How to install Windows 98 SE on a ThinkPad T23

[Edward Mendelson]

Install Windows 98 SE on a ThinkPad T23 in APM mode

This took me about five tries to figure out, and I hope it may be useful to anyone else. Many of the instructions should apply to other models from the T23 era. The result is a system with no "unknown" or "other" devices in Device Manager.

Credit where credit is due: I only learned (1) that I should use APM mode and (2) how to install in APM mode, by reading this post by b1ack0p (the information is in IBM's readme files, but not in a way that anyone can find it easily):

viewtopic.php?f=28&t=130342&p=850089&hilit=t23#p850089

This method assumes that you are installing Windows 98 SE and that your T23 has the Intel PRO/100 VE ethernet adapter.

You will need a working Windows system where you can extract the driver files and then move them to the T23.

All the files listed here may be downloaded from:

https://thinkpads.com/support/Thinkpad- ... s/mobiles/

1. Boot to DOS on the disk where you will install Windows 98 SE, make a folder named something like WIN98 and copy into it the folder from your Windows 98 SE installation CD that contains Setup.exe and folders named Tour and OLS (the folders may not be present; copy the ones you have). The folder C:\WIN98\WIN98 should contain Setup.exe and many .CAB files.

2. For the supplementary installation files, run suppw32.exe on an existing Windows system (or use the 7-Zip File Manager to extract the contents to a folder named C:\DRIVERS).

3. Copy the C:\DRIVERS folder from your existing Windows system to the system where you are installing Windows 98 SE. Perform all the following steps on the system where you plan to install Windows 98 SE.

4. EDIT, not tested, but based on a followup message below: Download and extract w98sfdiw.exe, and copy Apminst.inf to C:\WIN98\WIN98

5. Create a folder named something like C:\WIN98SUP on the disk where you plan to install Windows 98 SE.

6. Run this command from a command prompt to extract the chipset drivers:

C:\DRIVERS\WIN\SUPP\intelinf\infinst_enu.exe -A -A -P C:\INTEL (EDIT: See post #9 below in case of difficulty.)

7. Copy the entire contents of C:\INTEL\Ich3-m\Win98SE to C:\WIN98SUP

8. Copy C:\WIN98SUP\INFPrelo.inf to C:\WIN98\WIN98\CUSTOM.INF (if CUSTOM.INF already exists, combine the contents of the two files into C:\WIN98\WIN98\CUSTOM.INF). EDIT: See further information in step 10.

9. From a command prompt, navigate to C:\WIN98\WIN98 and run this command (use the capital letters as shown):

Setup.exe C:\WIN98\WIN98\APMINST.INF

10. When prompted for the location of an .inf file, enter C:\WIN98SUP so the installation can continue. EDIT: Also, if the installation stops and asks you for INFPrelo.inf, navigate to the C:\INTEL\ich3-m folder, and the installation should continue.

11. If you have 1GB of RAM in your system, press F8 when the system restarts and choose Command Prompt only. Edit C:\Windows\System\System.ini. In the [386Enh] section, add MaxPhysPage=30000 (larger numbers should also work; search the web); and in the [vcache] section, add MaxFileCache=393216 (I found this number online, but higher numbers should also work).

12. During setup, it’s probably best to skip the driver installation of the PCI Video Controller, PCI Audio Adapter, and PCI Ethernet Adapter; you may be able to avoid some blue-screens by installing these after initial setup is complete. If you encounter a blue-screen, restart the machine.

13. Navigate to C:\Drivers\Win\Supp\ich3fix and merge ICH3FIX.reg

14. Navigate to C:\Drivers\Win\Supp\ide-apm and merge ideapm.reg

15. Run C:\Drivers\Win\Supp\intelinf\infinst_enu.exe. Restart the system.

16. Open the Device Manager; if you still see conflicts under Hard Disk Controllers, again merge C:\Drivers\Win\Supp\ide-apm\ideapm.reg.

17. For the display driver, run vftpad8m.exe

18. Run C:\Drivers\W9X\Display\Setup.exe. Restart the system.

19. Right-click on the desktop; choose Properties, Settings, Advanced Properties, Monitor, and click Change. Navigate to C:\Drivers\W9X\Supp\ibmlcd and choose IBM ThinkPad 1024x768 LCD Panel (unless you have the larger screen, in which case choose the correct size).

20. For the audio driver, run aftpkuw2.exe, which is supposed to work with Win98SE. If, however, the next step (21) doesn't work, use this file instead: afa21e9x.exe.

21. Run C:\Drivers\W9X\Audio\Crysetup.exe

22. In the Device Manager, find PCI Multimedia Audio Device (or some similar name); reinstall the driver from C:\Drivers\W9X\Audio. Windows will install additional drivers; if prompted for a file location, enter the same location.

