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I'm running XP and I've tried to install Windows 95 and 98 with the official CDs in Virtualbox. Both of them give the error:

FATAL: no bootable medium found! System Halted

I've mounted the CD drives within Virtualbox and also tried to change the boot order so that the CD drive is first but to no avail. I don't understand exactly what's going on here.

quack quixote
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RyanScottLewis
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4 Answers4

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Windows 95 or 98 are not bootable cd's. Only from Windows 98 SE Bootable options were available. Try to get hold of Boot disk images for Windows 95/98 (note:- download file which has the .img extension). Use it to load in VirtualBox floppy.

VR.
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3

Try them with Virtual PC. It often works better for Microsoft operating systems.

If the CD doesn't work with VPC, you can be sure it's corrupted.

harrymc
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1

for windows 95, you need to use a boot disk (windows 98 boot disk works) to fdisk and format the VM hard drive, and to "start with CD ROM support" to read the wind95/98 install disk.

download a cd iso version of a windows 98 bootdisk. burn the 98 boot disk iso image on a cd boot with the 98 boot disk CD and "with CD Rom support" this should boot the VM into dos mode. (note: look at what drive the CD rom is actually assigned, as the boot disk takes A:, and Diagnostics took D: my CD drive was E:) run fdisk create primary partition, etc. restart, with the 98 boot disk cd again run format restart again change the CD in the drive to the windows install Disk change to the CD ROM Drive (E: for me) "cd e:" check CD contents "dir /w" and llok for setup.exe run setup.exe laugh a gleefull laugh as windows installs frown a sadsack frown as windows 95 client cant share files with its host

0

FreeDOS works also. Of course, you can boot on it as a virtual drive from the iso.

lalebarde
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