Can't install Windows 98SE

NicklePickle04

I downloaded a Windows 98SE ISO from WinWorld, and when I tried to initialize an installation, I wouldn't stop getting this message...

This is what I tried to use: https://winworldpc.com/download/F4C23210-947B-11E4-AC5A-5404A6F17893

BigCJ

Set the system to boot from CD first. If that doesn't work, the CD isn't bootable. You'll need a boot diskette. Use the diskette to partition and format the drive. Once that's done, start installation from the CD. Just make sure your CD-ROM driver is loaded and MSCDEX.EXE is running.

Alixnator

Try to install MS-DOS 6.22 prior to installing Windows 98?

BigCJ

@Alixnator
Using an MS-DOS version older than 7.1 would not be a good idea if OP wants to use a FAT32 partition. Disks larger than 2Gb need FAT32, and regular DOS can't handle that filesystem.

elsandosgrande

@BigCJ
I believe there isn't any version of DOS (at least official MS-DOS) newer than 6.22 and 6.22 handled 15GB just fine (yes, I can use them all). He probably just needs to install DOS in the first place (since we don't see the "Starting MS-DOS ..." in the screenshot) and then jump to 98SE.

BigCJ

Partitions larger than 2Gb on FAT16 are not supposed to be possible unless you screw around with cluster sizes, and I definitely don't recommend that.

As for newer DOSes, Windows 95OSR2.x and Windows 98FE/SE boot diskettes all run rebranded MS-DOS 7.1, which natively supports FAT32. This filesystem is better and should always be used instead of its 16-bit predecessor, if possible.

The whole point of using a boot diskette is to easily create FAT32 partitions and avoid having to install anything else first.

elsandosgrande

@BigCJ I have never heard of cluster sizes and it automatically formatted the entire virtual drive (12-15GB), but the only times that I have ever used DOS are in VMs, so maybe that's a factor? Anyway, I don't see DOS loading in the screenshot, so maybe NicklePickle04 should install it before proceeding to 98SE. I just want to point out that I can't see anything other than the screenshot, so I may be wrong, but going off of that screenshot, you need DOS. (But hey, I'm 14. What do I know about stuff older than myself?)

BigCJ

Under normal conditions, MS-DOS 7.0 and earlier are not supposed to utilize more than 2Gb of disk space. Using a VM doesn't change this fact. Where the heck did you get your DOS installation diskette images? The screenshot shows that the devices set to boot are not able to. If the CD drive is at the top of the list and the ISO is captured by the virtualizer, this likely means the image is not bootable. Using a diskette saves the trouble of installing a previous version of DOS. Just boot from the diskette, partition and format the drive then start setup.