Windows 98 Qcow2 |verified| Jun 2026

qemu-system-x86_64 -m 256 -cpu pentium -hda win98.qcow2 -net nic,model=ne2k_pci -net user -vga cirrus -soundhw sb16

Run the following command:

QEMU’s qcow2 format offers the most flexible, snapshot-friendly, and accurate replication of the Windows 98 environment available in 2025. It transforms your $3,000 ultrabook into a time machine back to 1998.

qemu-img create -f qcow2 -b win98.qcow2 snapshot_state.qcow2 windows 98 qcow2

You can manage QCOW2 snapshots directly from the terminal without even booting the VM. While the VM is shut down, you can save its exact state into a new, smaller snapshot file.

Open your terminal or command prompt and run: qemu-img create -f qcow2 win98.qcow2 2G 2. Boot and Install Windows 98

Create a new qcow2 image (e.g., 10–20 GB recommended): qemu-system-x86_64 -m 256 -cpu pentium -hda win98

The standard Windows 98 CD-ROM has drivers for the Sound Blaster 16, and QEMU's emulation works well, providing audio support for most DOS and early Windows games.

Once QEMU is installed, you can create a new virtual machine using the following command:

remains the last bastion. QEMU emulates a full 486/Pentium/Pentium II environment, including the exact chipsets (like the Intel 440FX) that Windows 98 expects. Furthermore, the QCOW2 format handles the "dirty" unmounts of Windows 98 better than raw formats, reducing virtual disk corruption during blue screens. While the VM is shut down, you can

qemu-img convert -f vmdk -O qcow2 windows_98.vmdk windows_98.qcow2

Do you have a (like Proxmox, Virt-Manager, or UTM) you plan to use this image with?

Now it's time to install Windows 98: