Chapter 5 - Setup Technical Discussion

This chapter provides technical details about Microsoft Windows 98 Setup, including background information about Safe Recovery and detailed descriptions of the Setup and system startup processes.

Overview of Setup Technical Discussion

You must know certain technical details when using Microsoft Windows 98 Setup within your particular computing environment. This chapter presents technical information about how to ensure the safe detection of hardware, recovery from problems, and verification of configurations. It goes on with detailed information about the startup process, system startup files, Windows 98 Setup with non-Windows 98 operating systems, removing Windows 98, and troubleshooting Windows 98 Setup.

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Safe Detection, Safe Recovery, and Verification

This section provides technical details about the features that ensure safe hardware detection, recovery from Setup problems, and configuration verification in Windows 98 Setup.

Safe Detection in Windows 98 Setup

Devices and buses are grouped as classes in Windows 98 for purposes of detecting and installing device drivers and managing system resources. Windows 98 differentiates between devices and drivers that comply with the Plug and Play specification and earlier versions of devices and drivers (referred to in the Microsoft Windows 98 Resource Kit as legacy devices). Because of this differentiation, Windows 98 Setup detects hardware components and devices in two ways:

After Setup detects a device, it adds configuration information to the registry and installs the appropriate device drivers. The same procedures used during Setup for detecting Plug and Play or legacy hardware devices are also used to detect or configure new devices after Windows 98 has been installed.

Windows 98 supports detection of base computer components, such as communications ports and processor type, and provides more robust detection of computer devices, such as display adapters, pointing devices, hard disk controllers, floppy-disk controllers, and network adapters.

Windows 98 Setup also tries to detect any hardware resource conflicts early in the installation process. This helps to avoid the problems that occur when such hardware resources as Interrupt Requests (IRQs), I/O addresses, and direct memory access (DMA) are used by more than one device.

To avoid computer failure during the detection process, Windows 98 uses a safe detection method to search for hints from configuration files, read-only memory (ROM) strings, or drivers loaded in memory to determine whether the computer contains each class of hardware. If no such hints are found, the detection process skips detection of the entire class. If hints are found, the detection process seeks information from specific I/O ports.

Windows 98 automatically reads the command lines in Config.sys to find hints for device class detection. Then Windows 98 loads detection modules based on information in the Msdet.inf file, which lists the hardware to be detected and points to specific INF files for each device class (for example, Scsi.inf for SCSI host adapters). Device information from the INF files is written to the registry.

For more information about the format of these files, see Appendix C, "Windows 98 INF Files."

Windows 98 can also read a particular Config.sys device= line for resource information to be avoided (that is, protected) during the detection process. This is useful if Windows 98 Setup cannot detect or support a certain device when it is known that the detection process can cause such a device to fail. For example, the detection process could render a fax modem inoperative because scanning the I/O port might confuse the device driver. Windows 98 can read the device= line in Config.sys for this model and protect the associated I/O region from other detection modules.

Windows 98 Setup asks you to confirm which classes should be skipped in the detection process. If you know that the computer has a device in one of those classes, you can force Setup to detect that device class.

Safe detection exists for four classes of devices: network adapters, SCSI controllers, proprietary CD-ROM adapters, and sound cards.

Safe Detection of Network Adapters

Windows 98 Setup performs the following kinds of steps for safe detection of network adapters:

Safe Detection of SCSI Controllers

When trying to detect SCSI adapters, Windows 98 Setup checks for device drivers in Config.sys and then scans ROM strings from the SCSI adapter for manufacturers' names. If known drivers or known strings are found, the corresponding detection procedure for that class is used; otherwise, the entire class is skipped. A list of the known strings and drivers that Windows 98 Setup checks is stored internally in a detection dynamic-link library (DLL). (For more information about the SCSI devices and drivers that Windows 98 supports, see the Manufacturers and Models lists in the Add New Hardware option in Control Panel.)

Different SCSI devices require different methods for safe detection. For example, a SCSI card is typically used with a combination of hard disks, CD-ROM drives, tape backup drives, scanners, and similar devices. For everything to work (except the hard disk), some sort of device driver must be loaded in Config.sys.

For hard disk drives, however, the driver usually is not loaded in Config.sys, but INT 13 ROM is enabled. Therefore, safe detection for SCSI class devices looks for a ROM string with a manufacturer's name.

Safe Detection of Proprietary Adapters for CD-ROM

Windows 98 supports Mitsumi, SONY, and Panasonic proprietary adapters for CD-ROM. Because drivers for these devices are loaded in Config.sys, safe detection first scans Config.sys for the drivers that are present. If a device= line for such a driver is found, the corresponding detection module is loaded for that type of device.

Safe Detection of Sound Cards

Safe detection scans Config.sys and reads System.ini for hints about sound cards. If known drivers are not found, the entire class is skipped.

If Windows 98 does not have detection code for certain hardware, the equipment manufacturer can force a device to be detected by adding information about it in the Msdet.inf file. Windows 98 detection behaves as if it has detected the device and installs the device according to the INF information provided by the equipment manufacturer.

