Rufus probs re iso files

Hi all, sorry if this is in wrong place.

Having issues with Rufus (3.13)

I have a 2GB flash drive in USB port, and start Rufus.

Then from Boot Selection, I select  'Disk or ISO image', and then the ISO file (for DOS 6.22 and Windows 98se in this case)

I have tried selecting it from the downloads folder, or a folder on the desktop, ... makes no difference,

I have made my own iso from my disk, as well as downloading an iso file, from 2 different places.

even a DOS6.22 bootdisk img

just keep getting the message, ''This image is either non-bootable, or it uses a boot or compression method that is not supported by Rufus.

thanks for any help

The only bootable iso of Windows 98SE is the OEM Full version. All others required a floppy start up disk

You can get the bootable iso version of 98SE from here but most of the older computers will not boot a USB flash drive. 

https://winworldpc.com/product/windows-98/98-second-edition

Are you trying to get both DOS and Windows 98SE to boot? 

FYI, Rufus has FreeDos as an option in the Boot Selection drop down box.

Edit: Did you use the 6.22 DOS boot iso from here?

https://www.allbootdisks.com/download/iso.html

Edited by JohnC_21, 04 February 2021 - 11:21 AM.

Hi John, thanks for reply. downloaded the one from winworld, but it didnt work.

not sure if all the files are there, they are.....

add-ons
cdsample
drivers
tools
win98
autorun.inf
readme.txt
setup.exe
setuptip.txt

long time since I used DOS

But, yes, maybe DOS as well, some of those older games were quite good. tex murphy, lucas arts etc

but still Rufus not liking the iso files

edit..... just thought, being as Rufus makes the flash drive bootable, why does the Win98 need to be bootable?

Edited by stew0001, 04 February 2021 - 12:34 PM.

Rufus creates a bootable USB but it depends on if the iso is bootable. If the iso is not bootable Rufus cannot make it so.

I will have to check out the Windows 98SE iso and see if I can make a bootable USB flash drive. 

If you want to run DOS games in Windows take a look at D-fend Reloaded which is a GUI front end for Virtual DOS. I have used it a long time ago and was able to play old DOS games with sound. 

Another but which I have no experience with is based on JAVA and is called DBGL which is supposed to be a little more user friendly.

What hardware are you trying to boot DOS on? If you are booting in UEFI vs Legacy CSM mode it will not be possible.

Worth a read

https://superuser.com/questions/1519671/can-a-64-bit-computer-x86-run-a-16-bit-os-natively-without-emulation

Hi, have been trying to get win98 onto a laptop, about 8 years old.

I did try to install DOS via a ext usb FDD, but it didnt want to play    I was thinking the disks had lost data, as they are verrrry old.

Does the old laptop have a CD/DVD drive where you can boot a CD burned from the Win 98SE iso?

yep, it has a cd/dvd drive

Burn the Windows 98 OEM FULL iso to a CD by right clicking the iso on any Windows 7 or later computer and select Burn Disk Image. The CD should boot on the old laptop.

Thanks John, will try that later today.

edit Put the iso onto a disk, still the same result

''This image is either non-bootable, or it uses a boot or compression method that is not supported by Rufus''

I did retry several times, rebooting the laptop betwen attempts.

I know the laptop cd drive is ok, as I have installed Windows XP on it to check this.

Edited by stew0001, 05 February 2021 - 10:46 AM.

I'm not sure why you got that error about the image not being supported by Rufus when you tried to boot the CD/DVD as Rufus is only for creating bootable USB flash drives.

I assume you unzipped the 7zip file of the Windows 98 SE OEM Full. This gives you an iso file which you can burn on a Windows 7 or later computer by right clicking and selecting burn disk image. This is what you did? 

Use isoburner with the iso file. See if that gives you a bootable disk.

http://www.freeisoburner.com/