How to Install a Windows 98SE Virtual PC

Install Virtual PC

1). Download the Virtual PC program. You can click on the "Virtual PC" link in the resources section below.
2). Double-click the compressed file to open it in your default file extraction program. Extract the Virtual PC files to a directory on your local hard drive, then double-click on "setup.exe" to open the installation program.
3). Install the program with the default settings and click "finish" when the installation is complete.

1). Double-click the "Virtual PC" icon on your desktop. Click the "File" menu and select the "Virtual Disk Wizard" option. Click "Next."
2). Select "Create a new virtual disk," then click "next." Select the option for creating a virtual hard disk, and click "next."
3). Click "Browse" and choose a directory in which to create the virtual hard disk. Type in a name for the virtual hard disk file and include the "VHD" file extension. For example, you can type in "c:\win98_virtual.vhd" to name the virtual hard drive "win98_virtual.vhd" and put it on the root of the "c" drive. Click ''Next" to continue.
4). Select the "Dynamically Expanding" option and click "next." This tells the Virtual PC program to create a virtual drive that expands as you add files to it, instead of occupying a set amount of space.
5). Type in a virtual hard disk size limit in the provided text field. This file size is measured in megabytes and cannot exceed the free space available on your physical hard drive. It is recommend that you set the virtual hard disk size limit to at least 2,000 megabytes. Click the "next" button, then click "finish."

1). Click the "File" menu in the Virtual PC program window and select "New Virtual Machine Wizard." Click "Next."
2). Select "Create a virtual machine" and click "Next." Choose a virtual machine name and directory, then click "Next."
3). Select "Windows 98" from the "Operating System" drop-down menu. Click "Next." Select "Using the recommended RAM" and click "Next."
4). Select "An existing virtual hard disk" and click "Next." Click the "Browse" button and select the virtual hard drive file you created in section 2, then click "Next."
5). Click "Finish."

1). Download the "Win98 Boot Floppy" from the Resources section and save the file on your desktop. Start the Virtual PC program and double-click the virtual machine in the program window to launch it.
2). Drag and drop the downloaded "Win98 Boot Floppy" file from the desktop into the virtual machine window. This insert the virtual floppy disk into the virtual machine's floppy disk drive. Close the virtual machine window by clicking the red "X" in the upper right corner. Select "Turn Off" in the drop-down menu and click "OK."
3). Start the virtual machine up again by double-clicking the virtual machine in the Virtual PC program window. Allow the virtual machine to boot to the virtual boot disk. Type "fdisk" at the command prompt and press the "ENTER" key.
4). Press the "Y" button on the keyboard. Press the "1" key and create a partition on the virtual hard disk. Close the virtual machine and then reopen it by double-clicking the virtual machine in the Virtual PC window.
5). Type "format c:" into the command prompt and press the "ENTER" key. Follow the instruction to format the virtual hard disk. Shut down and restart the virtual machine, booting to the virtual "Win98 boot disk."

1). Right-click on the CD icon in the bottom left corner of the virtual machine program window and click to link the virtual CD drive to your physical CD drive, then press "OK." Insert your Windows 98 installation disc into your physical CD drive. Locate the drive letter assigned to the CD drive on the virtual machine in the boot disk text, directly above the command prompt.
2). Type "x:\setup", where the letter "x" is the drive letter assigned to the CD drive on the virtual machine, then press the "ENTER" key on your keyboard.
3). Press enter to perform the system check.
4). Click "Continue" and follow the prompts on the screen to install the Windows 98 operating system. Type in the registration key that came with your Windows 98 installation disc and click "Next" to complete the installation.
5). Close and restart your virtual machine. Booting to the Window 98 operating system indicates successful installation of the operating system on your virtual machine.