Windows 98 SE install experience in 2024

it can be done using 98 CD and a CD ROM without a floppy disk or virtual floppy image, despite a lot of internet saying need for floppy.

no need to copy install files from D: to C: despite one guide says so

but but it is tricky much more tricky than XP (which can be installed as easily as Win 7)

experiences: it may be obvious but I almost forgot

it is difficult if not impossible to install in sata hdd and using sata CD drive, and it is also impossible to install using external USB DVD

so it comes down to IDE HDD and IDE Optical drive, which means the motherboard need to have at least one IDE hdd socket, and PSU needs to have at least two molex power connectors

more tricks: when I set HDD as master and CD as slave IDE (using the jumper on device), despite setting CD as first boot device, PC simply does not see the CD

work around: set HDD as slave and CD as master.  this works finally.

more idiosyncrasy: Win 98 installer does not always format the hdd, it may just write on free space on hdd if there were previous Win 98 on it in FAT.  may need to manually format the C: drive by DOS command (but if there is NTFS on HDD it may prompt you to format the drive).

C:\D:

D:\CD Win98

D\Win98:\ format C:

(the format is automatically FAT)

if hdd is large (such as 8GB or 40GB) say yes to use large disk support

one more trick: Win 98 will abort in the middle of install if RAM is 1 GB or greater.  have to use 512 GB ram or modify system ini file to work around.  if not, you get a paradoxical error of "insufficient memory" which actually translates to "excessive memory" machine talk again