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I was currently trying to install Windows 98 on my computer. The specifications will be listed:

  • Intel Pentium 4 2.4 GHz,
  • 1.5 GB RAM (Modified system.ini so it sees less)
  • 186 GB IDE Hard drive (Partitioned to give Windows 98 12 GB),
  • Integrated Intel Graphics
  • DELL Motherboard.

The installation had completed normally. However, when trying to start up, it would continuously load at the splash screen for Windows 98. I then pressed F8 and used the bootlog feature to show when it was failing. The very last line shown was

[00161404] LoadSuccess = C:\WINDOWS\IFSHLP.SYS

with nothing else after that. Shouldn’t more be there other than the 6 drivers loading? I tried to replace IFSHLP.SYS with a clean copy from the Windows 98 SE CD-ROM and it didn’t work. In system.ini I had set the MaxPhysPage to 20000 under 386enh. Everything else is the same. One thing to note is that when I wait long enough (30 min) it gives the message: “Either memory is insufficient to run KRNL386.EXE or the value of the Windowmemsize entry in the SYSTEM.INI file is too large. You need to run the Setup program again.”

Rohan
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    you mentioned modified system.ini. Can you give more details. Is it possible to boot with less RAM (only 500 MB) and standard system.ini? – Ziagl Feb 27 '19 at 05:54
  • Edited post for system.ini changes. However, I don’t see it possible to boot with less than 500 MB of RAM without modifying system.ini. – Rohan Feb 27 '19 at 13:09
  • I think 500 MB is also too much, as far as I know Win98 only needs 64 MB or so...my Win98 Retro PC only uses 128 MB RAM - anyway: what did you changed in you system.ini? – Ziagl Feb 27 '19 at 13:28
  • Under 386enh, I added a line “MaxPhysPage=20000” – Rohan Feb 27 '19 at 13:30
  • Something new: if I wait long enough it gives me the message “Either memory is insufficient to run KRNL386.EXE or the value of the Windowmemsize entry in the SYSTEM.INI file is too large. You need to run the Setup program again. – Rohan Feb 27 '19 at 23:05
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    It says that IFSHLP.SYS was loaded successfully, so that's not the problem. And I'm not sure when the MaxPhysPage option in system.ini is consulted, but I suspect it would be after the memory manager is initialized, not before. Your error message strongly suggests that you have too much memory installed for Windows 98. See the question that traal linked for more details. – Dranon Feb 28 '19 at 00:33
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    How is this a duplicate question? – Omar and Lorraine Feb 28 '19 at 14:45
  • @Wilson It's a duplicate, because the asker is attempting to run a Windows 98 system with more than 1GB of RAM, which won't work due to limitations of the Windows 98 memory manager. The answer is the same: either remove memory until there's less than 1GB in the system, or preload a special driver that effectively hides the excess memory from Windows. – Dranon Mar 01 '19 at 00:13
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    @Dranon No, Windows 98 will boot on a computer with more a 1GB of RAM if you set MaxPhysPage to 20000 as original poster did. This is why questions shouldn't be closed as duplicates based on what you assume the answer is. –  Mar 01 '19 at 05:51
  • @Dranon I'd be more inclined to close it as off-topic; it's about upgrading some wintel box. – Omar and Lorraine Mar 01 '19 at 08:32

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