23. For the modem driver, run tpmd1g9x.exe

24. Run C:\Drivers\Mdmluc\Setup.exe to install the drivers.

25. In the Device Manager, find PCI Communications Controller (or some similar name); reinstall the driver from C:\Drivers\Mdmluc. If prompted for additional drivers, enter the same location.

26. For the Ethernet adapter driver, run tpveall.exe

27. In the Device Manager, find PCI Ethernet Controller (or some similar name); reinstall the driver from C:\Drivers\Win\Ethernet\PRO100\WIN98-ME. Restart the system.

28. In the Control Panel, choose Network, remove any protocols that you do not use. Optionally add File and printer sharing for Microsoft Networks.

29. For the Trackpoint driver, run trackptw.exe

30. In the Control Panel, choose Mouse, then General, then Change, then Have Disk. Navigate to C:\Drivers\Win\Tpoint and install the driver. If this doesn't work, use the Device Manager to install the driver.

31. For the UltraBay hot/warm-swap driver, run uttpiwsp.exe

32. In the Control Panel, choose Add New Hardware, select Next, then No. In the Device Selection Menu, select Other Devices, then Have disk. Navigate to C:\Drivers\W9X\Bayswap and select ibmbay3.inf; click OK twice; select ThinkPad Ultrabay 2000 Hot/Warm Swap Driver, and click Next. When the driver is installed, restart the system.

33. If your T23 supports SpeedStep, run spstep2k.exe

34. If you ran spstepnt.exe, then run C:\Drivers\WIN\Spdstp\Setup.exe. Restart the system.

35. If you plan to use a dock, run iwx427ww.exe

36. If you ran iwx427ww.exe, then run C:\Drivers\Win\ide\Setup.exe.

37. For the hibernation utility, run hibw4win.exe (but I think it's possible that hibernation doesn't work in APM mode, so you may want to skip this until further investigation).

38. If you downloaded the hibernation utility, run C:\Drivers\Win\Hibutil\Setup.exe

39. For the power management driver, run 1xu105u1.exe

40. Run C:\Drivers\Win\Bmmpm\Setup.exe

41. For the ThinkPad configuration utility, run 7ju501aw.exe

42. Run C:\Drivers\W9X\Utility\Setup.exe

43. For visual feedback from the audio hotkeys (volume up/down, etc.), install the hotkey features file, 7avu43ww.exe.

To use USB storage drives, search for and install nusb36e.exe, the unofficial Windows 98 USB Storage Driver.

[Summer Deep]

Couldn't be simpler, could it?

[Edward Mendelson]

Couldn't be simpler, could it?

Well, with some effort, it MIGHT be possible to get it down to 39 steps, and then Alfred Hitchcock could make a movie about it...

[cadillacmike68]

Hey - it's still less than "50 ways to leave your lover".

[NyLan]

Hi,

I wanted to follow your post for a T23 like you. But I noticed some weird errors in very first steps

2. For the supplementary installation files, run suppw32.exe on an existing Windows system (or use the 7-Zip File Manager to extract the contents to a folder named C:\DRIVERS).

3. Copy the C:\DRIVERS folder from your existing Windows system to the system where you are installing Windows 98 SE. Perform all the following steps on the system where you plan to install Windows 98 SE.

4. Copy C:\DRIVERS\W9X\SUPP\W98SE\Apminst.inf to C:\WIN98\WIN98

=> There's no Apminst.inf file in suppw32.exe
I went to https://thinkpads.com/support/Thinkpad- ... m/T23.html and downloaded the Supplementary installation file for the T23, it's called w98sfdiw.exe ( diskette version )
In this file there's Apminst.inf

[Edward Mendelson]

Good catch! Thank you. Some of my instructions were based on handwritten notes, some from memory, so I'm glad to know there's only a few mistakes like this. I've revised the instructions to include your correction.

[NyLan]

Just got another one

This command
C:\DRIVERS\WIN\SUPP\intelinf\infinst_enu.exe -a -a p C:\INTEL

It's actually not working. The Installer windows opens, it seems to do something then closes. But there's no C:\INTEL folder created. Tried on both Win98 computer and my main Win10 one. Same behavior on both.
Is it possible to just extract infinst_enu.exe and take everything from Win98SE folder ?

[Edward Mendelson]

Just got another one :oops:

This command
C:\DRIVERS\WIN\SUPP\intelinf\infinst_enu.exe -a -a p C:\INTEL

It's actually not working. The Installer windows opens, it seems to do something then closes. But there's no C:\INTEL folder created. Tried on both Win98 computer and my main Win10 one. Same behavior on both.
Is it possible to just extract infinst_enu.exe and take everything from Win98SE folder ?

