Install Windows 98 from USB with RUFUS

We use RUFUS to create USB flash drives and install Windows 98 SE onto a Retro PC. We need to create two USB flash drives. One contains a Windows 98 SE Boot Floppy for partitioning, formatting and making drive bootable. The second one will boot into FreeDOS and then we can copy the Windows 98 SE setup files onto our Retro PC.

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[CraftComputing]

Great stuff Phil. I'm actually working on a RetroPC build myself right now, so perfect timing on this one :-)

[travieyak]

Hey Phil, I don't usually take the time to leave a comment on videos but I just really wanted you to know how much this tutorial, and your website, helped me out with my recent Windows 98 SE retro build. From installation to all the appropriate drivers, like USB, CPU chipset, and GPU, you are seriously such a time and headache saver. Thank you, thank you, thank you! I couldn't have built my retro PC without you.

[retro-computing-gaming]

My personal method that works great for thin clients (also desktop PC's with SATA drives) is to use a Hiren's Boot CD. Process is to boot to Mini Windows XP, use the disk manager to partition the drive into 2 partitions, format both as FAT32, then swap out the Hiren's CD for the Windows 98 CD (while still in XP environment), copy Windows 98 files to the second partition, reboot again to Hiren's CD, then choose DOS, then from DOS change the directory to the second partition and run setup. This is convenient for also copying the drivers you need to the second partition while in the XP environment for easy access to them as soon as you boot into 98 for the first time. Only caveat here is you need at least 256MB of ram to run the XP mini environment.

[CraigB]

Absolutely amazing. Never thought I'd be installing Windows 98 on a modern(ish) laptop. No way I could have done it without this concise tutorial!!!😁

[shaneeslick]

G'day Phil,
I love these 'How to' videos for older OS, especially as you add links for Safe Versions of all the tools needed,
So many Links to Downloads have Junk or Scams attached to them these days & they are the ones that are at the top of searches
Thanks so much for the effort you put in to help others 😁

[kylenorris]

I've been trying to use a single USB all day long and couldn't figure it out this was a big help

[chickenfriedtech]

For anyone that is using this tutorial in 2023, do not use the custom boot disk because Rufus cannot burn an IMA file to USB. I recommend using the USB installer for FreeDOS to partition and format the drive. It has the same tools and the instructions are almost the same as seen in the video.

[Passenger-njin]

Rufus is awesome. Haven‘t even watched the video but i can tell it will be very helpful to a lot of people, nice!

[eblislyge]

This is a nice instruction video, really handy. Thank you for taking the time to make this.

[MarcoGPUtuber]

Much easier than constantly finding CDs! Most modern ATX cases don't have 5.25 bays!

[somethingiknow]

Thank you so much i was searching for this all day!!!!

[bengardner]

Not sure if I will get a response. But I am getting a "Disk I/O error - Replace the disk, and then press any key" when I insert the first flash drive that has the BOOT98sc.IMA file that I used RUFUS with @1:59 in the video. Has anyone else experienced this?

[kneenutnutter]

Fucking PTSD kicked in every time he ejected that damn flash-drive. That sound used to mean that my shitty phone's charging port was acting up again, and I always hated readjusting that thing. XD

[alfwaibel]

Another fantastic vid, thank you, Phil. If it would be possible, I would give you ten thumbs up for this!

[ZXSpectrumHotel]

I'm pretty sure you can use only one USB stick with the Grub4dos and all needed floppy images and files. And there was a method of speeding up USB with the PLOP driver.
The next level is installation from network with PXE.

[theconservativehusker]

I am attempting to follow your directions from the video, but as soon as I get done with the first usb, and go to hit eject, the usb is not listed in explorer. I am attempting to get win98 onto an optiplex 760, and when the pc attempts to boot from usb, I get a 'disk I/O error - replace the disk, and then press any key'. Could you please assist me with this?

[Sneckit]

I can't boot from the boot disk image USB. Followed ur instructions to a T but doesnt seem like it wants to work. Bios finds the usb as a USB-HDD but doesnt boot from it. It gives me some intel boot agent errors when i try do start from it. Do i need to have both USBs plugged in when i do it?

[rtrsc]

Nice video as always
But there is something I'd like to ask. I am not sure, but is it possible, that your talking style (don't know how to call it better) changed a bit since you made this long break few weeks ago....? Maybe i am wrong.

[simeonjohnston]

Great video! Always nice to have another way of installing windows. For machines without USB you should be able to follow this using a different machine and transfer it to the non-usb machine before running Win98 setup.

[kahlilmph]

For motherboards that don't support USB boot, a great option is the PLoP boot manager (included with Ultimate Boot CD or throw it on a floppy disk)