Windows 98 Compatible?

Short answer: No.

In fact you DO NOT WANT to install Windows 98 on ANY machine. It's no longer safe to use for internet browsing thanks to exploits in the Win98 versions of IE that have recently surfaced.

I wasn't able to type in the message body when composing the first post under internet explorer. I'm now running Mozilla and can do it. What's wrong with this forum? Why can't I just e-mail tech support. Anyway, here's the TOTALLY INSANE OFF-THE WALL UNANSWERABLE QUESTION:

I need a laptop which can run Windows 98 as well as XP. I'm a computer tech and need to set up a dual boot using a current PIV 802.11g wireless laptop. Don't ask why I need to run Windows 98, it's INSANE AND WAY OUT OF THE ORDINARY!! I just need to be able to run that particular OS also. Neither wireless nor ethernet need to work under Win98, it just needs to be under 512 MB RAM & have a Win98 Device driver for the graphics.

Can anybody recommend a new Dell notebook with 512MB RAM or less that can run Win98?

Thanks for the help, Kiss. Ya just can't beat Ace Frehley & that triple Di-Marzio pickup Les Paul!!!

Consider running 98 under a virtual machine (vmware).

I'm with ejn63 on this one. Use VMWare Server or Virtual PC and insulate your Win98 environment with it. Don't just install it onto the laptop itself.

If the newer notebook has its’ Chipset supported in the latest Win98SE Intel Chipset driver (“click here”)... then I believe the chances of installing Win98SE is pretty good.
"The Intel Chipset Software Installation Utility is the first driver to install. If it is required for your system, it should be installed immediately after installing your operating system and any operating system service packs.

The Intel Chipset Software Installation Utility files inform the operating system how to properly configure the chipset for specific functionality, such as AGP, USB, Core PCI, and ISA PnP services. In order to be able to install any chipset-related drivers (e.g. graphics, IDE, etc.), your operating system must first be able to recognize your chipset."

You might have to install Win98SE "without" ACPI, like this user ("click here"), if you run into some difficulties.

But once Win98SE and the chipset driver are installed... the rest of the hardware drivers need to also support Win98SE. Many hardware manufacturers have stopped Win98SE/ME support, but sometimes you can modify older Win98SE/ME drivers to work with newer hardware...

According to the specifications found in the I-1300/B120/B130's PDF Owners Manual ("click here")... it uses an Intel 910GML or 915GM chipset that is supported by the latest Intel Win98SE chipset driver.
But Intel didn't release a Win98SE/ME "Intel Media Accelerator 900 graphics driver", so finding or modifying a driver for this integrated graphics would be fairly difficult, I believe....

The I-9300/6000d and the Latitude D610 were the last notebooks that were able to install Win98SE, functionally, that I know of. As mentioned in this thread ("click here" 

<ADMIN NOTE: Broken link has been removed from this post by Dell>

- easier to read if you log-out, first).

Aloha,
Rod

Thanks, Rod. That's some good info.

Yes, I have used VMWare before but that's not what I'm trying to do. Here's the install plan that I've used before that I'd like to use on a new inspiron:

1. Wipe the drive with the utility from the drive mfg. (low level format - write 0s to every sector - whatever you want to call it)
2. Install Win98SE onto a 10GB FAT32 partition created from boot disks.
3. Install WinXP onto the rest of the unallocated space (NTFS partition)
4. Win98SE won't "see" the WinXP NTFS partition because it doesn't work with NTFS. XP is "protected" but it doesn't matter because I won't be getting on line with Win98 anyway.
5. When the machine boots, XP automatically gives you the option to boot to Win98 or WinXP. No need for partition magic or anything

If I can get the necessary drivers for Win98 to work all the older programs written for Win98 will run smoothly under the environment they were written for.

That's the idea. I've done it in the past but finding drivers appears to be the issue now. Running old programs under XP doesn't always work.

Thanks for the links & input. The search is still on for a new notebook...