Windows 98 Setup does not detect sound cards by scanning I/O ports; instead, it checks only Config.sys and System.ini and performs detection as prescribed in Msdet.inf. Detection of sound cards by scanning I/O ports can cause the computer to stall. This is because detection calls a driver specific to a device class to send a signal to an I/O port. The driver expects a predetermined response, such as a signature from the adapter's ROM. If the wrong driver sends a signal to an I/O port address occupied by a different device class, the computer can stall.

Safe Recovery with Setup Log Files

Windows 98 Setup creates several log files: Bootlog.txt, Detlog.txt, Netlog.txt, and Setuplog.txt, as well as Detcrash.log, should Setup fail. The following sections describe these files.

Basically, the computer might stop or stall at three points during Windows 98 Setup: before, during, or after hardware detection.

Setuplog.txt: The Setup Log File

The Setuplog.txt file is an ASCII text file that contains Windows 98 Setup information created during the installation process. While Windows 98 is being installed, corresponding entries are written to Setuplog.txt, listing information about the specific steps, their sequence, and the error conditions encountered. This file is used by Setup for recovery in case of setup failure, and it can also be used for troubleshooting errors that occur during the installation process.

Setup uses the information in Setuplog.txt to ensure that the installation does not fail twice because of the same problem. If you restart Windows 98 Setup after a setup process fails, Setup reviews the contents of Setuplog.txt to determine which steps completed successfully. If Setuplog.txt indicates that a process started but does not indicate that the process completed, that part of the installation process is skipped, and the next part is processed. Even if Setup encounters devices that cause several installation attempts, the installation process will always progress and skip the modules that failed.

Setuplog.txt is stored on the computer's root directory. Information is added to the file according to the order of the steps of the installation process. If an error occurs during installation, you can determine the probable cause of the error by examining the entries at the end of Setuplog.txt.

Information in Setuplog.txt is divided into the following basic categories:

Tip The [OptionalComponents], [System], and [NameAndOrg] sections can be copied from Setuplog.txt on a computer with a complete installation of Windows 98 and then added to equivalent sections in Msbatch.inf, as described in Chapter 3, "Custom Installations." Notice, however, that these sections in Setuplog.txt do not include networking information.

Table 5.1 shows entries in the Setuplog.txt file to check for information about the Setup process. Because entries are added to Setuplog.txt in the order that the related actions occur during Setup, you might be able to find a probable cause of any error by examining the entries at the end of the file.

Table 5.1 Summary of Setuplog.txt entries 

Detlog.txt: The Hardware Detection Log File

The Detlog.txt file contains a record of whether a specific hardware device was detected and identifies the parameters for the detected device.

During Windows 98 Setup, after Setup restarts your computer for the first time, it begins hardware detection, which can also occur when you use the Add New Hardware option in Control Panel to add a new device. Both Windows 98 Setup and Device Manager use Sysdetmg.dll, which contains all the detection modules for each device class and specific devices.

Windows 98 loads detection modules based on information in Msdet.inf that points to specific INF files for each device class, from which information is retrieved and written to the registry. The device class installers are DLLs that work with Device Manager to install, configure, and remove devices or classes of devices in the system. Device Manager generates a list of compatible drivers for the device from the appropriate INF file. For information about using Device Manager to configure device drivers, and for information about the device classes used to identify logical device types, such as display, keyboard, and network adapters, see Chapter 24, "Device Management."

By creating an updated Detlog.txt file every time the detection process runs, the detection module tracks the detected devices and the I/O port addresses used. Any existing Detlog.txt is renamed Detlog.old. If the detection process causes Setup to stall or the computer to lock up, a binary file named Detcrash.log is created. Detlog.txt is an ASCII text file created only for users to read; Windows 98 Setup reads the binary information in Detcrash.log. Any changes made to Detlog.txt are not passed to Detcrash.log.

The Detlog.txt file can be found in the root directory of the startup drive after Windows 98 is installed. The entries in Detlog.txt are placed in the order of the hardware information discovered as each step of the detection process is carried out. Table 5.2 briefly describes entries that appear in Detlog.txt.

Table 5.2 Summary of Detlog.txt entries 

The hardware detection process continues examining computer hardware. The "|" symbol in the IO= line (for example, IO=200-201 | 3e0-3e1) indicates a range of I/O entries that are checked during the detection process. In the Detlog.txt file, you will find a QueryIOMem: and an IO= line for each I/O address checked.

For most devices, multiple I/O addresses are checked, which can result in a detailed and redundant device detection list. The I/O address ranges checked during detection are grouped on one I/O line. Multiple addresses on an IO= line are separated by commas. For example:

Checking for: ATI Ultra Pro/Plus (Mach 32) Display Adapter 
QueryIOMem: Caller=DETECTMACH32, rcQuery=0 
IO=3b0-3bb,3c0-3df 
QueryIOMem: Caller=DETECTMACH32, rcQuery=0 
Mem=a0000-affff 

If the system stalls during hardware detection, you can determine the probable cause of the error by examining the last entries in Detlog.txt. You can use the information in this file to determine specific error conditions occurring in the hardware detection and reconfigure or replace the specific adapter or device. Table 5.3 shows specific kinds of entries to check in Detlog.txt for information about the results of the hardware detection process.

