windows 98 install problem

[pusher]

Hi
I am installing win98se on to a new build PC (Asus M/b 266, socket A, athlon xp2400+, 256Mb 2700 memory).
It seems to install fine, until it reboots and goes to the "running windows98 for the first time" screen.
Then after about 5-10 secs of this windows screen, I get a black screen with an error message "I/O device problem". Sometimes I get "User.exe problem reinstall windows".
I have reinstalled it many times, same problem. I have run FDisk and removed all partitions, reformatted, re-installed - same problem.
I have used the win98 CD before with no problem.
I have tried winXP, and this installs fine, but I need to have win98 because a lot of the kids games don't work in XP.
If any one has a solution to this or anything I can try I would be extremely grateful.
Regards
Pusher

[pusher]

The error messages in full are:-



Error loading user.exe. You must re install windows




Whilst initializing device IOS an I/O sub system driver fails to load.

Either a file in the IO sub sys subdir is corrupt or system low on memory.



Pusher

[R4_M9]

What about partitioning your hard drive into (c) and (d) and installing windows XP on the C drive and installing windows 98 on your second drive (D)? THat way you get the both of both worlds.

[classicsoftware]

How big is the partition you are trying to install Windows on? Did windows 98 ever run on this system?

Yoy may want to readthis (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;q243372)

[Paleo Pete]

Are you installing win98 or XP first? To multiboot you have to install win98 first then XP. During the XP installation it will ask if you want to leave win98, then will let you set up a boot menu to choose which OS to boot into.

[pusher]

Thanks for the replies.
I am using a 40Gb HD. I have tried installing win98 onto it formatted as a single partition, and tried installing XP first onto c partition (32Gb) followed by win98 onto the second partition. Whichever combination the win98 installation stops at the same point and gives the same error.
And no, this a new system and this is the first time I have tried to install win98. Is it possible that the system is incompatible with 98?
I will try the user.exe fix from Microsoft that classicsoftware points out, and let you know.
Cheers
Pusher

[classicsoftware]

The most likeley problem is during the install of XP you are converting to NTFS ewhich may cause problems for Win98. I would get the diagnostic software from the hard drive manufacturer and install Windows 98 first. I would use the software and partition the the drives as you need them. After installing Win98 and getting it to run, I would then install XP.

[Paul Komski]

As has been pointed out Win98 should be installed first. If it is installed after WinXP then Win98 should work OK but you would need to repair the earlier installation of WinXP, which cannot function from the partition boot sector overwritten by Win98 such that ntldr and boot.ini never get read at all.

Suggest you start over with a newly partitioned drive and with a newly formatted FAT32 partition about 2-5GB in size ready for the Win98 installation.

Further suggest you copy the Win98 folder to this drive from the installation CD and then run setup from the hdd instead of from the CDROM. The reason is that you may detect some corrupted files during the copying process and also the installation should run more seamlessly, as well as faster, from the HDD. Both the copying and the running of setup should be from a boot diskette such as a Win98 start up diskette.

Once that is up and running turn your attention to WinXP, which can partition the remaining unallocated space during the installation. Just boot to the CD, choose new installation and follow the prompts carefully.

[pusher]

The answer to this one was a little bit unpredictable.
There is a compatibility problem with the asus m/b and seagate hard drives which prevents windows 98 from being installed.
Ths was corrected in a bios update.
Once I flashed the bios, windows 98 installed smoothly as it should.

Thanks for everyone's input.
Pusher