Should I partition or use two computers?

[Northern Lawn]

I want to play some 10+ year old PC games they completely not compatible with Windows 7 and maybe not even with my hardware.

I was going to get my very old computer back up and running and install win 98 se on it. It's a AMD 2500 Barton, 9800 video card, Forget what kind of ram, MSI mobo. That was actually a killer rig 7-8 years ago but now I'm wondering if I should try to partition and have win98 and windows 7 on the same HD. Never did a duel boot before..

The thing is, I fix my familys computers and they are all crap, e-machines etc. I've been taking parts off my old computers to put into theres. So I think I'm missing a HD and a stick of ram.. not sure I can even buy compatible stuff for that old computer anymore.

What do you think my best options are to play those old games? (system shock II and I, Jedi whatever it's called, Duex ex etc.


My Current computer is e8400 duel core, 2x1g 1066mhz OCZ DDr2, 8800GTS vid card and Striker II mobo.

and I have a mid level, a few years old: AMD3800 duel core, 400mhrz ram, 8800GT vid card Asus deluxe mobo and a 550 Watt PSU. and that's it. No case or monitor etc. It's my back up rig.

 

[Zensal]

I wouldn't worry about Win 7. Just use it for your old games.

And please, please, please don't connect it to the internet.

 

[Northern Lawn]

Win 7 is free till next year and if Vista won't play old game how is windows 7 going to do it?

 

[ch33zw1z]

Your E8400 rig is powerful enough to run a virtual machine for those older games. Virtualbox and Microsoft Virtual PC are two free ones.

I use an E8400 to run two copies of XP and DiabloII just for fun. I also have a Linux VM.

Just another option..Win98 in a VM.

 

[Northern Lawn]

I just read up on Microsoft virtual box and that other one and neither mention Win98. MS virtual kept mentioning XP mode??? Do they have a win98 option? because that would be ideal.

 

[RebateMonger]

Originally posted by: Northern Lawn
I just read up on Microsoft virtual box and that other one and neither mention Win98. MS virtual kept mentioning XP mode??? Do they have a win98 option? because that would be ideal.

Microsoft offers several virtualization products. These include Virtual PC and Virtual Server, of which there have been several generations. The virtualization product included with Windows 7 Ultimate RC (Windows Virtual PC and the provided "XP Mode") will only work if your CPU supports hardware virtualization. Many AMD chips do, but many Intel processors in current PCs do not have the required VT extensions.

Edit: I missed that you are using an Intel E8400. That CPU DOES support hardware (VT) virtualization and will run the new "Windows Virtual PC" in Windows 7.

 

[Athena]

Originally posted by: Northern Lawn
I just read up on Microsoft virtual box and that other one and neither mention Win98. MS virtual kept mentioning XP mode??? Do they have a win98 option? because that would be ideal.

I use Virtual PC 2007 to run Win98 at least a couple of times a month. I have 3 virtual Win98 machines that I use to verify compatibility of data bases with old configurations.

You can download Virtual PC 2007 for free and try it out for yourself. Be aware, there are some DirectX issues with Virtual PC 2007 but it's the best starting point.

 

[Northern Lawn]

Thanks for the help. I did download it but I'm not sure what I'm looking at (and I have to go to work) I thought I would be switching between two different desktops. It asked me to accept ram recommendations of 64mb LOL, was in really that small back then?

Nothing really happens, I double click on the icon and it says it's running. Now I have to find those old games and see if I can install them I suppose.