Table 5.3 Detlog.txt entries to check for troubleshooting 

Some additional notes on Detlog.txt and hardware detection:

The hardware that has been tested and shown to be compatible with Windows 98 appears in the Manufacturers and Models lists in the Add New Hardware option in Control Panel.

Netlog.txt: The Network Setup Log File

Netlog.txt describes the detection results for network components during Windows 98 Setup. For information about Netdet.ini, the file that Setup uses to determine how to install networking components on computers running NetWare clients, see Chapter 17, "Windows 98 on Third-Party Networks."

Table 5.4 describes typical entries in a Netlog.txt file after you run Windows 98 Setup the first time. In this example, Client for Microsoft Networks is installed with the Internet Packet Exchange/Sequenced Packet Exchange (IPX/SPX)-compatible protocol, and both are bound to an Intel EtherExpress network adapter.

Table 5.4 Summary of Netlog.txt entries 

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Windows 98 Startup Process

Windows 98 includes system files, Plug and Play mechanisms, and various options for starting the operating system. This section describes the Windows 98 system startup sequence.

During the real-mode startup process, devices use only static configurations; that is, no dynamic resource allocation or arbitration is provided. When the system startup process switches to protected mode, Configuration Manager ensures all devices are configured properly, as described in Chapter 28, "Windows 98 Architecture."

The system startup includes four phases:

Bootstrapping in the BIOS Phase

Microsoft worked with several hardware manufacturers to define a new Plug and Play BIOS specification, which defines the interactions among a Plug and Play BIOS, Plug and Play devices, and option ROMs (sometimes called adapter ROMs). The Plug and Play BIOS enables and configures Plug and Play boot devices. The Plug and Play BIOS also passes configuration information to Configuration Manager in Windows 98 for configuring the remaining adapters and devices.

Booting with a Legacy BIOS

For legacy computers that do not have Plug and Play BIOS, the BIOS enables all devices on the ISA bus. A Plug and Play ISA card that has an option ROM must start up when the computer is turned on with the option ROM enabled.

Booting with a Plug and Play BIOS

A Plug and Play BIOS accesses nonvolatile random access memory (RAM) to determine which Plug and Play ISA cards should be enabled, where their option ROMs should be mapped, and what I/O, DMA, and other assignments are to be given to the cards.

The BIOS then programs the Plug and Play cards before the power-on self-test (POST). All cards that do not have configurations stored in the BIOS are disabled completely, reducing the chance of a conflict.

The Plug and Play BIOS also configures all devices on the motherboard. Some devices might have been disabled or assigned to different I/O addresses, IRQ settings, and so on, by Configuration Manager.

Loading Hardware Profiles and Real-mode Drivers

After BIOS initialization, the operating system attempts to determine the current configuration, including whether the computer is a docking station. This is done by using a hardware profile that Windows 98 selects before Config.sys is processed. The hardware profile is built by a detection process that collects information about interrupt usage, BIOS serial and parallel ports, BIOS computer identification, Plug and Play BIOS docking station data, and, if possible, docking station data that is unique to each original equipment manufacturer (OEM). Then the detection process builds a 2-byte value known as the current hardware profile (or the current configuration).

Each hardware profile has a name that matches a top-level menu item in a multiconfigured Config.sys file (that is, the long text in the menu, not the section name enclosed in square brackets). Windows 98 automatically selects that multiconfiguration menu item and processes the corresponding section of Config.sys.

Config.sys and Autoexec.bat are processed at this point. Although these files are not required for Windows 98, they are used for backward compatibility with applications created for MS-DOS or Windows 3.1x. In Windows 98, Config.sys and Autoexec.bat are processed much as they are processed under MS-DOS 6.x. Drivers and TSRs specified in these files are loaded in real mode.

For more information, see "System Startup Files" later in this chapter.

Note The real-mode MS-DOS errors are standard, as documented in the MS-DOS 6.0 Programmer's Reference. 

Initializing Static VxDs at Startup

Windows 98 supports static VxDs that load during system startup in the same way as Windows 3.x VxDs, and it also supports dynamically loaded VxDs. Vmm32.vxd includes the real-mode loader, the executable Virtual Machine Manager, and common static VxDs. Notice, however, that if a VxD file is in the \Windows\System\Vmm32 directory, Windows 98 loads it in addition to the combined VxDs in Vmm32.vxd.

Note If you want to update a VxD that has been bound into the monolithic Vmm32.vxd, place the VxD file in the System\Vmm32 directory. Windows 98 always checks that directory and uses any individual VxDs it finds instead of loading those bound in Vmm32.vxd.

The following list shows the VxDs typically combined to create Vmm32.vxd. (A custom list is built for each computer.) These drivers used to be specified in the [386enh] section of System.ini.

