If you want to maintain a classic MS-DOS 6.x or 5.x style, you have to create FAT-16 partitions, with 2GB limit per partition for a max of 8GB total accessible by those DOS.

If you want more space, you need DOS 7.x which comes with Win98SE. You can then maintain a FAT-32 partition. If you won't be spending more time in DOS, you don't need to create special FAT-16 partitions. You can boot into MS-DOS mode from Win98.

You can also place a shortcut for MS-DOS. If you want to maintain in pure DOS mode, while using Windows, after you get to the ms-dos mode, don't exit back to the windows. If you turn off the machine while in the MS-DOS mode, and when you turn it back on, you will still boot to the MS-DOS mode. Only when you enter [exit] command will you return to windows. So you can think that you're only having a dos machine.

To have multiple OSs, one of my methods, is to a create separate partition for each OS. I prefer to boot individually, rather than using a multi-boot file or boot loader.

Install from DOS 6.x (if you want), then Win98SE, then WinXP.

Also DOS expects the boot sector to be in the beginning partition of the drive.

When in pure dos mode, don't use file manipulation utilities like chkdsk or defrag. Dos mode utilities will screw up windows files, when using the defrag, for example. I have Dos 6.22 in it's own partition. It can't "see" the FAT32 and above types of partitions. And you can still use it's utilities, just like the old days.

For your current system setup, it's best use DOS 7.x with your Win98SE.

sliderider wrote:

Are you sure about that? I just checked AMD driver downloads and the earliest Windows version for X800 cards is Win 2k. Radeon 9800 has 98/ME drivers.

Yes, I'm sure. 😀 My own PC for the pre-xp games perfectly work in WinME with X850 PE AGP inside.

Malik wrote:

You can get a KVM switch. Most are cheap, and automatic - you don't need to switch manually. It will detect which graphics card […]
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Myloch wrote:

If I put Radeon and s3 card. I need to unplug/plug monitor everytime I use win98 or xp right?

You can get a KVM switch. Most are cheap, and automatic - you don't need to switch manually. It will detect which graphics card is active and will switch to that.

Downside to this is that it will add even more cable substance and can get messy if not tied neatly.

Of course, you can always switch manually the monitor cable at the back of your pc, changing between the two cards. If you think you'll be switching between the two cards very frequently, the KVM switch is a better solution.

Or, to prevent wear at the VGA port on the cards, you can get 2 separate short male-to-female VGA/SVGA cables and leave each attached to the port of the graphics card. You can then attach the monitor's cable to the loose end of either cable of the VGA cards.

At one point I resorted to using a VGA splitter cable: plugging each of the split ends into a video card and the monitor into the other end. The trick is that it's necessary to make sure one card or the other is completely disabled: even a seemingly "blank" signal is enough to throw the signal from the other card off completely.

Malik wrote:

Sound Blaster's PCI cards' Dos Drivers require EMS memory to function. Which will put the machine in real mode. If these are not issues (some games may not like EMS while newer games may run better with protected-mode(non-ems)), then you may go ahead with it.

Didn't we have a lengthy thread just recently about how newer motherboards inherently lack the functionality that allows PCI Sound Blaster cards to work in legacy mode?

Here we are:
PCI sound cards and Chipsets from various manufacturers...

The only problem I see is memory. He wont even make it to edit .ini files or anything - Windows 98 just fails to boot if RAM > 1GB. For installation purpose leave only 512 MB RAM inside and do the following:

0) (prerequisites) empty, new HDD, working hardware 😀

WIN 98 + DOS:
1) insert Win98 startup disk, run fdisk and create a primary DOS partition, FAT32 (answer "Y" to the question "enable support for large drives" at start of fdisk), and use 2-20GB for it (depending on your Win98 needs)
2) install Win98
3) after installation use "standard VESA" driver for the radeon - you wont get much 3D acceleration, but you dont need it for Win98 anyway. DOS window will work just fine
4) after installation run "msconfig" and limit the amount of system RAM to maximum 999mb (though I suggest 768 or 512) - when you do this you will be able to boot Win98 with as much RAM as you like
5) insert the rest of the RAM
WINXP:
6) insert windows XP installation CD
7) select "use unused space" or similar (create a new NTFS/FAT32 partition on the remaining, unpartitioned space on HDD) when asked where to install it
😎 continue to install it as usual.

This will save you the trouble of using any 3rd party partitioning tools and messing with boot files as windows does the job automatically and quite nicely. If you want pure DOS (6.22 or similar) as a boot possibility as well, then install it before anything else while creating a 2GB FAT16 partition as a primary DOS partition in fdisk (run DOS 6.22 fdisk utility for that, or answer "N" to the question you get by win98 fdisk), and then continue installing win98 + winXP.

If you have any questions, shoot 😀

Rather than pulling out modules (which can be problematic if your smallest module is already 1 GB), mightn't setting up a RAM disk to consume all but 512 MB be useful until one can get to the stage where a fix can be deployed?

It was also suggested in another thread recently that, rather than dealing with partitions and boot managers, Windows 98 and DOS will run quite happily from a USB thumb drive.

Jorpho wrote:

Rather than pulling out modules (which can be problematic if your smallest module is already 1 GB), mightn't setting up a RAM disk to consume all but 512 MB be useful until one can get to the stage where a fix can be deployed?

No, since his computer is as stated "...3ghz HT, 1,5 gb ram..." meaning probably 1GB+512 MB, or 3x 512MB 😀

Why waste time with touchy, experimental things that may, or may not work, when you have a safe, fast, 100% sure way to do it? 😀

My ram configuration is: 500x500, 250x250 (dual channel).
Hard drive is a ide 120gb
dos 6x (fat16 primary partition)
win98 (first logical partition)
xp (second logical partition)
right?

I guess you're keeping the extra RAM for XP. You can still install Win98SE. When the Win98 is going to reboot for the first time, towards the end of the installation, press F8 or boot from a Win98/FAT32 compatible dos floppy. Go to system.ini to edit the previously mentioned line. Then, reboot again, and let Win98 setup continue it's installation.

Myloch wrote:

My ram configuration is: 500x500, 250x250 (dual channel). Hard drive is a ide 120gb dos 6x (fat16 primary partition) win98 (firs […]
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My ram configuration is: 500x500, 250x250 (dual channel).
Hard drive is a ide 120gb
dos 6x (fat16 primary partition)
win98 (first logical partition)
xp (second logical partition)
right?

Yup 😀

@Malik
That might work too, havent tried it though.

elfuego wrote:

Why waste time with touchy, experimental things that may, or may not work, when you have a safe, fast, 100% sure way to do it? 😀

Exactly my thought! 😉

I don't like taking risks for no reason, unless the risk itself is the thing I want to test 😀.

Ok. First I'll try the malik's ini method. If it won't work, then I'll physically remove some ram banks and I'll go on...

thanks to all for the precious infos, I really needed it 😘

If the pc will not explode, I'll keep you informed 😉