Hi all,

I'm having issues with installing windows98 on a new motherboard.

scandisk works fine, then goes to 'copying files needed for windows 98' and then when it is supposed to load the blue setup screen it defaults back to the command prompt.

I've replicated with 3 different graphics cards - two AGP and one PCI

I've replicated with another motherboard of all things, with the same three cards.

I even tried swapping the disk for one with WinXP installed with a different motherboard and it restarts when trying to load windows.

I have a feeling it's a hardware issue with the display adapters, as it dies when it tries to show anything but the standard 16 colour vga for DOS.

I don't get why the cards work on all of the slot-1 motherboards, but not on any of the socket 370 motherboards...

So now I'm baffled and humbly beseeching assistance...

What HD and what did you partition and format with?

How about a memory test?

You might try with 512MB or less.

If at first you don't succeed, you're about average.

M2

seagate 10 gig drive, fat32, had winXP upgraded from 98. Originally partitioned via fdisk and formatted in dos.

When failure was replicated on two motherboards, I tried for a fresh install thinking it might be a leftover issue from the graphics drivers installed on the other system.

So I formatted with a 98se startup disk with /s switch, copied the win98 folder to the drive and after scandisk it went to 'copying necessary files' etc and then just dropped out to the c:\win98 prompt.

I then tried straight off the disk (slower, but I was truying to rule out the drive as a cause.

Anyway, long story short, I think I've found the error. It sounds like an 'infinite loop'error, which has about fifteen gazillion possible causes and as many possible fixes.

Here's the article I found. It's called 'how to stay out of the loop' from the VIA forums. (the MS-6153 is via chipset)

http://www.viaarena.com/default.aspx?PageID=5&ArticleID=9&P=1

Anyway, as you noted, my next step will be removing all but one RAM module.

If that doesn't work I'll try swapping processors...

Realistically, the processor is the only constant here. It has worked on other boards, but they had onboard graphics which weren't 3d...

RAM is worth checking as given. Any chance that the original W98SE CD is corrupt?

DerekW

Yeah, definately remove some of the memory.

Also, are you using the same bootdisk or cd each time? The problem may be there.

Not trying to discourage you, but I had 3 Dell's P-100's do the exact same thing with Win98 & Win95 installs. Replaced video, RAM, drives---nothing worked. Finally gave up. It may have had something to do with the onboard SCSI, but I got completely frustrated and put WfWG 3.11 on them...

Did you try reducing the RAM as suggested, there is definitely an issue with over 512M of RAM on W98?

If you can get Windows installed there are ways to invoke the rest of the RAM by reducing the cache to 512M in system.ini (it will still use it all if needed).

DerekW

Actually about to head out of town for a couple of days. Will continue when I get back.

Another issue I didn't think about is the PSU. It's probably not pumping out enough power to support all the stuff I've got running...

Anyone know whether socket370 boards chew more power than slot 1?

Okay, it was the RAM... lol.

That will teach me to get overexcited and try an install with a few additions instead of a barebones ground up approach.

I threw 64meg in, installed win98 fine and upgraded the rest from there. Now got everything upgraded to 1gb ram on XP, going one monotonous step at a time...

Thanks all for your assistance.

Thx for popping back. Shout if you need any info on how to put more than 512M RAM in W98 and use it...

DerekW