can't install OS

On a w98se cd disk, you don't have anything to do, boot on cd, then install is starting.

Do you have scsi cd rom reader/hard drive, or something like that ?

Try copying the win98 folder from the cd to the hard drive and run the set up from the hard drive.
Hope that helps

The DOS command to install W98 is setup

The W98 CDs that I have are NOT bootable CDs. So that option may not be available to you (answer 1).

I suggest that you try an alternate boot floppy such as the one from www.madboot.com

I suspect thatthe default CD drivers on the W98 startup floppy cannot deal with your motherboard or CD drive.

Another option, is to install the DOS mode driver for the CD drive.

If your hard drive is formatted (it needs to be formatted before you can install W98)
Boot from the W98 startup disk and run the command

sys C:

Then, insert the floppy for the CD drive and run the install or setup file on the floppy.

Now, you can boot from your C: drive with the driver for your CD drive.

Then, browse to your CD (D:) and run setup

What I do, is use a "hot-swap" bay and copy the Windows CD to a logical drive that I set up on the extended DOS partition when I fdisk the drive.
I also extract and copy device drivers and Windows updates that I have downloaded.

Set up the C: drive as bootable, and run setup from the folder where I placed the Windows CD files.

One BIG advantage of this method, is that you NEVER need the Windows CD when installing any hardware or network components.

Chas