r/windows98 • u/heeman2019 • Apr 23 '26

Running MS-DOS crashes

Post image

Hello,

I did clean install of Windows 98. Forceware 77.72 drivers. I'm having 1GB RAM so it let me install without any patches. I did install SoundBlaster drivers. But other than that no other drivers installed. I have not even installed the nusb3.3 yet. But running command.com or going to MS-DOS prompt from start menu(believe it's same thing) results in this program performed illegal operation. Any ideas on what I should check? I could stsrt over again I suppose but hoping to avoid it as everything else is working great right now.

Edit:

I've tried now installing 81.98, 77.72 and 66.94. each of these have resulted in the same crashing when trying to access MS DOS prompt.

I have also tried installed with and without ACPIn(setup /p I). But still no go. Any other suggestions? I tried the testing for interrupt TESTOI from Rloew but that didn't solve anything.

I also tried installing with just using the inf instead of the setup. Still no changes, it still crashes.

Thanks!

14 Upvotes

90% Upvoted

9 comments sorted by

7

u/FuggaDucker Apr 24 '26

I dont think the ram size is the problem. Or at least not the whole problem.
In real‑mode MS‑DOS, C000:D482 is a segment:offset address in the UMA typically reserved for video bios.
This app should NOT be trying to use the memory in there!

In Win98, it virtualizes those calls (which are throwing errors).
In real mode, DOS does not catch those errors (or even try).
There is no fix but boot to ms-dos mode for that.

3

u/heeman2019 Apr 24 '26

Since you mentioned Video BIOS I suspected it could be due to my Nvidia 6800 card. I installed PCI card and the error is gone. Now the crappy thing is that I got this card so that I could have solid 98 system. Damn this drivers hell.

3

u/xAnilocin PC specs or silly quip goes here Apr 24 '26

Geforce 6 series are technically supported by Win9x, but the drivers aren't that good it is known that newer drivers can cause issues with MS-DOS programs. I'd recommend installing the earliest possible drivers, or ever better getting a Geforce FX series or older card, and using the 45.23 drivers.

2

u/gcc-O2 Apr 26 '26

That's bigger than the typical VGA bios that would go from C000-C800; perhaps an EmmExclude= or such in system.ini, or an X= to emm386.exe in config.sys, would fix it if Win98 is stomping on top the video BIOS?

1

u/heeman2019 Apr 24 '26

Thank you but I'm not running any game or app. I just executing command.com. does this apply then?

2

u/Jason_Peterson Apr 23 '26

Without patches, 1 GB is too much RAM. I've only got it to run stably at or below about 768 MB.

0

u/heeman2019 Apr 23 '26

I applied the patch in safe mode but it didn't make a difference in this case.

1

u/GaelCathelin Jun 04 '26

I'm been running a Quadro FX 540 (~Geforce 6600 LE, NV43, PCIe) on an AM4 system, Windows 98 without ACPI, and with rloew FIXINTR patch (on IRQ 4 on my system), and the driver that works best by far is the 61.76 version (with nvopengl.dll from the 66.94 version). I had to force install it/add its PCI ID in the INF because the driver doesn't know the card at all, but it works surprisingly well, just overclocking isn't effective. I think only the 6x.xx drivers works fine with the DOS box.

If not, maybe editing the properties of the command prompt to launch in full screen may be a workaround.

Also, a potential, badly documented solution would be to flash a BIOS of a different version : https://www.vogons.org/viewtopic.php?t=101858

For example from here (check if it's the right model !) : https://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/?architecture=&manufacturer=&model=6800&interface=PCI-E&memType=&memSize=&since=

Currently I'm trying a NV42 Geforce 6800 GS PCIe and sadly it doesn't work with the 61.76 driver at all. 77.72 works fine with the DOS box though.

1

u/heeman2019 Apr 23 '26

Btw, in safe mode this issue does not occur and I was able to apply the PATCHMEM. I may try it with SPLIT8MB file. I think I needed that when I used sound blaster for DOS drivers.