windows fully boots. Go to “Devices” -> “Floppy Drives” and select “Choose a disk image…” and re-select the patcher9x-0.8.5.ima file. This re-inserts the floppy image. The VM will likely restart again to the A:> prompt. At this prompt, type patch9x.exe and press Enter. This executes the memory fix program from the floppy image. Follow the prompts:

   • Press Enter to accept the default Windows System path.
   • Press Enter again to accept the default selection (usually option 2, which applies the memory patch).
   • Type Y for “Yes” when asked to confirm applying the patch and press Enter.
     After the patch is applied, you’ll return to the A:> command prompt.

7. Final Restart and Windows 98 Boot: Now, remove the floppy image again as you did in step 5 (“Devices” -> “Floppy Drives” -> “Remove disk from virtual drive”). Reset the virtual machine one last time (“Machine” -> “Reset”). Windows 98 will now proceed with the final stages of installation, initializing settings, asking for user information, and setting up hardware. After a final reboot, you should be greeted by the classic Windows 98 desktop.

Installing Drivers and Software on Windows 98 Virtual Machine

Congratulations! You now have a working installation of Windows 98 in VirtualBox. The next step is to install drivers for optimal performance and compatibility within the virtual environment. You’ll likely need drivers for graphics, sound, and network to enable full functionality.

Finding compatible drivers for Windows 98 within a virtual machine environment may require some searching. General drivers designed for Windows 98-era hardware might not fully function in a virtualized setting. Look for driver packages specifically designed or known to work well with virtual machines and Windows 98. Online communities and forums dedicated to retro computing and virtualization can be valuable resources for finding these drivers.

Once you have the necessary drivers installed, you can begin installing your favorite retro software and games, reliving the Windows 98 experience to its fullest. Enjoy exploring the world of classic computing within your modern system!