Installing Windows 98 as a Guest OS

All Windows 95 and some of Windows 98 installation packages include a bootable floppy (a startup floppy disk). The floppy is used to perform disk partitioning and formatting by means of MS-DOS. Since modern Macs have no floppy drives, you will need an external USB floppy drive or an image of a bootable floppy disk. Such an image can be created using third-party tools.

If you have a bootable CD with Windows 98 installation, you may use it as is or create an ISO image of it.

Below we describe the installation procedure for Window 98, for the case when you have a startup floppy image and a CD with the installation files. The installation of Windows 95 is similar to that.

Preparing a Virtual Machine for Windows 95/98 Installation

We recommend that you use a virtual machine created with a configuration typical for Windows 98 (128MB RAM and 6GB hard disk). If you created a custom configuration, check that virtual machine's RAM and hard disk size meet particular OS's requirements.

Note. For Windows 95 do not create virtual hard disks with more than 2 Gb, they are not supported by the system.

If you have a bootable floppy image, perform the following operations:

Create a typical Windows 98 virtual machine using New Virtual Machine Assistant . Be sure to click Done in the last step.
Right-click the virtual machine in the virtual machines list and choose Configure from the context menu.
Click Hardware > Boot Order , and set the boot sequence to Floppy Disk, Hard disk, CD/DVD .
Click Floppy Disk in the Hardware tab to open the virtual floppy disk drive settings.
Make sure that the Connected option is selected. Specify the floppy image in the Source section of the tab.
Click OK to save the virtual machine configuration.

Initial Partitioning and Formatting

Start the virtual machine. You will see the black screen and messages indicating the process of booting to MS DOS.
When prompted, enter the following command:
fdisk

Fdisk, which is an MS-DOS utility, is used to partition hard disks and floppy disks.
The Fdisk options will be listed. Choose the operation to perform, the default choice is 1, and press Return (Enter) to continue.
Fdisk prompts you to create a partition. Select the Create Primary DOS Partition option if you are going to have only one partition or less than four, and enter:
1

Other choices are for the case when you want to create more than four partitions.
Then Fdisk prompts you to define the size of the primary partition. Press Return (Enter) if you wish to create a partition of the maximum size available.
To define other size type N and press Return (Enter). You will be prompted to specify the size.
Fdisk creates the partition and then prompts you to restart the computer (virtual machine).
Reboot the virtual machine using the same image of the boot floppy disk. That is, press Ctrl+Alt keys to release the keyboard input and then click the Shut Down button to stop the virtual machine. Then click the Start button.
When the booting is complete, you should format the system drive C: .
Enter the following command:

format c:

Confirm that you want to format the disk C: when prompted. Type y and press Return(Enter).

You may be prompted to choose how exactly to format your disk. Windows 95/98 supports FAT16 and FAT32 file systems.

FAT16 partition can not be greater than 2 GB. Larger disks can be formatted with FAT32. But do not use larger disks if you are going to run legacy applications.

The program starts formatting the disk C: .

Format other disks too (if you created more than one primary partition or if you created a custom virtual machine with more than one disk). Use E:, F: drive letters.
Enter a label for each disk (11 character string). The label is optional, you can press Return (Enter) to skip this step.
Shut down the virtual machine.

Now you are ready to start the installation of the WIndows 98 operating system.

General steps of Windows 98 installation

Start the virtual machine using the same bootable floppy image.
Insert the Windows 98 installation CD, or connect an ISO image of the installation disc choosing CD/DVD > Connect Image from the Devices menu.
If you created only one primary partition (disk C:), by default, your CD/DVD drive will have the drive letter D:. Type the command:
D:\setup.exe

and press Return(Enter). The installation starts, and the files are copied from the CD to the virtual hard disk.
Follow the on-screen instructions of the Setup. Note that you can add or remove some options later.
Read and accept the License Agreement . Enter the license key.
Confirm the default system directory or specify another one.
In the Setup options dialog choose the type of installation. Typical is recommended.
(only for Windows 98) If you are going to use networking, select the network card when prompted.
Turn off the virtual machine.
Eject the installation CD or disconnect the ISO image.
Choose Configure from the Virtual Machine menu, go to Hardware > Boot Order , and set the boot sequence to Hard Disk, Floppy Disk, CD/DVD . Click OK to save the configuration.
Restart the virtual machine. This time, it will boot from the hard disk.