Running Windows 98 SE from USB 3.2 Kingston XS1000 external SSD

Welcome back, in the first part of the video we are testing XS1000 external SSD from Kingston with CrystalDiskMark, using various USB interfaces: 2.0 (480mbps), 3.0 (5000mbps), 3.1 Gen1 (5000mbps) & 3.1 Gen2 (10000mbps). In the second part of the video we are running Windows 98SE directly from this SSD. What can go wrong?

[@RETROMachines]

Super video. Thanks for better day..

[@jasminderventa]

Starting Windows was in real time or you fast forwarded video? Because if it is in real time, that is fastest Windows 98 startup ever :) by the way, great video.

[@O_mores]

Quasi real time... My expensive capture card (was like 800$ at some point) can't handle resolution changes via its dedicated software so when the resolution is changed, which happens many times (especially during POST and boot) - won't record anymore. I have to press record button again, to create a new file... so some seconds are lost. Anyway it is fast! Look here at Windows 95 booting from SSD, it takes about 7 seconds in real time: ruclips.net/video/ZtZdWLRFbz4/видео.html

[@jasminderventa]

@@O_mores Ahh OK. Thank you for explanation. I saw that Windows 95 already 🙂

[@__mintsuki]

The reason MS-DOS compatibility mode (using the BIOS) is so slow with USB sticks/drives vs SATA has probably more to do with the fact that BIOSes are hit or miss when it comes to the performance of their built-in drivers, especially USB ones which are significantly more complex beasts to begin with. That is one of the main drawbacks of using the BIOS... alongside the fact that using the BIOS means the kernel wholly relinquishes CPU control for the time it takes to perform the round trip to call int 13h. A slow BIOS driver will make or break the viability of using BIOS drivers for this at all, or otherwise introduce unbearable stuttering as the driver is doing its thing and the kernel cannot schedule processes or do anything at all.

[@adriano90210]

First thing I noticed about Windows 98 and USB was that my USB mouse went absolutely crazy, unusable. The keyboard was OK. Anyway you should avoid USB emulation is Windows 98.

[@O_mores]

Indeed, Windows 98 driver for USB mouse doesn't get well with the emulation done via CSM. You should use Windows 3.11 mouse driver, that one works on Windows 98 like a charm.

[@minipicc95]

Great video and what tools did you use to install Windows 98 on that External Solid State Drive?

[@O_mores]

Thanks. I used UNetbootin to make a bootable DOS stick (using Windows 98 boot floppy .img). In rest, like I said in the video, you treat this external SSD as any other drive you want to install Win 98 on it. You make a FAT/FAT32 partition, format C:, SYS C: to make it bootable and the installation process is 100% the same business as usual.

[@Zapto01]

Great Video!

[@masterkamen371]

I was able to boot MS-DOS 6.22 on my Ryzen 3 PC off a hard drive connected via USB. The OS itself worked fine but no programs were usable since none of them know what to do with a USB keyboard.
It's kind of impressive how 16-bit code still runs fine on AMD64. I could probably have gotten the keyboard to work as well had I messed a bit with the UEFI. Though I'm not so sure about my USB Sound Blaster doing FM synthesis.

[@O_mores]

Hmm... USB keyboard should work in DOS. Usually USB legacy option is enabled by default, this way BIOS emulates the USB keyboard as being PS/2. In DOS/Windows 3.x, 9x, NT 3.x and 4 this it works flawlessly. Windows 2K is the first NT OS which won't accept the emulation done by BIOS. So for 2K and up either you have PS/2 mouse & keyboard or a recognized USB controller. And yes 16bit works nice on DOS, I'm currently running Windows 3.11 on my Ryzen 3900X with LAN, sound and video drivers... all on real hardware.

[@victormancini3002]

Nice! So... strictly for booting Windows 9X question: If we use an external SSD is any better than if we use some regular USB flash drive with lower speeds? I mean everyone has a USB stick but external SSDs are not so common. I did use a USB drive for Windows 98 SE and I got many disk write errors, dunno if an external SSD is any better.

[@O_mores]

Depends on how BIOS can handle your USB drive. Being very fast is not that important for DOS/Windows 9x. But in general, an external SSD should be better.