^Or just use disk compression (FAT16 only)..

MS-DOS 6.2x comes with one. Double Space/Drive Space.

I'm using it on both MFM/RLL HDDs and sometimes CF cards.
Additionally, there's also a third-party product that can optimize the compression factor ("Double Tools for DoubleSpace")..

Windows 95 to Windows 98SE should be able to install on such a compressed drive just fine.

Since the swap file is not compressed, their shouldn't be an issue if compression is used.
Actually, compression reduces the amount of data that's being written.

So it's not that of an issue. If enough memory is available, the compression/decompression could be done in RAM mainly.

I hope Windows 9x should be smart enough here.
At least Windows 98SE should be. It can execute 4k-aligned EXE files directly from VCACHE, for example.

ppgrainbow wrote on 2021-05-17, 05:18:

Also, 98lite, 2000lite and XPlite are all not free: https://www.litepc.com

For best results, I would prefer MS-DOS and either Windows 3.0 or Windows 3.1 or OS/2 2.x as these OSes use a lot less disk space.

😀

Free unlimited preview sounds like shareware to me.

Full version $25

That said before Windows 98 existed I had manually shrunk windows 95b following a walkthrough, everything 98lite automates was already known and possible on Windows 95 albeit manually.

Same is true on Windows 98 before 98lite existed I had downloaded a batch file that would trim Windows 98 down using the 95 shell of choice into a very minimal size. It was all in Dos maybe a month after 98 released at retail

The only thing 98lite did was automate and provide better control over said process.

My guess is that the walkthroughs of shrinking Windows 98 manually still exist and if that type of thing is what the op is after the guides can likely be found on archive.org if nothing else

If the op wants all the 98lite features quickly he has to decide if the experiment is worth $25

Considering millions of Windows 9x licenses have been dumped in the trash, have no value, Windows 98 has no commercial use and is virtually unusable on modern web I would personally question the value proposition of it beyond fun on a period correct system, a small HD and 98 does not seem to be period correct.
But who am I to judge?

I did cram a micro 98 install onto a 200mb laptop HD back in the day as well, used that laptop many years.

rmay635703 wrote on 2021-05-21, 00:15:

Free unlimited preview sounds like shareware to me. […]
Show full quote

ppgrainbow wrote on 2021-05-17, 05:18:

Also, 98lite, 2000lite and XPlite are all not free: https://www.litepc.com

For best results, I would prefer MS-DOS and either Windows 3.0 or Windows 3.1 or OS/2 2.x as these OSes use a lot less disk space.

😀

Free unlimited preview sounds like shareware to me.

Full version $25

That said before Windows 98 existed I had manually shrunk windows 95b following a walkthrough, everything 98lite automates was already known and possible on Windows 95 albeit manually.

Same is true on Windows 98 before 98lite existed I had downloaded a batch file that would trim Windows 98 down using the 95 shell of choice into a very minimal size. It was all in Dos maybe a month after 98 released at retail

The only thing 98lite did was automate and provide better control over said process.

My guess is that the walkthroughs of shrinking Windows 98 manually still exist and if that type of thing is what the op is after the guides can likely be found on archive.org if nothing else

If the op wants all the 98lite features quickly he has to decide if the experiment is worth $25

Considering millions of Windows 9x licenses have been dumped in the trash, have no value, Windows 98 has no commercial use and is virtually unusable on modern web I would personally question the value proposition of it beyond fun on a period correct system, a small HD and 98 does not seem to be period correct.
But who am I to judge?

I did cram a micro 98 install onto a 200mb laptop HD back in the day as well, used that laptop many years.

Other than that, I would personally avoid 98lite and stick with Win95 or DOS. Other than that, I highly doubt it if the OP wants to install too many software on a 128 MB hard disk.

While millions of Windows 9x/Me licenses have been dumped in the trash, these OSes although unsupported have made their mark through emulation and virtualisation purposes.

Wow this topic took off,
In my original post I should have noted that the reason for doing this was I have a 128mb drive that I wanted to use just to boot 98se then once I had that out the way..
I wanted to use usb storage for programs/and games where possible.
I did toy with 95 but the drivers didn't take for whatever reason,

After about a week, messing with 98lite (freeware I think ?) with lots of drive swapping clonzillaing and just maybe through a flook I did get the system booting with all drivers and usb support, even able to get into my NAS which was a big help for testing software/games

I'd like to thank you all for the tips and advice. Vogons is a great site! And you are all very helpful