# Help in installing Windows 98 SE onto a real PC (HP DC7900)



## 1337xp (Jun 27, 2019)

Hello people! This is my first post, so if there are any issues, please point them out. Anyway, for a few days I have been trying to install Windows 98 SE onto USB memory stick. The PC has no hard drive, and I have no intent to get a new one since the old one died. When I try installing off of a W98 disc, it copies the files successfully, but in the finishing setup phase, firstly, when detecting drivers it shows and error message:"Error: The system registry cannot be accessed." So I think nothing of it. Then after that, during saving changes, it shows more than 10 error messages about .DLLs, .OCXs, and other stuff failing to call the registerDLLserver or something like that. After restarting it shows the loading screen and then blurts out at least 5 errors about vmm32.vxd missing, some other .vxd missing. Can anybody help? The system's specs are Intel Core 2 Duo E6300 @ 1.86GHz, 1GB of DDR2 RAM, Intel Q45 chipset, GMA graphics (forgot which model) and also the USB memory stick is formatted as USB-HDD and the BIOS in the PC does detected the USB Memory stick.


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## lochlomonder (Jul 24, 2015)

I have my doubts Win 98 will install on that hardware. Instead of going through all this nausea, you may be better off creating a virtual machine and installing the OS on that. However, that would require a host machine with better hardware than the PC you mentioned. Would this be something you'd be interested in considering, if you have a better machine to utilise?


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## crjdriver (Jan 2, 2001)

Windows will not boot from a usb type drive. This is because of how the usb ports are handled by windows. You could install/boot linux from a usb external type drive however not windows.

Spin type hard drives are cheap. If you want to use this machine, purchase one. If you do not want to use the machine, then do not.


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## flavallee (May 12, 2002)

You didn't say if you have a HP Compaq dc7900 Small Form Factor PC
or a HP Compaq dc7900 Convertible Minitower PC
Both provide devices drivers for Windows XP and Vista and 7, but not for Windows 98 and ME.

I haven't used Windows 98 since late 2001, so I haven't attempted to install it in a PC that has an Intel Core 2 Duo processor and 1 GB or more of RAM.
I remember it had "iffy" support for USB devices - which become more reliable with the release of Windows ME.

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## 1337xp (Jun 27, 2019)

flavallee said:


> You didn't say if you have a HP Compaq dc7900 Small Form Factor PC
> or a HP Compaq dc7900 Convertible Minitower PC
> Both provide devices drivers for Windows XP and Vista and 7, but not for Windows 98 and ME.
> 
> ...


It's a DC7900 SFF


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## 1337xp (Jun 27, 2019)

lochlomonder said:


> I have my doubts Win 98 will install on that hardware. Instead of going through all this nausea, you may be better off creating a virtual machine and installing the OS on that. However, that would require a host machine with better hardware than the PC you mentioned. Would this be something you'd be interested in considering, if you have a better machine to utilise?


I do have better machines that I have installed w98 (through a virual machine on) but I am trying to at least get it working in safe mode.


crjdriver said:


> Windows will not boot from a usb type drive. This is because of how the usb ports are handled by windows. You could install/boot linux from a usb external type drive however not windows.
> 
> Spin type hard drives are cheap. If you want to use this machine, purchase one. If you do not want to use the machine, then do not.


I actually tried XP and it did boot off of the same machine and USB, but it was slow as hell


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## 1337xp (Jun 27, 2019)

And about virual machines, I had a freshly installed copy of W98 on VMware, then I unzipped the VM's harddrive, copied all of the files, and it did boot in safe mode.


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## flavallee (May 12, 2002)

1 GB of DDR2 RAM

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That's the primary reason why Windows XP runs like a turtle in that HP Compaq dc7900.

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## 1337xp (Jun 27, 2019)

Thanks everyone!


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