I won't have access to a XOSL machine for a while. Currently I'm not multibooting my retro PCs

Then another who uses XOSL could help out

Can't get images, but basically:

• Partition and format the second HDD (ignore if it is already formatted)
• Have Windows 98 a bootdisk ready
• Click "Setup" (on XOSL initial screen)
• Click "Add" on the dialog that appears
• Select the partition of your Windows ME installation
• Go back, reboot, try booting into ME and see if everything is fine
• Back in XOSL's Setup dialog, add another entry for the floppy drive, but go to the "Hiding" dialog and hide everything but the second HDD
• Put the Win98 bootdisk into the drive and boot from the entry you just created (DO NOT boot to the floppy directly, boot to it from XOSL)
• Check that C: is the partition you want to install Windows 98 into
• If it is, run the command SYS A: C:
• Remove the floppy and reboot
• Go back to XOSL Setup, add another entry, this time for the Windows 98 partition, check the "Swap Drives" option and use the "Hiding" option again and hide everything else
• Boot from the Windows 98 entry. It should drop you to the MS-DOS prompt,, which is installed on the second hdd now
• If everything is fine, reboot and start Windows ME
• Create a folder on the second hdd called SETUP or WIN98 (or anything, really, as long as you can easily identify it)
• Copy the contents of the "Win9x" folder from the Win98 setup CD into the folder you created
• Reboot, then boot to the Windows 98 prompt on your second HDD
• Type the command CD C:\SETUP (or whatever you named the folder)
• Then type the command SETUP (or INSTALL, I don't remember) and install Windows 98. You can skip stuff like creating the bootdisk, as you already have one
• Test everything and hopefully be happy

Im kinda stuck...it keeps saying getting ready to install windows and then after it says to remove any disc's from the computer, wtf?

You got to the part where DOS already boots from the secondary HDD? That is good. Is this "getting ready to install Windows" message showing in the DOS screen as soon as you start setup, or after, already inside the graphical part?

Worst case scenario, take out the first HDD (the one with Windows ME and XOSL), install Windows 98 normally, then set it as the secondary drive, connect the Windows ME drive back as the main one and try setting it up like that.

Not yet, it kinda got stuck in a loop,

Instead of dual booting ME and 98SE, you can install 98SE2ME and get the best of both in a single installation.

http://www.mdgx.com/9s2m/

That sounds like a interesting alternate, i just burn it and install it onto the computer or do i need a system on it?

Is it not clear from the link? It is something you run after installing Windows 98 SE.

Whether or not it is a particularly good idea depends on what you hoped to accomplish by being able to dual-boot 98SE and ME.

Why DID you want to dual boot with quite possibly the most derided version of Windows in existence (ME)?

I install different OSs on separate HDs and select which to boot from in BIOS. Takes a few seconds longer than a boot manager but saves having to install and rely on one. Most BIOSs, even pretty old ones, have a boot drive selection setting. I like it since it keeps each OS completely independent.

The computer is designed to run wiindows me fully.

alexanrs wrote:

You got to the part where DOS already boots from the secondary HDD? That is good. Is this "getting ready to install Windows" message showing in the DOS screen as soon as you start setup, or after, already inside the graphical part?

Worst case scenario, take out the first HDD (the one with Windows ME and XOSL), install Windows 98 normally, then set it as the secondary drive, connect the Windows ME drive back as the main one and try setting it up like that.

Thats right, and it wont continue.

"Did it do X, or did it do Y?"

"That's right!"

Mostly I am confused as to why advice is being offered on installing ME in the first place.

It says on those small stickers that it is either for windows 98SE or ME and i cant really get things to work out on the machine and need a break from it..

That means nothing. That just means that's the era that that computer was made in. It doesn't NEED Windows ME. NO computer needs Windows ME. No computer SHOULD have ME. Ever.

Nic-93 wrote:

It says on those small stickers that it is either for windows 98SE or ME and i cant really get things to work out on the machine and need a break from it..

Uhhh... That sticker doesn't say "install both 98 and ME"... Install 98SE and call it a day.

I had been thinking on installing 98SE but its so hard to find a iso, or try install windows 95 on it, i have boot disk but how in the world do i instal the cd version?

Basically: use the floppy boot disk to create and format an active C partition on the hard drive. Set the BIOS so that the CD drive is accessed before C. Put the install CD in the tray and start the machine - it will boot off the CD and begin the OS installation process. Following instructions. Then at the first re-boot remove the CD from the tray before it has a chance to restart the installation process again. It will now fire off C, triggering a further series of steps; setup, hardware discovery, driver installation, and a couple more reboots. You will need drivers for your sound card and video card, but they can be installed after you have the OS up and running.