Converting Windows 98

[PeteHelgren]

I have taken a couple of approaches to convert an existing Windows 98 physical machine to run in VMware (I am new to this, BTW). I first tried converting the machine using the remote option but I got an error when it was attempting to install the agent. Next I pulled the hard disk from the PC and put it in the same PC that I plan to run the VM on (WinXP Pro). I used the local machine option and chose the hard disk containing the Windows 98 installation. But the Wizard balked at not being able to find the OS and continuing led to eventual failure. Not one to give up, I downloaded and installed Ghost 10 and successfully built an .sv2i image. However, when I go to build the new vm from this standalone vm using this image I get an error when it tries to detect the operating system (Unable to determine guest operating system) and I cannot continue.

So, I thought Windows 98 was supported in a vm but am I wasting my time in trying to do this?

Thanks

Pete

[esiebert7625]

Windows 98 is not a supported OS for Converter, you can use Windows 98 as a virtual machine OS you just can't use Converter to get it there. It's also not supported on ESX, just Workstation, GSX & Server

VMware Converter and its Agent run on the following Microsoft Windows operating systems:

\- Windows NT SP6+ (with IE5 or higher)

\- Windows 2000

\- Windows 2003 32-bit and 64-bit

\- Windows XP Professional 32-bit and 64-bit

http://www.vmware.com/pdf/GuestOS_guide.pdf

http://www.vmware.com/support/converter/doc/releasenotes_conv3.html#plat

[RDPetruska]

It'll probably take less time to just create a new VM and install Win98 from scratch. Probably less than an hour.

[PeteHelgren]

The documentation for converter seemed a little vague on the Windows 98 support but since I didn't see something specific that said it was NOT supported, I decided to try anyway. Bummer! I have a Windows 98 machine that is on it's last legs and I have an application that can ONLY run on Windows 98 and for which I no longer have the install disks. I need to convert this rather than do a new install.

Thanks for the info. Looks like I'll be on my own in getting VMware to run this existing machine. I'll look at Virtual PC as well. I think I saw some instructions on how to get a physical Windows 98 machine hosted inside Virtual PC.

Pete

[RDPetruska]

Well, you can always try imaging the Win98 box manually - restore the ghost image into a new VM. And, then reconfigure the image - either using the Converter (just choose the Configure step - at this point, you've already done the imaging step). I'll assume the physical Win98 box is using IDE hard drive(s)?

You can always try the customized BartPE method - read the "Ultimate P2V" thread in the User Solutions forum.

[admin]

Converter will not configure Windows 9x machines, only cold clone them. You will need to boot up the VM in safe mode and fix the storage and network drivers.

[PeteHelgren]

Actually, the "Use Ghost" approach was the approach suggested by Microsoft when using Virtual PC and it was the way I was finally able to move the Win98 machine to VMWare. I burned the Win98 image using Ghost to a DVD and then booted to the Ghost CD when I started the VM. I then used Ghost to build the VM disk image and all was well.

This approach was probably documented in the Converter documentation but I have to admit I was just scanning the docs and not reading in detail.

This is very cool stuff! Thanks.

Pete

[lightmywifire]

Could you post the link where you found your solution? I'm trying to do the same thing that you are, and I noticed that you used Ghost 10 (since Converter didn't work). I downloaded it, tried to install it and then got an error during installation saying that I have an incompatible operating system. Any tips?

[lholling]

Hi There

Just create a new Virtual Machine and load Ghost in it and do the restore from your image.

As mentioned in this thread VM Converter cannot help you. Once the image is restored "plug and pray" of Windows 98 should be able to sort out the rest of the new hardware that is in the VM for you.

Leonard...

[lightmywifire]

Well, the problem I'm having is creating that original image of my Windows 98 system. No imaging programs seem to want to install on it.

[RDPetruska]

You need an older version of Ghost (6 thru 8 should all work well). Or try one of the free utilities out there - I've read good things about SelfImage http://selfimage.excelcia.org/

[lightmywifire]

So it doesn't appear as though SelfImage images can be easily converted to a VMWare VM. I'm going to try and do what the person above suggested and create a VM and just load the image into it. I'll have to try using Windows XP because I don't have 98 installation disks. We'll see how fun this is going to be.

[shart]

If you can get dos 6.x installed, then try this (this works to make a new hard drive into a clone of a win98 machine, haven't tried it on vmware yet):

1. Place a usb drive on the win98 machine and do this in a command window:

copy c:\ g:\ /s /e /c /i /h /r /k/y

change g: to whatever the usb drive is.

2. Move the drive so it is visible to the vmware dos image and try

copy g:\ c:\ /s /e /c /i /h /r /k/y

again g: may be something else.

[ASH2]

Hi Pete,

I have a problem moving a win98 machine to vmware, i use Acronis True Image 9 to make the image because i see that wmware have suport for this images´s program. The virtual machine created with the vmware not start properly, it gives me an error to recover because I detect disk scsi and windows 98 is not able to boot with such discs.

Does Please tell me that you could version of the image created norton ghost?

Thanks