VMM32 loads VxDs in three steps:

SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\VxD\V86MemoryManger 
Description=MS-DOS Virtual 8086 Memory Manager 
Manufacturer=Microsoft 
StaticVxD=*V86MMGR 
EMMEXCLUDE=E000-EFFF 

If a specific device conflicts with a device loaded from the registry, the device specified in System.ini takes precedence. However, if the device specified in System.ini cannot be found, an error occurs.

Many Windows 98 driver models, such as integrated office system (IOS) (for disk drivers) and the network, support dynamically loaded device drivers. These VxDs are not loaded by the VMM32 real-mode loader, but are loaded by a device loader that is responsible for loading and initializing the drivers at the correct time and in the correct order.

For example, for SCSI adapter miniport drivers, the device loader is *Ios. The entries for a SCSI adapter are found in the following registry key:

Hkey_Local_Machine \System \CurrentControlSet \Services \Class 

Because there is no StaticVxD=xxx line in this registry entry, the VMM32 real-mode loader does nothing when Windows 98 identifies this device.

Configuration Manager attempts to find any device node that has a DevLoader= entry in the registry. The device loader (in the previous example, *Ios) examines the registry, finds the PortDriver= entry, loads the driver and any associated support drivers, and initializes the adapter.

Loading the Protected-Mode Operating System at Startup

In the previous phase, the following elements of the operating system were loaded:

After all static VxDs have been loaded, Vmm32.vxd switches the processor to operate in protected mode, and the last phase of the boot process begins. This phase involves loading the protected-mode components of the operating system.

Loading Protected-Mode VxDs at Startup

The protected-mode Configuration Manager is initialized for importing configuration information from a Plug and Play BIOS (if available); otherwise, it develops the Plug and Play hardware tree by enumerating devices and loading dynamically loadable device drivers. These device drivers are identified by loading drivers from a specific directory.

The next phase resolves device resource conflicts for every device in the tree and then informs the devices of their configuration. When all devices have been enumerated, all conflicts have been resolved, and all devices have been initialized, Windows 98 is ready to be used.

Loading the Final System Components at Startup

The remaining Windows 98 system components are loaded in the following sequence:

At this point, a prompt appears so that you can log on by typing a user name and a password. After you log on, Windows 98 can process user-specific configuration information. If you do not log on, default settings are used. If Windows 98 is configured for network logon, the unified Windows 98 logon can be used to log on to the network during this process.

After Windows 98 is loaded and you log on, the Startup directory is processed.

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System Startup Files

This section describes the following files involved in Windows 98 system startup:

Table 5.5 summarizes how Setup renames the system files from the previous operating system when Windows 98 is installed. (The Windows 98 files are renamed with .W40 file name extensions when you start the computer with the other operating system.)

Table 5.5 Setup system file naming 

Io.sys: The Real-mode Operating System

In Windows 98, the Io.sys system file replaces the MS-DOS system files Io.sys and Msdos.sys. This real-mode operating system file contains the information needed to start the computer. Your computer no longer needs Config.sys and Autoexec.bat to start the Windows 98 operating system (although these files are preserved for backward compatibility with certain applications and drivers).

Note The Windows 98 Io.sys file is automatically renamed to Winboot.sys if you start the computer using your previous operating system.

The drivers loaded by default in Io.sys include the following files, if they are found on the hard disk:

Most of the common functionality provided by the various Config.sys file entries in older operating systems is provided in Io.sys. Table 5.6 lists the common entries from Config.sys that are incorporated into Io.sys for Windows 98.

Table 5.6 Config.sys settings incorporated into Windows 98 Io.sys 

To override default values in Windows 98 Io.sys

The values in Io.sys cannot be edited. If Config.sys contains switches or other parameters for any of the drivers or settings created by Io.sys, the Config.sys entries override the Io.sys defaults. Entries for files=, buffers=, and stacks= must be set in Config.sys to at least the default values in Io.sys.

Note Io.sys does not load Emm386.exe. If any of your applications requires expanded memory or loads data into the high memory area, EMM386 must be loaded in Config.sys.

Msdos.sys: Special Startup Values

Windows 98 Setup creates a hidden, read-only system file named Msdos.sys in the root of the computer's boot drive. This file contains important paths used to locate other Windows files, including the registry. Msdos.sys also supports an [Options] section, which you can add to tailor the startup process.

The following example shows a typical file with default values:

[Options] 
BootGUI=1 
[Paths] 
WinDir=C:\WINDOWS 
WinBootDir=C:\WINDOWS 
HostWinBootDrv=C 

Most values in the [Options] section are Boolean — that is, the value can be 1 (enabled) or 0 (disabled). Table 5.7 describes entries in Msdos.sys, using the typical default values.

Table 5.7 Msdos.sys entries

Tip for Starting an Earlier Version of MS-DOS

If you installed Windows 98 in its own directory, the earlier version of MS-DOS is preserved on your hard disk. If you set BootMulti=1 in the [Options] section in the Windows 98 version of Msdos.sys, you can start the earlier version of MS-DOS by pressing F4 when the Starting Windows message appears during system startup.

