# Windows 98 doesn't start up after a clean install.



## Phlum (Apr 12, 2009)

I've installed Windows 98 SE onto an old laptop, and it seems like no matter what I do, I can't get it to start up at all outside of Safe Mode. When I try, it usually goes to a blank screen with a blinking cursor at the top - as of the most recent re-install it is now populated by a bunch of MS-DOS codepage commands. Anyway, it won't move past this screen.

Safe Mode isn't really much use either, since my disc drive is not detected at all. It's not even listed in Device Manager. And I can't install the drivers because it won't accept my SanDisk Cruzer Blade.

It is installed onto a 20gb partition, by the way. I'm aware the OS has a bit of trouble running on hard drives larger than 32gb, and I figured that was the problem first time I tried installing it.

The laptop is a Toshiba Satellite Pro A100, model no. PSAA3E. The reason I'm installing Win98 on it is because it can't really handle XP, and I have a few old games that won't work on my main PC running Windows 7.

Any ideas?

Many thanks


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## flavallee (May 12, 2002)

From what I can determine, the Toshiba Satellite Pro A100 PSAA3E series laptops come with Windows XP.

They supposedly come with 512 MB of RAM, but they support up to 2 GB(2048 MB) of RAM.

If yours is still running with 512 MB of RAM, that's one reason why it can't handle Windows XP.

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I haven't used Windows 98SE since 2000, so I can't comment on any issues with it.

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## Phlum (Apr 12, 2009)

flavallee said:


> From what I can determine, the Toshiba Satellite Pro A100 PSAA3E series laptops come with Windows XP.
> 
> They supposedly come with 512 MB of RAM, but they support up to 2 GB(2048 MB) of RAM.
> 
> If yours is still running with 512 MB of RAM, that's one reason why it can't handle Windows XP.


Mine only has 256MB. Interesting.


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## flavallee (May 12, 2002)

What's the complete model number of that A100?

There should be a dash and additional characters after A100 that comprise the complete model number.

Once we confirm the exact the model laptop you have, we can confirm how much RAM it supports and what type RAM module it uses.

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If that laptop has only 256 MB of RAM, Windows XP will run like a snail in it.

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## flavallee (May 12, 2002)

I just checked the Crucial memory site.

The Toshiba Satellite Pro A100 series laptops do support up to 2 GB(2048 MB) of RAM.

They use 200-pin *DDR2 PC2-5300(DDR2-667)*, 1.8 volt, CL=5, unbuffered, non-ECC, SODIMM modules.

http://www.crucial.com/usa/en/satellite-pro-a100-series/CT908361

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145048

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There should be 2 memory slots so you can install a 1 GB module in both slots.

If your laptop is showing only 256 MB of RAM, I'm guessing it has a 256 MB in one memory slot and has an empty memory slot.

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## Phlum (Apr 12, 2009)

flavallee said:


> What's the complete model number of that A100?
> 
> There should be a dash and additional characters after A100 that comprise the complete model number.
> 
> Once we confirm the exact the model laptop you have, we can confirm how much RAM it supports and what type RAM module it uses.


PSAA3E-00Q015EN

If the end goal of this is to get XP running smoothly, that's not really what I'm after. As I said in my OP, I have a number of games that simply won't work on NT systems - partly because 9x reads floppy disks differently.


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## flavallee (May 12, 2002)

You appear to live in the U.K. and have a *Toshiba Satellite Pro A100-240 (PSAA3E-00Q015EN)* laptop.

It originally came with Windows XP Professional and with only 256 MB of RAM.

However, it does support the amount and type of RAM that I previously listed.

Windows 98SE had "iffy" USB support, so that's probably why your USB thumb drive won't work in it.

I haven't used Windows 98SE in about 14 years, so I can't really help you with its install and operating issues.

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## FlyEagle (Jun 17, 2012)

In WinXP have you tried backwards compatibility in the properties of the old games? If you partitioned your Virtual HD as NTFS it will not run Win 98. You will have to convert the partition to FAT32 format. Did you set it up as dual boot or do you have to switch the primary drive in the Bios. Does the Bios recognize the Virtual HD? If the above does not help, post a screen shot of your bios for me to look at, or PM it to me.

I was a beta tester for Win 95, 98, 98SE, ME and 2000. Did not test XP but loaded it and use it to this day. Now beta testing Windows 10. I have Windows 7 on my Laptop but hardly use it and would switch back to XP but I am getting used to it. Oh yea, and get another 256K of Ram at least for that machine. You can bring Windows 98 to its knees pretty quickly with that little Ram. I am surprised that you don't have problems with XP running slow as well.


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## DaveBurnett (Nov 11, 2002)

I have a Thinkpad T43P with 2Gb memory and a 100 Gb disk. I have 98SE running on it in a 6Gb partition. It recognises all the bits including USBs


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## FlyEagle (Jun 17, 2012)

DaveBurnett said:


> I have a Thinkpad T43P with 2Gb memory and a 100 Gb disk. I have 98SE running on it in a 6Gb partition. It recognises all the bits including USBs


Apparently you partitioned the 6GB with FAT32. Of course it recognizes your USB ports, it came with Windows XP Pro operating system. I hated getting rid of Windows 98 SE. It was one of the most stable platforms Microsoft ever produced. Now it appears that they have listened to us old codgers and are bringing back some of the features of old in Windows 10.

Cheers


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