__        ___       ___   ___
 \ \      / (_)_ __ / _ \ ( _ )    ___  _ __
  \ \ /\ / /| | '_ \ (_) |/ _ \   / _ \| '_ \
   \ V  V / | | | | \__, | (_) | | (_) | | | |
  __\_/\_/__|_|_|_|_|_/_/ \___/   \___/|_| |_|
 |  _ \ / _ \/ ___|| __ )  _____  __   \ \/ /
 | | | | | | \___ \|  _ \ / _ \ \/ /____\  /
 | |_| | |_| |___) | |_) | (_) >  <_____/  \
 |____/ \___/|____/|____/ \___/_/\_\   /_/\_\

              by TheOuterLinux
         https://theouterlinux.gitlab.io

Last updated: 2021/11/15
Comments (Reddit): https://www.reddit.com/r/TheOuterLinux/comments/qutsx7/win98_on_dosboxx/.compact

As long as you have DOSBox-X version 0.83.10 or newer installed, getting
Windows 98 installed and working is actually fairly easy. However, do
not expect it to run games beyond the point-and-click style, such as
Age of the Empires.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

1. Grab a copy of Windows 98 or Windows 98 SE, making sure you either 
   pick the Retail Full or OEM Full versions. If you go to 
   winworldpc.com or archive.org, you are more than like to find what
   you need and make sure to pay close attention to any posted serials.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. Create an IMG file that we will install W98 into as well as have
   the option to add the "CD-ROM's" contents to the system so as to not
   need to woory about booting the "disc" (ISO) when "adding new 
   hardware"; yeah... "play-and-play" and more like "plug-and-pray."
   This means that in this tutorial, our IMG file will be a whopping
   8GB in size just to be safe, all be it perhaps a bit extreme.
   
   Create the IMG file with DOSBox-X like so:
   
       IMGMAKE Win98SEhd.img -t hd_8gig
       
       ...notice the "hd_8gig" part? You can also change the number of
       it to "2" or "4" if you want something smaller.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

3. Create a configuration file to use with DOSBox-X so as to not 
   conflict with normal DOS gaming or whatever you are using it for.
   Your configuration file should at least contain the following:

[sdl]
autolock=true

[dosbox]
title=Windows 98
memsize=512

[video]
#vmemsize has a maximum of 16
vmemsize=16
vesa modelist width limit=0
vesa modelist height limit=0
allow high definition vesa modes=true
allow unusual vesa modes=true
allow low resolution vesa modes=false

[dos]
ver=7.1
hard drive data rate limit=0

[cpu]
cputype=pentium_mmx
core=dynamic
cycles=auto 26800 80% limit 200000

[sblaster]
sbtype=sb16vibra

[fdc, primary]
int13fakev86io=true

[ide, primary]
int13fakeio=true
int13fakev86io=true

[ide, secondary]
int13fakeio=true
int13fakev86io=true
cd-rom insertion delay=4000

[render]
scaler=none

[autoexec]

------------------------------------------------------------------------

4. Launch DOSBox-X with the configuration file you created like so:

    dosbox-x -conf /path/to/win98.conf
    
    ...Though, you can name the configuration file whatever you want.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

5. Next, run the following from within DOSBox-X:

    IMGMOUNT C /path/to/W98SEhd.img
    IMGMOUNT D /path/to/W98SE.iso
    IMGMOUNT A -bootcd D
    BOOT A:
    
This mounts your created IMG file as drive C:, puts the Windows 98 ISO
in drive D (the disc drive in this case), and then is told to boot 
from the CD-ROM (the ISO).

If you are confused by the "/path/to/..." parts, most terminal
emulators, or at least any of the good ones, will let you drag-and-drop
instead of typing-out the whole path.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

6. Follow the installation instructions like you normally would when
   installing Windows 98. However, at some point during the 
   installation, it will reboot. When it does, DOSBox-X will have you
   back at the SHELL within the Z: drive. Do not panic. All you have to
   now do is close DOSBox-X and add/edit the following to the end of the
   configuration file we created earlier in the [autoexec] section:
   
   [autoexec]
   IMGMOUNT C /path/to/W98SEhd.img
   IMGMOUNT D /path/to/W98SE.iso
   BOOT C:

   Now, start DOSBox-X back up again using the following like before:
   
       dosbox-x -conf /path/to/win98.conf
       
The reason we start Win98 with a D: and ISO is so that we not only have
a CD-ROM drive, but can still easily switch "discs" (ISO's) out using 
DOSBox-X's top menu.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

7. You should now be back in the installation/setup process again 
   except now you are going to be asked to type in some information
   and you will need a serial key at some point. Also, if you do not
   want to be prompted for a password each time you start Windows 98,
   do not enter one when prompted and just click Ok.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

8. This step is optional, but if you run into plug-and-play issues in
   which Windows 98 asks for the installation disc to add hardware, you
   can set things up in which you copy part of the disc's contents to
   a folder and then tell Windows 98 to look in that folder instead.
   
   Have the Windows 98 Installation disc in the D: drive and open 
   "My Computer", followed by right-clicking the disc drive and select
   explore.
   
   There is a "WIN98" directory there. Copy this directory to C: so
   as to be C:\WIN98. After it is copied, in order to save room, you can
   delete the "C:\WIN98\OLS" and "C:\WIN98\TOUR" directories.
   
   Launch the 'REGEDIT' program by going to the Start menu and then
   use the "Run..." menu item.
   
   When the 'Registry Editor' program opens, navigate to 
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup 
   and change "SourcePath=" to "SourcePath=C:\WIN98"
   
------------------------------------------------------------------------
  _____ _
 |_   _(_)_ __  ___
   | | | | '_ \/ __|
   | | | | |_) \__ \
   |_| |_| .__/|___/
         |_|

1. Let's say you need to get some portable EXE's or whatever onto Win98.
   The quickest way to do this is to essentially create your own ISO
   from a folder.
   
   So at least on a GNU/Linux system, as that is all that I typically 
   use, you can quickly create an ISO file to mount by doing the 
   following:
   
       1. Create a directory
       2. Add files you want to interact with in Win98 to that directory
       3. Run the following in a terminal:
        
              genisoimage -o output_image.iso directory_name
              
  Then, mount the ISO file as E: by adding/editing the following at the 
  end of the configuration file:
  
  [autoexec]
   IMGMOUNT C /path/to/W98SEhd.img
   IMGMOUNT D /path/to/W98SE.iso
   IMGMOUNT E /path/to/output_image.iso -t iso
   BOOT C:
   
You can of course also just replace the D drive's ISO and not create
another disc drive but you really do not need to. Matter of fact, you
could technically create a disc drive letter for 23 ISO's since there
are 26 possible letters and the first three are sort of taken if you
do not also include drive D:. Just something to think about, though I
have yet to try and it would more than likely take forever to login.

2. If during the mounting process or adding whatever to the [autoexec]
   part of the configuration file results in what appears to be an
   error, but you are not sure, then just add 'PAUSE' right after where
   you think it occurs so that you can read what DOSBox-X says and 
   would then have the option to press any key to continue or just close
   it before booting Windows 98.
   
3.  Use something similar to the following to use an external CD/DVD
    reader/burner on a GNU/Linux system:

   [autoexec]
   IMGMOUNT C /path/to/W98SEhd.img
   IMGMOUNT D /path/to/W98SE.iso
   MOUNT E /dev/sr0 -t cdrom
   BOOT C:
   
   This way, even if you forget to plugin the disc drive and DOSBox-X
   fails to create an E:, it is no big deal and at least you will still
   have the D: to work with.
   
   There is also the following device paths to consider:
   
   /dev/cdrom for a built-in CD-ROM drive
   /dev/dvd for a built-in DVD drive
   /dev/fd0 for a floppy drive, to which the number part could change
            based on whether or not you have multiple floppy drives.
            
4. You can easily create your own IMG files of floppies or USB hard 
   drives using the following on a Unix-like system:
   
       dd if=/dev/fd0 of=/path/to/created/floppy.img
       
       or
       
       dd if=/dev/sdb1 of=/path/to/created/usb.img
       
       ...however, your USB storage device could also be on sdc. sdd,
       so on and so forth, as well as if having multiple partitions, the
       number parts could be different.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Other guides that may help:

https://dosbox-x.com/wiki/Guide%3AInstalling-Windows-98

https://magpi.raspberrypi.com/articles/run-windows-98-on-raspberry-pi-with-dosbox-x
https://github.com/themagpimag/magpi-issue96/tree/master/DOSBox-X