Windows 98 QuickInstall ISO Creator Package
(C) 2012-2023 Eric Voirin (oerg866)
Here are the steps to create an ISO:
- If you are on linux, you must install the following prerequisites:
wine cdrtools p7zip-full
- Install Windows 98 in a virtual machine or emulator, just as you want it.
I recommend using 86Box using the following configuration:
* Machine
* Machine Type: Slot 1
* Achine: [i440BX] ABIT BF6
* CPU type: Intel Pentium II (Deschutes)
* Memory: 64 MB
* Display:
* Video: [AGP] 3dfx Voodoo3 3000 (so that there is no driver contention)
* Network:
* NONE, VERY IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE NETWORK DRIVER SETUP STAYS INTACT
* Hard disks:
* IDE (0:0), raw image, big enough to install the operating system
*** NOTE: The operating system must be installed from the HARD DISK
*** and it must contain a folder containing the Windows 98
*** CAB files from the CDROM. Otherwise, drivers can not be
*** slipstreamed (yet).
*** NOTE: It is recommended that NO extra drivers are installed in this
*** VM.
- Run the Pre-Setup registry file.
This is found in the "_RUN_BEFORE_SYSPREP_" folder.
Use "presetup.reg" if you wish to have the full Non-PNP device detection
phase during installation. (Recommended if you intend to install on 486
and early Pentium systems)
Use "presetup_skip_pnp_init.reg" if you wish to skip the non-PNP device
detection phase. This saves a lot of time during installation.
Recommended on Pentium and above.
- Shut down the virtual machine and *DO NOT TURN IT BACK ON*
- Use 7zip or an imaging software and extract the entire root of the
partition you installed Windows 98 to.
Extract all files into the "_OS_ROOT_" directory.
On Windows, you can open the image file using the 7zip File Manager.
On Linux, you can do this with by using '7z' from the p7zip-full package.
'7z x -o_OS_ROOT_/ /path/to/image/file'
*** NOTE: Only *one* Windows directory is allowed, and only *one*
*** CAB directory.
*** Windows directory is detected by finding "WIN.COM"
*** CAB directory is detected by finding "PRECOPY2.CAB"
- Copy drivers that you want slipstreamed to the "_DRIVER_" directory.
*** NOTE: This directory is already filled with a curated selection
*** of drivers.
*** You can remove these, if you wish.
- Copy extra drivers that will not be slipstreamed but added to the
"_EXTRA_DRIVER_" directory.
*** NOTE: These drivers will be processed in the same way as the
*** slipstreamed ones but will not be copied to the hard drive
*** during installation.
*** This folder will be named "DRIVER.EX" on the ISO. You can
*** point the Windows 98 hardware wizard to this folder and
*** the drivers will be found and installed correctly.
- Add any extra files you wish added to the ISO to the "_EXTRA_CD_FILES"
directory.
This can include drivers that you do not wish to be processed with
the QuickInstall tools, e.g. drivers that contain extra software.
- Run the following command to build an ISO:
Windows: sysprep.bat
Linux: ./sysprep.sh
- The "__ISO__" directory will contain the output iso.
- Do not hesitate to contact me on Discord if you need help:
oerg#0866
- Enjoy!