400SC using with Win98se - HELP

Question

Just got a 400SC with the 875P and wanted to load Win98se and use as a peer-to-peer server.  This computer does not like Win98. I went to Intel site and got the drivers for the chipset and loaded them. However, the video card is still in conflict with ACPI extension and Windows doesn't allow you to change the IRQ. Also I have other yellow flags in the device manager for other hardware. So, I took out the PCI card and went to a AGP card. Same problem. Anybody know how to get Win98 to work on this server?

SeattlePilgrim · Answer

Trying to get Windows 98 to run on a 400SC was a real pain. It ends up that the ACPI motherboard consumes a massive amount of memory I/O and other resources. The main trick is to run Windows 98SE startup with the "/p i" switches and to make sure you don't exceed the 512MB limitation.

Here's my system:

Dell PowerEdge 400SC 2.4GHZ 800MHz FSB

2 x 512MB Kingston RAM (KVR400X64C25/512 - 512MB 400MHz DDR PC3200 DIMM CL2.5)

ATI Radeon 9800 Pro 128MB DDR

120G Hard Drive (Drive 0) for Windows XP

40G hard drive (Drive 1) for Windows 98 SE

1) Download the following Windows 98SE drivers from the Intel site (http://downloadfinder.intel.com/scripts-df/Product_Filter.asp?ProductID=951) for the Intel Desktop Board D875PBZ:

a) Intel chipset driver (infinst_enu.exe - version 5.1.1.1002)

b) Integrated LAN Driver (network pro_v8.065293_win98me.exe)

c) USB 2.0 driver (USB2098ME.exe).

NOTE: do NOT try to use the audio drivers. Get the version from the Dell site instead.

2) Download the following audio driver from the Dell site. You will have to select Server 2003 as the OS, but it works with 98SE as well:

a) Analog Devices ADI 198x Integrated Audio, v.5.12.01.3600, A02 (65249.exe)

http://support.dell.com/FileLib/Type.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=BSD&Category=3&OS=WNET&OSL=EN&SvcTag=&SysID=PWE_PNT_P4_CEL_400_SC&DeviceID=2430

3) If you have more than 512MB, in the BIOS, set the "OS Install Mode" to "On". This limits the available memory available to 256MB.

4) Start with a cleanly formatted hard disk.

5) Create a folder on your hard disk called C:\Win98SE.

6) Copy the D:\Win98 folder of your Windows 98 SE CD to C:\Win98SE.

7) Install the Intel chipset drivers into the C:\Win98SE folder. There are two ways to install the drivers: before the OS installation and after. I had trouble with the "after" mode at one point and so I recommend the "before" method. See docs with the driver, you'll have to install with the "-a -a" switches. If this is too confusing, just ignore and install afterwards. If everything works OK, please add a post here and let everyone know that it works fine.

8) To install Windows 98: from the Win98SE folder, type "setup /p i". This is CRITICAL as it will prevent the ACPI functions from being turned on which wreak havoc with Win98.

9) After Windows is installed, select "My Computer" and right-click on "Properties". On any problem devices other than sound, display, or networking, select each item and re-install driver. Go to \Win98SE folder to get updated driver.

10) Install USB drivers.

11) Install display adapter driver.

12) Install network adapter driver. After executable installs, in "Device Manager" click on network device, then update driver from "C:\Program Files\Intel Desktop Board\PRO1000".

13) Install sound driver: have executable install to a known directory, e.g. c:\audio. Then in "Device Manager" click on "PCI Multimedia device" and install an updated driver from "c:\audio\SMAXWDM\SE".

14) If you have more than 512 MB of RAM, go into BIOS and set the "OS Install Mode" to "Off". When Windows reboots, limit the RAM available to the OS by setting the following:

Start | Run | msconfig | Advanced | "limit memory to" 512 MB

15) Install Windows updates.

Phew! That's all folks!

Here is additional info that came in handy in trying to get my system up:

http://forums.us.dell.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=sw_win98&message.id=44016&view=by_date_ascending&page=1

moonie123 · Answer

Having problems with getting my onboard NIC and standard Rage XL PCI video card to work at the same time under 98SE. Can get it to work if I boot with card disbled and then enable it once I am up. If I try and boot with NIC card eabled the boot fails and I reboot into safe mode.

Any suggestions?

Everything else worked great as you stated. Thanks allot!! You were most helpful.

SeattlePilgrim · Answer

Sorry, but I never tried it with the supplied Rage card - and as the system was set up for someone else, I don't have access to it anymore.

PowerEdge Hardware General

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