VMWare won'install OS

[ittiandro]

Hi,
I am on Windows 7 Ultimate and I’d like to use an old software made for Windows 95, for which there is no updated version, so I thought to use VMWare and then install Windows 95 through it.
My VMWare version is Workstation 9.0.1.lite, which, from what I understand, has the VM Tools package already integrated to it.
I took care to insert the Windows 95 CD with the virtual machine OFF and then power it ON to install, as directed in the instructions , but unfortunately, VMWare seems to be unable to connect to the CD Rom drive containing the Windows 95 installation CD, because there is a sort of DOS command prompt in the main window telling me that NO OS has been found,
I know that the old Windows 95 required running a boot floppy diskette prior to installing the CD and this, I thought, might be part of the problem. Since I don’t have a floppy drive in my computer, I put the content of the boot diskette on a CD and ran it in VM Ware before inserting the Windows 95 CD. This didn’t work either, so, as a last resort, I converted both CD’s into an ISO image, as suggested by the VM Ware instructions, but it still doesn’t work. Incidentally, the VM Ware can’t even install an OS as recent as Windows XP, which does have the boot disk issue, since everything is integrated in the installation CD, so I think the problem is somewhere else.
Can anybody help, please?
Thank you
Ittiandro

 

[Gamoholic]

Maybe try VirtualBox?

 

[GhislainG]

Incidentally, the VM Ware can’t even install an OS as recent as Windows XP, which does have the boot disk issue, since everything is integrated in the installation CD, so I think the problem is somewhere else.

What do you mean? I've installed Windows XP several times and I never had an issue. It worked fine when installing either from an ISO image or from the CD.

To install Windows 95, you first need to install DOS and that requires a floppy or a floppy image. Once DOS is running, then you should be able to launch the Windows 95 installation from the VM.

No virtualization solution allows the installation of an OS (Windows 95 isn't really an OS) from a non-bootable CD.

Edit: This may help you: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jY9at0cR-OE http://communities.vmware.com/message/476734

 

[ittiandro]

To install Windows 95, you first need to install DOS and that requires a floppy or a floppy image. Once DOS is running, then you should be able to launch the Windows 95 installation from the VM.


Edit: This may help you: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jY9at0cR-OE http://communities.vmware.com/message/476734

Thank you for your help'


I have successfully installed the MS-DOS .ISO file, however I get stuck in the transition to the OS .iso file installation .

The site you directed me to tells me to perform three operations after finishing thr MS-DOS loading, namely:
1. Click inside the VM machine to disrupt booting
2.Click ESC and Reselect CD-ROM as boot device
3.Reboot with CTRL+ALT+INS

I can't go anywhere. I suppose at some point I should be able to select the new path for the OS .iso file installation , but how do I get to reselect the CD-ROM as a boot device, in the first place ? Are the above 1,2,3 operations in the right sequence? Is each of them a separate step, or are some of them to be done by clicking together?

Am I supposed to stay in the same virtual MS-DOS machine or do I have to create another virtual machine for the OS installation? Anyway, I tried to do this, but it doesn't work.

Can you please help me

Thanks

Ittiandro

 

[GhislainG]

Are you following this procedure to install MSDOS 6.22?

1. Setup VM to boot from the MSDOS CD/Floppy/ISO.
2. After the machine as booted exit the setup program (F3).
3. Type fdisk and create a partition and make it active.
4. Reboot again with the CD/Floppy/ISO.
5. After the machine as booted exit the setup program (F3).
6. Type format c: /q /s
7. Reboot again with the CD/Floppy/ISO.
8. The setup program will now allow you to install MSDOS.
9. Reboot again with the CD/Floppy/ISO.
10. Select option 2 to install the CDRom drivers.

You can now boot MSDOS from the harddisk.

Once the CDRom drivers are installed, you'll be able to install Windows 95 from an ISO file (presuming that's where you have it).

 

[ittiandro]

Are you following this procedure to install MSDOS 6.22?

1. Setup VM to boot from the MSDOS CD/Floppy/ISO.
2. After the machine as booted exit the setup program (F3).
3. Type fdisk and create a partition and make it active.
4. Reboot again with the CD/Floppy/ISO.
5. After the machine as booted exit the setup program (F3).
6. Type format c: /q /s
7. Reboot again with the CD/Floppy/ISO.
8. The setup program will now allow you to install MSDOS.
9. Reboot again with the CD/Floppy/ISO.
10. Select option 2 to install the CDRom drivers.

You can now boot MSDOS from the harddisk.

Once the CDRom drivers are installed, you'll be able to install Windows 95 from an ISO file (presuming that's where you have it).

Thank you so much!

I believe I had already done steps 1,2,3, but I was unable to go past step 3.
One thing I can’t understand is step 2 and 5 : exiting SETUP PROGRAM? Key F3 ? Nothing happens at step 2 when I press F3..
On the positive side, though, now for the first time at the end of the fdisk process I get a message saying that the computer will restart, but nothing happens..So may be there is something I had missed (as well as something I am missing again now.).

