Installing Win98 …
Assuming you have a blank hard drive, you’ll need to boot from a floppy. This floppy will need to bring you system up with the ability to read your CD drive. Prepare this floppy as bootable. In DOS, the command is FORMAT A: /SYS to create a bootable floppy. Once completed, the floppy will contain the files IO.SYS and COMMAND.COM only. You’ll need to add a few more files yourself.
Copy these files to the floppy
RAMDRIVE.SYS
OAKCDROM.SYS
EMM386.SYS
HIMEM.SYS
MSCDEX.EXE
Create AUTOEXEC.BAT containing this line
A:\MSCDEX /D:MSCD001
Create CONFIG.SYS containing these lines
DEVICE=A:\HIMEM.SYS
DEVICE=A:\EMM386.EXE NOEMS
DOS=HIGH,UMB
DEVICEHIGH=A:\RAMDRIVE.SYS /E 8192
DEVICEHIGH=OAKCDROM.SYS /D:MSCD001
Test this floppy by booting your system from it. Once booted, put a CD in your drive and be sure that your system can find and read this CD. Your drive letters should be in this order: Hard disk(s), RAM drive, and CD. (On my system, I get C: D: and E: fixed disks, F: ram disk, and G: as the CD drive.)
Note: You may not NEED a ram disk, but it won’t hurt. I include it because I use it, and Windows creates one too. I’m fuzzy about it, and its easier to include than the inevitable chasing all over hell if its needed and left out. Anyway, once Windows installs, it’ll disappear on its own.
Once you’ve booted to DOS, and your CD is working, insert the Win98 CD and make this CD your default drive. (On my system, I’d type G: [Enter], if you have one disk partition, you’d probably type E: [Enter])
At this point, type SETUP, and Win98 will begin its installation. The first bit of work will be checking your system and disk for suitability. If your system is ready and able, exit the checking and begin the installation.
Some questions you’ll need answer, with suggestions …
Directory [Take the default C:\Windows]
Setup Options [Take Custom and choose what you want]
Identification [You choose]
Computer settings
Keyobard [What you have]
Language [Yours]
Startup Disk [Yes]
User ID [You’ll be stuck with this name, choose with care]
Key [Enter product key, and store in a safe place afterward]
Hardware detection
Time Zone [You can easily change this later]
User Name & Password
You’ll go through a few re-boots and some time as your system settings get updated.
Eventually, you’ll get the message that Win98 has been installed.
Next, the hard part: Getting your hardware drivers installed and your system configured the way you want.
Hope this helps, PW. |
