Unlike raw disk images ( .img ) or VirtualBox’s VDI, QCOW2 offers:
: Often hosts pre-installed .vmdk images (VMware format). These can be converted to QCOW2 using: qemu-img convert -f vmdk -O qcow2 image.vmdk image.qcow2 .
The -net nic,model=pcnet parameter emulates an AMD PCnet PCI Ethernet adapter. Windows 98 SE contains native drivers for this card.
Here is where to find a "full" pre-built qcow2 file: windows 98 qcow2 full
Save the following as run_win98.sh (Linux/Mac) or run_win98.bat (Windows with QEMU installed):
This report covers the rationale, step-by-step implementation, driver integration, performance tuning, and use cases for running Windows 98 Second Edition (SE) as a QCOW2 virtual disk image under QEMU/KVM.
# In QEMU monitor (Ctrl+Alt+2) savevm pre_install Unlike raw disk images (
Windows 98 requires specific hardware emulation to remain stable. A typical "full" configuration includes a Pentium processor, a Sound Blaster 16 card, and a PCI network card: qemu-system-i386 -cpu pentium3 -m
emulation in QEMU settings. Windows 98 usually has native drivers for this, but you may need the updated WDM drivers for better stability.
: Many of these images come with "Abandonware" essentials like WinZip, Daemon Tools, or old versions of DirectX, saving you hours of hunting for compatible installers. Storage Efficiency Windows 98 SE contains native drivers for this card
Creating the image starts with the QEMU-IMG tool. A typical command looks like this: qemu-img create -f qcow2 win98_full.qcow2 2G
Here are a few common issues and how to solve them.
Users frequently report being stuck in 16-color VGA mode (640x480) unless specific virtual SVGA drivers (like the SciTech Display Doctor or VBE9x) are installed.
: The qcow2 format only uses actual disk space as data is added, rather than pre-allocating the entire 2GB or 5GB virtual drive.