Anyway, to summarize, here’s what I had done in the VM Ware setup:
1.Created a NEW virtual Machine called MS-DOS 6.22
2.Selected “ INSTALLER DISC IMAGE ( ISO)” and selected path for MS_DOS boot file image
3.Got message: “Could not detect which OS is in this disc image.” Shouldn't the MS-DOS ISO file indicate that it is for Win 95? Is this perhaps the problem?
4.Selected OTHER ( MS-DOS) as GUEST OS
5.Selected default max. disc size 2:0 GB, “ Split virtual disc” option
6.POWERed ON

I understand that REBOOTING is done with CTRL+ALT+INS. I was a bit confused, though, because in the VMWare menu , under FILE,there is a caption” RESET “ and another” RESTART GUEST “. Are they all the same as rebooting?

Thank you for guiding ne through. I am sure I am out of the thicket yet, though !

 

[GhislainG]

At step 3, you won't see the menu if the ISO image is corrupt. Windows 95 is not an installable OS like Windows 2000 or XP. You need to install DOS, load the CDROM drivers and then launch the setup program from a real CDROM, not a Windows 95 ISO file. Your DOS ISO image may not be correct; did you open it to see what files are included? You may want to download a different ISO and then try another install from it.

Restarting the guest will reboot it.

 

[ittiandro]

At step 3, you won't see the menu if the ISO image is corrupt. Your DOS ISO image may not be correct; did you open it to see what files are included? You may want to download a different ISO and then try another install from it.

Restarting the guest will reboot it.

Hi!

I don’t know what menu you refer to. I do have a window containing a menu with 3 options
1. Installer disc ( physical drive)
2. Installer disc image
3. I will install the OS later

I have checked box 2 and typed in the path for the MS-DOS image file.
Just below, however, there is a yellow warning triangle with an exclamation mark
“ Could not detect which OS is in this disc image.You will need to specify which OS will be installed.”
As mentioned, I have also tried to check the 3rd box, but it still does not work.

Do you still think my DOS ISO image may be corrupt? I looked at the contents. There are a lot of files listed. If my DOS image file was corrupt, I wouldn't be able to open it, would I? Or may be I am wrong.

Thank you again

 

[GhislainG]

Once DOS is installed and booted, a menu will be available. Press F3 as per the instructions. You have installed DOS 6.22, Windows 3.11 and Windows 95 before? It's just more complex when using a VM.

 

[ittiandro]

Once DOS is installed and booted, a menu will be available. Press F3 as per the instructions. You have installed DOS 6.22, Windows 3.11 and Windows 95 before? It's just more complex when using a VM.

Hi!

Yes I have installed a LOT of OS before, except I am a bit lost with VMWare.
Again, I don't seem to see any other menu beside the one with the 3 options I mentioned and I don't know at what point I should press F3.

Anyway, I downloaded another ISO boot file and this one brings me one step further. May be the other was corrupt, after all : after completing the fdisk process, I press ESC and I do get this time to another active command screen starting with with A:\>_________. I can type on this. So I inserted the win95 install CD and followed the VM Ware instructions at the site:

http://www.vmware.com/support/esx2/guests/doc/guestos_win95.html

by continuing to type in:

FORMAT c: /s.
Dead end: it says”Wrong drive specification” .

The next step, according to their instructions, would have been to start the Win95 installation proper by typing D:\Win95\setup /is.
May be I have to put in a different HD letter, but I don’t know which one and I do not want to format my current HOST drive by trying other letters. It would be tragic!
By the way I tried to ask the VMWare Forum, but I didn't get much feedback after an initial dismissory few lines which didn't really help and they never got back.

I have to commend you for your availability and patience

Thanks again

 

[GhislainG]

After fdisk, you are at step 4. You are far from being ready to install WIndows 95 since DOS is not yet installed. Perform step 4, then 5, etc. You can install Windows 95 only after step 10 has been completed.

 

[ittiandro]

After fdisk, you are at step 4. You are far from being ready to install WIndows 95 since DOS is not yet installed. Perform step 4, then 5, etc. You can install Windows 95 only after step 10 has been completed.

I thought the MS-DOS had been installed after completing FDISK (Step 3 )!
So, now I have to start step 4, right?
Anyway, after finishing fdisk, I get a prompt:
“ you must restart your system for your changes to take effect. Any drives you have created or changed must be formatted after restart. Shut down Windows before restarting.
Press ESC to exit fdisk”

By pressing ESC I get to the command prompt starting with A:\>____________ as described before, where I could continue typing commands. But I don’t know what to type in here.. I guess I have first to shut down Windows and then restart, as instructed..
But here is the whole point: what does it mean " Shut down Windows" and how do I do it?And how do I RESTART? I know how to restart the Host system, i.e.my computer, of course! But here we are in VMWare, a different environment and don’t know!

It would help me greatly if you could answer to the above questioning point by point.

Thanks

 

[GhislainG]

If you created the partition and made it active, the next step is to reboot the VM (step 4) and continue from there. DOS is installed at step 6.

 

[ittiandro]

If you created the partition and made it active, the next step is to reboot the VM (step 4) and continue from there. DOS is installed at step 6.

Hi!

