Windows 95/98 disk image for PC-98?

[Koishi]

I've been getting bored on my PC-98 disk image and want to find a Windows 95 or Windows 98 disk image to browse the internet with. If you can find one, I'll be happy. I'll copy over my Touhou games to the disk.

[98digger]

Koishi,

To my knowledge, PC-98 emulators do not currently have network support. If you own a real PC-9821, every model included a driver CD along with the Windows 95/98 disc that more than likely includes the necessary networking drivers. Most later-model PC-9821 I've seen use a built-in modem, so you'd need to find some way of linking it to a modern IBM-compatible (perhaps through a PCI modem?).

In regards to the Windows disk image, I unfortunately cannot provide you with links, because downloading even a 21 year old program like Windows 95 is considered software piracy. I noticed on another one of your posts that you say you are afraid to rip the SC-88 sound-font because it is illegal. Unfortunately, pirating Windows is far more illegal than ripping the sound font, because Windows contains numerous different programs that may each have their own separate copyrights. Pirating Windows would mean pirating potentially 50+ programs/drivers at once. (Btw: To my understanding, ripping the sound-font from your own SC-88 for personal backup purposes is not necessary illegal. Downloading/distributing the backup on the Internet is.)

Additionally, this may be just me, but why would anyone want to run Windows 95/98 on a PC-98 anyways? The distinction between IBM PC and PC-98 in terms of software is the DOS titles; Windows on the other hand is exactly the same on all platforms, due to hardware abstraction. Plus, what more can you do with a PC-98 running Windows compared to an IBM from the same era running Windows? You can run PC-98 DOS games, but that's about it. To me, it just wouldn't be worth it.

If you absolutely have to run Windows on a PC-98, I'd recommend you purchase a copy of Windows 95/Windows 98 off of Yahoo! Auctions (Typical price is about 5000 Yen). Most Japanese resellers include the product key, which gives you a license to use Windows legally on a single computer.


-98digger

[AnnaWu]

To my knowledge, PC-98 emulators do not currently have network support.

Not really