Config.sys and Autoexec.bat

For Windows 95 and Windows 98, the content and method for handling Config.sys and Autoexec.bat during system startup have changed. Windows 98 automatically loads drivers and sets defaults by using Io.sys, the registry, and other mechanisms, rather than Config.sys and Autoexec.bat.

Computers that require certain real-mode drivers or TSRs, however, will continue to require that software be loaded from these configuration files. Also, Config.sys and Autoexec.bat might be required to enable certain software options. Some options, such as long command lines, can also be enabled by using the Command.com program properties, as shown in the following illustration.

Config.sys Processing

Config.sys defaults are implemented by Io.sys, as described in the previous section. However, Config.sys can contain application-specific entries in addition to information stored in Io.sys. These are processed in the sequence they are listed. After the base Config.sys file has been read, all devices are loaded, and Command.com is started.

Windows 98 loads memory managers supplied by other vendors if they are present in Config.sys; however, some might cause errors. Similarly, Windows 98 allows the use of command shells from other vendors, but there are some differences. For example, long file names are disabled, which might also indicate that other problems could occur using these command shells.

Config.sys Changes for Windows 98

Windows 98 has predefined settings built in for most common Config.sys settings, so Windows 98 Setup removes many of these lines (such as settings for files, buffers, and stacks) if they are equivalent to the default values, by using rem to comment out the line.

Tips for Editing Config.sys in Windows 98

If you edit Config.sys in Windows 98, observe the following basic guidelines:

Autoexec.bat Processing

Autoexec.bat is not required for Windows 95 or Windows 98, but it is included for compatibility purposes. If the computer has an Autoexec.bat file, each line is processed in sequence during system startup. Autoexec.bat can contain additional application-specific entries that are run in the sequence they are listed.

Windows 98 passes the initial environment to Command.com with the correct Windows and Windows Command directories already in the path and with the environment variables PROMPT, TMP, and TEMP already set. (TEMP= and TMP= indicate locations for temporary directories; both are specified for compatibility reasons.)

Table 5.8 describes the Autoexec.bat commands that have equivalent default settings created in Io.sys for Windows 98.

Table 5.8 Autoexec.bat equivalents for Windows 98 Io.sys default settings 

The default Windows 98 environment includes the following:

tmp=c:\windows\temp 
temp=c:\windows\temp 
prompt=$p$g 
path=c:\windows;c:\windows\command 
comspec=c:\windows\command\Command.com 

Autoexec.bat Changes for Windows 98

Windows 98 Setup makes the following basic changes to Autoexec.bat:

Tips for Editing Autoexec.bat in Windows 98

If you edit Autoexec.bat in Windows 98, observe the following basic guidelines:

System.ini and Win.ini

This section describes changes related to system startup made by Windows 98 Setup to System.ini and Win.ini. Mappings for other changes between Windows 3.1x and Windows 98 are described in Chapter 31, "Windows 98 Registry."

System.ini Changes for Windows 98

Table 5.9 lists configuration options that have been added to System.ini, deleted, or moved to the registry. Most of these options for Windows 98 are now stored in the registry and are no longer required in System.ini.

Table 5.9 Changes made to System.ini entries in Windows 98 

Set the related parameters using Windows 98 tools as follows:

Win.ini Changes for Windows 98

Table 5.10 shows how the font and desktop information in Win.ini is transferred to the registry in Windows 98.

Table 5.10 Changes made to Win.ini entries in Windows 98 

In addition, Setup always adds ATMWorkaround=1 to the [Pscript.Drv] section in Win.ini.

Set the related parameters using Windows 98 tools as follows:

Bootlog.txt: The Startup Process Log

The Bootlog.txt file contains a record of the current startup process for starting Windows 98. This file is created during Setup when the Windows 98 operating system is first started from Windows 98 Setup. This file shows the Windows 98 components and drivers loaded and initialized, and the status of each.

When you use the F8 option for interactive system startup, you can choose to create a boot log during system startup. You can also use the /b switch to create a boot log when running Win.com from the command line to isolate configuration problems. For information, see Chapter 27, "General Troubleshooting."

The information in Bootlog.txt is written in sequence during startup, in roughly five major sections. Depending upon a specific error condition, you might need to examine multiple sections. Notice, however, that a loadfailed= entry means only that the related VxD refused to load. For example, loadfailed=ebios indicates that the EBIOS driver did not detect EBIOS in the computer and so reported that it should not be loaded. Table 5.11 shows the sections to examine and describes the possible errors and methods for correcting those errors.

Table 5.11 Bootlog.txt sections for determining errors 

Table 5.12 shows the kinds of entries in Bootlog.txt to examine for information about the system startup process.

Table 5.12 Bootlog.txt entries to examine for system startup 

For example, if you see an entry such as DynamicInitDevice=PPPMAC but there is no matching entry such as DynamicInitSuccess=PPPMAC, that VxD failed to load. If a driver in the Windows System\Iosubsys directory stalls when it is being initialized, you can sometimes successfully start the system by renaming that file.

