Windows 98 on Intel-Mac

Question

Windows 98 on Intel-Mac

I would like to know if Windows 98 can run on a new Intel-iMac.
I now have a Power Mac G4 with a SCSI card used for a Nikon dia scanner. If I switch to an iMac I cannot, obviously, use a SCSI card anymore but I could use a USB/SCSI converter that I already have. The problem is that the scanner/converter combination works only with Windows 98, hence my question.

Thanks for an answer,
Claudio Galli

Power Mac G4, Mac OS X (10.4.8), 1.5 GB Ram

Posted on Nov 12, 2007 7:59 AM

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Answer 1

Dah•veed

Level 9

66,547 points

Nov 12, 2007 9:00 AM in response to Claudio_Galli

Boot Camp only supports Windows XP and Vista. To run Windows 98 you would need to use a virtual machine through Parallels Desktop for Mac or VMWare Fusion.
It may "just work," or it may be a nightmare getting all that to interface correctly and work together.

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Answer 2

Nov 12, 2007 10:11 AM in response to Dah•veed

First of all, thanks for your help.

For virtual machine you mean something like the old "Virtual PC"? In this case, I agree with you that it can be a very hard job to have everything working! Or, using Parallels, is it possible to upload, and use, a windows 98 operating system? Paralles substitutes Booth Camp or sits on top of it?

Thanks,
Claudio

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Answer 3

varjak paw

Level 10

182,668 points

Nov 12, 2007 12:13 PM in response to Claudio_Galli

is it possible to upload, and use, a windows 98 operating system?

Both Parallels Workstation and VMWare Fusion will run Windows 98.

Paralles substitutes Booth Camp or sits on top of it?

Neither, really. Parallels Workstation and VMWare Fusion both are "virtualization" technology which run the guest operating system as a process within Mac OS X. Neither are a true "substitute" for Boot Camp which runs Windows as a native operating system for the Mac hardware and so provides better performance. For many people, the slightly lower performance of Parallels and VMWare are acceptable and provide the benefit of not having to reboot the Mac whenever you want to switch operating systems.

Since Boot Camp won't run Windows 98, Parallels Workstation or VMWare Fusion are your only choices.

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Answer 4

Nov 12, 2007 1:42 PM in response to Claudio_Galli

I have Windows 98 running with Parallels on my MacBook Pro and it's running faster than any windoze machine I've ever had. I don't use Bootcamp.

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Answer 5

Nov 12, 2007 1:53 PM in response to Ken Trajanowski

Many thanks to everybody. Now I feel much better knowing that I could use my SCSI Nikon scanner also with iMac!

Bye to you all.
Claudio

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Answer 6

varjak paw

Level 10

182,668 points

Nov 12, 2007 2:43 PM in response to Claudio_Galli

Now I feel much better knowing that I could use my SCSI Nikon scanner also with iMac!

Wait a minute, Claudio. Just because you can use Windows 98 under Parallels or VMWare on a Mac doesn't mean that you can run a SCSI device such as a scanner. Whether or not a USB to SCSI converter would work with Windows in Parallels or VMWare I don't know. Check in the forums for those two products to see if anyone's had any luck with SCSI devices before you invest in either Parallels or VMWare.

Good luck.

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Answer 7

Nov 13, 2007 8:09 AM in response to varjak paw

Very kind of you Dave for this warning! I will try to investigate. In any case I think that going to my Apple reseller with all my "hardware" and make all the necessary tests will be the best thing to do.

Thanks again,
Claudio

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