Use 512MB, modify System.ini and Config.sys on that, and after successfull reboot, add more RAM.

You can also use HimemX to go over 1GB (should help when Config.sys and System.ini tinkering alone aren't helping). It's also how I do it.
Where to get HimemX : LINK

Intructions :
Copy Himemx.exe to Windows folder
Add the line in config.sys
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\HIMEMX.EXE
(C:\WINDOWS\HIMEMX.EXE depends where you put Windows)

[386Enh]
MaxPhysPage=48000
MinSPs=16
ConservativeSwapfileUsage=1
DMABufferSize=64
^It limits you to 1150MB RAM (higher that that is highly NOT recommended).

[vcache]
MaxFileCache=65535
ChunkSize=1024

PS. Safe mode will not work with over 512MB RAM (because it doesn't load drivers/additional files and programs).

Refer this topic - >512MB with Windows 98...
And this: http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/129983-how-to … more-than-1-gb/

Also, try installing the "Windows 98 SE Service Pack 2.1a" as this contains an accumulation of patches released by Microsoft, which apparently fixes this issue as well

agent_x007 wrote:

PS. Safe mode will not work with over 512MB RAM (because it doesn't load drivers/additional files and programs).

IO.SYS (I think it's IO.SYS?) is hardcoded to load HIMEM in safe mode, but it's easy to patch it to use HIMEMX instead and thus make safe mode functional again.

Jorpho wrote:

agent_x007 wrote:

PS. Safe mode will not work with over 512MB RAM (because it doesn't load drivers/additional files and programs).

IO.SYS (I think it's IO.SYS?) is hardcoded to load HIMEM in safe mode, but it's easy to patch it to use HIMEMX instead and thus make safe mode functional again.

Does this not work for safe mode?

>512MB with Windows 98...

Might not be 100% stable but should let you boot in and change what you need at least

No, I'm pretty sure that doesn't work. It returns an error message early in the boot process.

Why would you need more than 512mb of ram for 98SE? It's 100% functional on as little as 64mb, and I find it very useable with only 128mb and thats playing 2001 era games with it

candle_86 wrote:

Why would you need more than 512mb of ram for 98SE? It's 100% functional on as little as 64mb, and I find it very useable with only 128mb and thats playing 2001 era games with it

Because you want to also run a later OS on the same machine. Literally the only possible reason.

I use bs_ram9x.exe in autoexec.bat in my 2 GB Machine.

It marks 1,5 GB of Ram as Used let only 512 MB free for Win98.
No Patch of Win98 needed.

I let the 2 GB ram in this PC because it's configured to dualbooting W98 and XP.
And for XP then i have 2 GB Ram, but when booting win98 it sees only 512 MB.

You've mentioned bs_ram9x several times now. I guess it's nice that it works for you, but it seems to have a bad reputation and does not seem to have any advantage over other techniques.
http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/158417-bs_ram9xexe/

markot wrote:

I have been trying to install Windows 98 SE on a computer with more than 512 MB of RAM, but have not succeeded.

Different instructions say I should edit system.ini and under VCache section have MaxFileCache set to some specific value. Different instructions have different values, but I have not got it working at all.

When Windows is trying to start, after editing system.ini, I get every time some new error message.

i tried adding 4gbs to my windows 98 virtual machine with no difference

candle_86 wrote:

Why would you need more than 512mb of ram for 98SE? It's 100% functional on as little as 64mb, and I find it very useable with only 128mb and thats playing 2001 era games with it

Just as mentioned here, I want to install another OS (Windows XP) on the same machine too. Windows 98 works well with little RAM, that's true.

Jorpho wrote:

You've mentioned bs_ram9x several times now. I guess it's nice that it works for you, but it seems to have a bad reputation and does not seem to have any advantage over other techniques.
http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/158417-bs_ram9xexe/

I see 🙁

If its really a virus then i and everyone else better should not use it anymore.

this site has patches to boot windows 95 98 98SE Me with more than 512 mb memory among other things https://rloewelectronics.com/