The following shows a sample Bootlog.txt file:

Loading Device = C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS 
LoadSuccess = C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS 
Loading Device = C:\WINDOWS\EMM386.EXE 
LoadSuccess = C:\WINDOWS\EMM386.EXE 
Loading Device = C:\WINDOWS\SETVER.EXE 
LoadSuccess = C:\WINDOWS\SETVER.EXE 
Loading Device = C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\ANSI.SYS 
LoadSuccess = C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\ANSI.SYS 
Loading Device = C:\WINDOWS\IFSHLP.SYS 
LoadSuccess = C:\WINDOWS\IFSHLP.SYS 
Loading Vxd = VMM 
LoadSuccess = VMM 
Loading Vxd = nwlink.vxd 
LoadSuccess = nwlink.vxd 
Loading Vxd = vnetsup.vxd 
LoadSuccess = vnetsup.vxd

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Windows 98 Setup with Other Operating Systems

This section presents details related to installing Windows 98 over an existing operating system, including changes made to system files by Windows 98 Setup and configuring for dual-booting with the previous operating system.

Microsoft Windows 98 dual-boot is supported with Microsoft Windows NT, Windows 95 and MS DOS 5.x. Dual-boot with third-party operating systems, such as Novell DR DOS and IBM OS/2, is not supported. For more information on dual booting Windows 98 with a third-party operating system, you should contact your operating system vendor.

Table 5.13 summarizes some of the available options for upgrading with Windows 3.1x, MS-DOS, and Windows NT, and how you should install Windows 98 to take advantage of these options.

Table 5.13 Upgrade versus clean installations 

¹ Windows 98 and Windows NT can work together properly if the computer is configured for dual booting between MS-DOS and Windows NT. However, you must install Windows 98 in a new directory.

The topics discussed in this section include the following:

Upgrading from Windows 95 to Windows 98

There are two methods for upgrading from Windows 95 to Windows 98. The method you choose depends on whether you want to retain the existing configuration settings (such as computer name, installation directory, and network settings) on your computer.

Keeping Current Configuration Settings

If you have a computer running Windows 95 and you want to upgrade it to Windows 98, keeping its current configuration settings (such as computer name, user name, and installation directory), run the Windows 98 Setup program from within Windows 95. This is the recommended method for upgrading Windows 95 to Windows 98, because it requires minimum user interaction and is the easiest method.

With this method, Windows 98 is installed in the same directory where Windows 95 was installed. Furthermore, Windows 98 Setup uses the existing configuration information to set installation defaults and to set other configuration options. Windows 98 Setup migrates all Windows 95 folders and programs to Windows 98, so they appear on the Windows 98 Start menu. Windows 98 automatically migrates all the shortcuts you had under Windows 95.

To upgrade Windows 95 to Windows 98 keeping current settings

Changing Current Configuration Settings

If you want to upgrade your Windows 95 computer to Windows 98 but you want to change its current configuration settings (such as computer name and workgroup) or you want to install Windows 98 in a new directory, you run the Windows 98 Setup program from within MS-DOS.

Before you begin, you should be prepared to provide the following information:

When starting Setup from MS-DOS using either a network server or local CD-ROM drive, the real-mode network or CD-ROM drivers must be loaded. If the real-mode network drivers are running when you start Windows 98 Setup, the appropriate network client is installed automatically. Setup detects existing network components, installs the appropriate supporting software automatically, and adds the necessary network settings in the registry.

To upgrade Windows 95 to Windows 98 changing current settings

After starting Setup from MS-DOS, Setup initializes and checks your system:

Tip When you run Windows 98 Setup, ScanDisk performs a quick check of the hard disk. You can skip this quick check (for example, if the computer uses disk compression software from another vendor) by using the /iq or /is switch with the setup command, as described in "Using the Setup Command-Line Switches" in Chapter 2, "Setting Up Windows 98." If you choose to skip automatically running ScanDisk, be sure to use another utility to check the integrity of the hard disk before running Setup.

Upgrading Windows 3.1x or Windows for Workgroups to Windows 98

If you have a computer running Windows 3.1x or Windows for Workgroups, you can upgrade it to Windows 98 by running the Windows 98 Setup program from within Windows 3.1x or Windows for Workgroups.

Most of the information needed for upgrading is automatically taken from your current installation of Windows 3.1x. Setup automatically identifies and transfers your current system settings and installed programs. Windows 98 Setup also saves settings so that you can continue to use the network configuration that you had previously.

To upgrade from Windows 3.1x or Windows for Workgroups to Windows 98

Dual Booting Windows 98 with Windows 3.1x and MS-DOS

You can configure your computer to dual boot with Windows 3.1x as long as the computer has MS-DOS 5.0 or later by using the F4 boot-to-previous operating system feature. To dual boot Windows 98 with these operating systems, your computer's C drive must be FAT 16.

For more information about how Windows 98 Setup treats disk partitions created under other operating systems, see "Partition Requirements" in Chapter 2, "Setting Up Windows 98."