I don't know - that machine is now in storage, so I can't test it. I'm fairly sure it worked for me. I don't know how else I could have got the files. Maybe reboot your Windows 98 system and try again?

[NyLan]

Ok, I found something. We can't just extract the .exe as all .inf file will be missing. So reading the readme.txt. file I deleted the current C:\Program Files\Intel\InfInst folder that was empty anyway ( Seems that not deleting the folder prevent the extract to work for some reason )
I launched the command like this
infinst_enu.exe -A -A
Then went back to C:\Program Files\Intel\InfInst and tadaaa got the well desired Ich3-m\Win98SE with all files. ( both .cat and .inf extensions )

[Edward Mendelson]

Have edited again. Thank you. I won't be able to respond to further messages until later today, so please feel free to wait and put all your findings together in one message.

[BillP]

23. For the modem driver, run tpmd19gx.exe

I do not find tpmd19gx. tpmd1g9x is in the list though. Is that the file you intended to call out?

[NyLan]

Hi, it's a typo

tpmd19gx.exe -> tpmd1g9x.exe

https://thinkpads.com/support/Thinkpad- ... md1g9x.exe

and for the Intel speedstep this file is for Windows95/Nt4 : spstepnt.exe
for Windows98, it's spstep2k.exe
https://thinkpads.com/support/Thinkpad- ... step2k.exe

[Edward Mendelson]

Fixed! Thanks again.

[BillP]

I recently finished installing Win98SE on my T23 using your guide. Thank you for posting it as I would not have succeeded without your guide. The following is a list of things that I had to adjust to get it working.

Step 6 seemed to run but didn't save the extracted files that I could find. The switches -a -a p were changed to -A -A -P and then it worked. The dash before the P switch may have been the critical part. I doubt the upper case letters are crucial but didn't check that once it worked.

Step 8 confused me a bit and it ultimately didn't work. I copied INFPrelo.inf to the WIN98 folder and renamed it to CUSTOM.INF. There was no CUSTOM.INF in the folder before that file transfer. The installation stopped at that point and asked for INFPrelo.inf so I pointed to the INTEL/Ich3-m folder and it continued on.

In step 20 afa21e9x.exe is specified for Windows 95/98 but not 98SE. Aftpkuw2.exe is for Windows 2000, 98SE and ME. I installed afa21e9x and it works so I have not changed to aftpkuw2 although it may be more correct for 98SE.

In step 30 instead of using the control panel I think I had to use the device manager to update the trackpoint driver.

Initially I got no sound from the T23 and finally figured out that the hot keys for audio had the sound turned off. There was no display for the hotkeys so that ended up being an important addition. 7avu43ww.exe is the hotkey features file.

[Edward Mendelson]

Thank you, Bill. I've revised my instructions to suit. I doubt I'm ever going to try this again, so all corrections are useful.

[NyLan]

I created a bootable restore cd for my T23 based on Ghost.
It's basically the image following this thread.
I can share it if it's useful. However people will have to change the timezone and keyboard layout.

[Edward Mendelson]

I would be interested in having that - thank you! (Also, it's been a while since I used Ghost, though I hope I still have a copy somewhere. Could you say exactly how you created the image?)

EDIT: Corrected Toast to Ghost.

[RealBlackStuff]

Did you toast your ghost, or ghost your toast?

[Edward Mendelson]

Argh. I had been reading a thread about Mac emulation, where Toast is an essential tool. I'll ghost my toast for the time being, and stick with Ghost... Thanks for the alert eye!

[NyLan]

Hey,

you can give a try : http://nylan.info/T23.ISO

I added the official OEM Information and Logo from IBM back in time. Also added the Wallpaper.

However, just noticed that I forgot to install the Hotkey tool before I created the restore CD.

To use, simply boot and select Yes when prompted by Ghost. ( you can also change your partition information but by default it will take the whole disk )

Edit : Yes, it shows Windows Me but it's actually Windows 98SE. This is due to nusb3.6 that uses ME file to avoid some prompts when using new usb drive. I'll probably patch it later as I can't stand this display issue

[NyLan]

For those who wants to change the display from Windows ME to Windows 98SE when you install nusb3.6 , just replace the sysdm.cpl file in your Windows/system folder

https://mega.nz/file/BpsgFBRC#DZEXlZ1d6 ... l81J2jywq8

[Edward Mendelson]

Hey,

you can give a try : http://nylan.info/T23.ISO

Thank you! I was away for a few days, but am downloading now. This will be very useful.

[IIfx]

I'm looking to restore my T23 to Win98 as well - but the linked ISO is gone. I can rebuild from plain media, but it seems like a tedious process on the T23. Any chance the link can be put back up? Thanks!