I simply can’t resume at step 4 : I reboot by pressing RESTART GUEST in the menu bar under FILE. When it comes back it says : Missing Operating system and I can’t type anything in. Pressing F3 does not seem to do anything

 

[GhislainG]

At step 4 it boots from the ISO image that was used to boot at step 1. How come that image no longer is available?

Explain exactly what you did at step 3.

 

[ittiandro]

At step 4 it boots from the ISO image that was used to boot at step 1. How come that image no longer is available?

Explain exactly what you did at step 3.

Step 3 was FDISK. Pretty much straight forward. All I did was to follow the 3 steps( numbered 1,1,1 respectively), after which I was led to the format C: stage.
Incidentally I had overlooked at first the BIOS boot priority settings. In fact, the H.D. was wrongly set as 1st boot priority. When I put it as last priority, then I was able to proceed to the format stage. May be the problem could also be with the MS-DOS image file?
To wrap it up again, when I reboot, I am prompted to type in the date and time, after which I get to c:\> . This is where I am stuck. I am unable to switch to A:\ or D:\ . I get a message: "not ready to read drive a:" or" bad command" ..

Thanks

 

[GhislainG]

What's in C:? Installing from a floppy would be much simpler.

 

[ittiandro]

What's in C:? Installing from a floppy would be much simpler.

Hi!
C:\dir shows 1 file 54.645 bytes 6:22a

Incidentally, I found that the virtual floppy was disconnected in the settings. After reconnecting, I am now able to get from c:\> to A:\> but I don't know what to type in.

 

[GhislainG]

Has step 6 been performed?

 

[ittiandro]

Has step 6 been performed?

Yes, as mentioned earlier, I have been able to FORMAT C:, after doing fdisk.

 

[GhislainG]

Did you type INSTALL at step 8?

 

[ittiandro]

Did you type INSTALL at step 8?

Yes, I have typed INSTALL at step 8. More precisely, I do this when I am at the C:\>__________prompt, but I get a “ bad command” warning. Same thing if I swirch to A:\>. There is no other active drive letters to play with, except a B drive letter, which responds saying “ insert diskette in drive B”. I don't know what it is.

To wrap up, currently, I have the Windows 95 Installation CD in the physical CD-Rom drive and the MS-DOS boot disc in the virtual drive.

In the settings, I have checked the box “ physical drive” for the CD-ROM drive and ” use IMAGE ISO file” for the floppy drive .The path to the ISO file is shown, both drives are connected and the BIOS is configured correctly.
Once again, the fdisk and format :c processes have been done.
Incidentally, I am now using another MS-DOS boot disc( ISO) instead of the previous MS-DOS 6.22, because I found that for some reasons the MS-DOS 6.22 ISO file had become empty.

 

[ittiandro]

I got it ! there were two glitches:

1. The OS Installation CD ISO files were stored in two different locations in my HD.
I thought the CD's were identical, but for some reasons they were not. The good one is Win95OSR2.5. I don't know what difference the OSR 2.5 makes, but when I gave its path in the VMWare settings, the setup kicked in right away!

2. The setup kicked in by using the drive letter R:\ ( A:\> R:\Win95\Setup /IS)
I don't understand why the letter R , but I got a hint somewhere in the Internet and it worked.

I am however back at square 1, because now the setup asks for an ID number ( certificate of authenticity) and I don't have one. I have thrown away my old Win 95 CD with the s/n ( legitimately purchased ! ).
I have gotten a list of serials for Win 95 off the Internet, but they don't work. The sequences and the format of these keys don't seem to fit the case where they should be put in. They are ten digit number separated as xxx-xxxxxxx, but the setup requires three separated groups, probably more than 10 digits. I think I have to give up!

Thanks a lot for your help!

Ittiandro

 

[GhislainG]

1. Download the Win95b_bootdisk.iso file from http://www.allbootdisks.com/download/iso.html
2. Create a new VM and configure it for Windows 95
3. Enter the BIOS and set the boot sequence to CDRom, HD, Floppy (this seems to be the default)
4. Connect the CD to the Windows 95 ISO image
5. Startup the VM
6. After the VM starts, you will end up with an A: drive, wich is actually the CD with the Windows 95 ISO image
7. Execute FDISK and create a primary DOS partition with the full size of the disk
8. Restart the VM. At the A: prompt execute FORMAT C: /S
9. Execute these commands:
C:
MD MSDOS
COPY A:\*.* .\MSDOS /v
COPY A:\CONFIG.SYS
COPY A:\AUTOEXEC.BAT
COPY A:\HIMEM.SYS
COPY A:\CD1.SYS
10. Unmount the CD and restart the VM
11. Mount the CD or ISO containing the Windows 95 installation (you may have to unmount the Win95b_bootdisk.iso again)
12. Type SETUP to install Windows 95.

In a nutshell, that's what I just did and I have Windows 95 running on VMware server 2.0, but I'll never use it as I definitely prefer newer operating systems.

Edit: I used a legit copy of Windows 95.

 

[popatim]

Glad you got it figured out. I was reading this thinking they must have confused win3.11 with win95 to be having you install DOS.