Important To take advantage of the Windows 98 dual-boot capabilities, the entry BootMulti=1 must be set in the Windows 98 Msdos.sys file in the root directory. For more information, see "Msdos.sys: Special Startup Values" earlier in this chapter.

To set up dual-boot capabilities for a new installation of Windows 98

Windows 98 Setup makes all of the necessary changes to preserve your existing version of MS-DOS, Windows 3.1x, or Windows for Workgroups 3.1x, and your current Autoexec.bat and Config.sys files.

If you have already installed Windows 98 without dual-boot capabilities, you can follow these steps to allow MS-DOS to dual boot with Windows 98. However, you will not be able to dual boot with your previous version of Windows.

To set up dual-boot capabilities after Windows 98 has been installed

Installing Windows 98 over MS-DOS

The versions of MS-DOS supported for installing Windows 98 are versions 5.0 or later.

Tip for Running MS-DOS After Windows 98 Is Installed

If you install Windows 98 in a different directory from the one containing your previous Windows 3.1x version, you can start the computer by using the previous version of MS-DOS. To do this, make sure the entry BootMulti=1 is in the Windows 98 Msdos.sys file, and then press CTRL during system startup and choose the related option.

Files Deleted by Windows 98 Setup

This section lists MS-DOS and other files that are deleted by Windows 98 Setup. Notice, however, that these files are deleted from the old MS-DOS directory only if you install Windows 98 in the existing Windows 3.1x directory. Otherwise, the old MS-DOS files are all preserved so that you can start the computer using the older version of MS-DOS.

The Windows 98 command-line commands are stored in the Command subdirectory of the Windows directory. Deleting the related MS-DOS command file will not affect your ability to use the command under Windows 98. The versions that are deleted by Setup are known to be incompatible with Windows 98; for example, many of these MS-DOS commands do not support long file names. Table 5.14 shows files removed by Windows 98 Setup.

Table 5.14 Files removed by Windows 98 Setup 

¹ Drvspace.* or Dblspace.*

System Startup with MS-DOS Multiple Configurations

Windows 98 supports multiple configurations for the same computer, and it dynamically determines which configuration is being used. If Windows 98 cannot determine the specific configuration used during system startup before processing Config.sys, it presents a menu of available configurations as listed in the registry, and it prompts you to select the configuration you want.

If you have a multiple configuration established in Config.sys, that menu is presented next. However, if you use a multiple configuration to switch between different versions of Windows, you must edit Config.sys manually to repair this configuration after Windows 98 is installed. For information about how to create multiple configurations for the same computer under Windows 98, see Chapter 24, "Device Management."

Dual Booting Windows 98 with Windows NT

If you install Windows 98 to dual boot with Windows NT, boot to MS-DOS, and then run Setup from either MS-DOS or Windows 3.1x. You will not be able to install Windows 98 to a directory with a shared Windows 3.1x/Windows NT configuration; you will need to install Windows 98 in a different directory.

You can install Windows 98 to dual boot with Windows NT on a computer. This section provides some notes for installing Windows 98 with Windows NT.

Important In order to take advantage of the Windows 98 dual-boot capabilities, the entry BootMulti=1 must be set in the Windows 98 Msdos.sys file in the root directory. For more information, see "Msdos.sys: Special Startup Values" earlier in this chapter.

To install Windows 98 to dual boot with Windows NT

Remember that if your computer has any Windows NT file system (NTFS) partitions, they are not available locally from within Windows 98.

If you run MS-DOS from a floppy disk in order to install Windows 98, you will not be able to start Windows NT afterward. You can restore the multiboot configuration by starting the computer with your Windows NT Boot Disks and selecting the Repair option. You will then be prompted for your Windows NT Repair Disk.

To run MS-DOS after Windows 98 has been installed, you must select the MS-DOS option from the Windows NT multiboot menu. Then, from the Windows 98 Startup menu, select Previous Version of MS-DOS.

To install Windows NT on a computer where Windows 98 is installed

The WINNT program is an MS-DOS -based application that creates the Windows NT Setup startup files and copies the system files to the hard disk from the source files. The /w switch allows WINNT to run under Windows. Using this switch also causes Windows NT Setup to skip the CPU detection process and the automatic restart at the end of Setup. You can also include the /b switch to copy the required startup files for Setup so that you do not have to create floppy disks for Setup.

For more information about the Windows NT operating system and about running computers with Windows 98 on a Windows NT network, see Chapter 16, "Windows 98 on Microsoft Networks."

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Using a Windows 98 Startup Disk

This section describes the Windows 98 Startup Disk. You should make a Startup Disk and keep it on hand to help you boot your computer when you are having problems.

What Is New in the Startup Disk

The Startup Disk has changed significantly for Windows 98. The following items have been added:

For a complete list of the contents of the Windows 98 Startup Disk, see "Contents of the Windows 98 Startup Disk" in Appendix B, "Windows 98 System File Details."

The MS Windows 98 Startup Menu

If you boot the computer using the Startup Disk, a boot menu appears allowing you to start the computer with or without CD-ROM support. The drivers on the Startup Disk support a variety of ATAPI CD-ROM drives. An example of the menu is shown below.

Microsoft Windows 98 Startup Menu 
1. Start the computer with CD-ROM support. 
2. Start the computer without CD-ROM support. 
3. View the Help file. 
Enter a choice: 1 Time remaining: 30 

If you use the Startup Disk to boot the computer and choose to load the real-mode CD-ROM drivers, but cannot access a compact disc in the drive, it is likely that the CD-ROM is connected to a sound card. The CD-ROM must be connected to the controller on the motherboard.

After you make your selection, the Config.sys file loads the CD-ROM driver (if selected) and then loads a 2-MB RAMDrive.

The Autoexec.bat file calls a second batch file, Setram.bat, to find a drive letter for the RAMDrive. The temp variables, path and comspec, are set to the RAMDrive. The files Command.com, Mode.com, Keybrd?.sys, and Keyb.com are copied to the RAMDrive root directory.

The following line in the Autoexec.bat file expands the files to the RAMDrive:

%RAMD%\extract /y /e /l %RAMD% edb.cab > NUL 

Finally, if a CD-ROM driver is loaded, MSCDEX is launched.

CD-ROM Support

Real-Mode IDE CD-ROM Support

The Windows 98 Startup Disk includes a real-mode generic ATAPI CD-ROM driver (Oakcdrom.sys) that allows the CD-ROM to function when the protected mode of the GUI interface is not available. This occurs when booting into either MS-DOS or Windows fails to boot into the GUI. Although CD-ROM manufacturers accompany CD-ROM drives with a floppy disk with the specific drivers to use, they may or may not be available when needed most.

Real-Mode SCSI CD-ROM Support

Real-mode generic SCSI CD-ROM drivers are also supported (Mylex Btdcrom.sys and Adaptec Aspicd.sys) to allow a SCSI CD-ROM to function when booting into MS-DOS.

RAMDrive

The RAMDrive created from the Config.sys file is 2 MB in size. Keep in mind that the tmp path points to this location. After the files are expanded and placed here, there is only about 1.384 MB of space available.

Warning The RAMDrive is created during the processing of the Config.sys file. Drive letter assignment for a CD-ROM is not performed until MSCDEX is loaded in the Autoexec.bat file. Therefore, customers who normally boot without a RAMDrive will find their CD-ROM drive moved one letter back.

Extract Command (Ext)

The Ext.exe command is a new and simple extract command designed to work with Extract.exe. You type ext at a command prompt. Ext.exe detects if the Win98 CDROM is in the drive and defaults to that directory for its source location. If it is not available, it defaults to A:\. Otherwise, you are asked to enter the path to the Windows CAB files.

You then enter the name(s) of the file(s) you want to extract and enter the path to the directory to extract the files to. The CAB files scroll up the screen until the file is found. A sample of the display is shown below.

Microsoft (R) Extract Command Line Helper 
---------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Please enter the path to the Windows CAB files (a:) : d:\Win98 
Please enter the name(s) of the file(s) you want to extract: 
explorer.exe 
Please enter the path to extract to ("Enter" for current directory) C:\Windows 
The Options you entered were: 
------------------------------------------------ 
Source Path : d:\Win98 
File(s) to extract : explorer.exe 
Destination Path : C:\Windows 
Is this okay? (y/n) : 

Note It takes a long time to expand the file (a 60-KB file expands in 77 seconds on an Intel 266MMX Pentium machine).

Ext Error Messages

You might have to reset the TMP variable for large files, because it points to the RAMDrive and there is a limited amount of free space available. Use the command Set TMP=C:\. Because EXT uses TMP, resetting the TEMP variable does not work. If you do not reset the TMP variable, you may get the following error message:

"Error: Out of memory while processing cabinet file Win98_41.cab" 

Tip If you receive an error "Unable to write to disk" or "Disk initialization error" when creating a Startup Disk, the disk may be defective. Insert a different disk and start again.

Starting Your Computer with the Startup Disk

Follow the following procedure to start your computer with the Startup Disk.

To start your computer with the Startup Disk

For more information on setup problems and the Windows 98 Startup Disk, see "Troubleshooting Setup" later in this chapter.

Note The generic CD-ROM drivers may not work with all CD-ROM hardware. If these drivers do not function with your hardware, you will have to use the drivers that shipped with your CD-ROM.

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Removing Windows 98 from a Computer

You can uninstall Windows 98 as long as your current configuration satisfies the following conditions:

Note The retail and OSR1 versions of Windows 95 cannot read FAT32 drives.

Windows 98 can be removed from a computer by using the procedures described below. If the computer is configured for dual booting, you will be left with the previous versions of MS-DOS and Windows 3.1x intact. The recommended method for removing Windows 98 is to start the computer and use the F8 key to go to a command line, as described in the following procedure. When you do this, real-mode Windows 98 operating system files start the computer. If you encounter problems starting Windows 98 in this way, start your computer from the previous operating system (which might require usin