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Insufficient Memory To Start Windows

Posted: Wed May 14, 2008 7:15 pm
by computergeek
I am trying to install Windows 98 to my new computer (don't ask why) and after I do the first installation, I tell it to Boot from Hard Disk and for half a second I see the Windows 98 loading screen, then it says "Insufficient memory to load Windows". I have 4 gigabytes of RAM (two two gigs), and supposedly each slot can only support up to one. It says nothing about supporting two gigs, so I am guessing that that might be the problem. My motherboard can support up to 4 gigs of RAM. This is a custom-build computer, so no warranty.
The motherboard is a Biostar Intel 945 series, and the RAM is A Data 667 DDR2 2 gigabytes. Any help would be appreciated.

Re: Insufficient Memory To Start Windows

Posted: Wed May 14, 2008 9:44 pm
by crazytieguy
DDR2 came out in 2003-2004, so I doubt that an operating system made in 1998 would support it. What I'd do would be to install a newer operating system that supports DDR2 and use VirtualBox to run Win98 inside that.

Re: Insufficient Memory To Start Windows

Posted: Thu May 15, 2008 9:33 am
by computergeek
Ok, I am getting XP soon
Thanks

Re: Insufficient Memory To Start Windows

Posted: Thu May 15, 2008 4:47 pm
by [RDH]Zerted
computergeek wrote:...supposedly each slot can only support up to one. It says nothing about supporting two gigs, so I am guessing that that might be the problem. My motherboard can support up to 4 gigs of RAM...
So I assume that means you have 4 memory slots on the motherboard? Two are empty and two have 2GB memory sticks in them?

When the computer starts up, how much memory does the BIOS detect?

An OS doesn't need to support DDR2, its the motherboard that does it. However, I'd guess 4GB (doesn't matter the type) of memory is too much for Win98. Its only been in the past year or so that 4GB has been finally supported in the desktop market. (You could get 4GB, but the computer couldn't use all of it).

Assuming that the BIOS detects the memory, try removing one of the memory sticks.

When using Win98 with newer hardware, you need to keep in mind some of its max limits, like hard drive space (don't remember the max space Win98 supports) and memory.

Re: Insufficient Memory To Start Windows

Posted: Thu May 15, 2008 7:53 pm
by crazytieguy
[RDH]Zerted wrote:
computergeek wrote:...supposedly each slot can only support up to one. It says nothing about supporting two gigs, so I am guessing that that might be the problem. My motherboard can support up to 4 gigs of RAM...
So I assume that means you have 4 memory slots on the motherboard? Two are empty and two have 2GB memory sticks in them?

When the computer starts up, how much memory does the BIOS detect?

An OS doesn't need to support DDR2, its the motherboard that does it. However, I'd guess 4GB (doesn't matter the type) of memory is too much for Win98. Its only been in the past year or so that 4GB has been finally supported in the desktop market. (You could get 4GB, but the computer couldn't use all of it).

Assuming that the BIOS detects the memory, try removing one of the memory sticks.

When using Win98 with newer hardware, you need to keep in mind some of its max limits, like hard drive space (don't remember the max space Win98 supports) and memory.
I had a computer that worked fine with Windows XP and Vista (It had 1.5gb of DDR), decided to plug in a hard drive with an installed copy of Windows 95, and got the insufficient memory error. I'm guessing that it's just either incompatible memory or (way) too much memory.

The Win95 installation had worked perfectly fine in the old computer that I'd taken it from.

Re: Insufficient Memory To Start Windows

Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 9:20 pm
by computergeek
It works now, thanks tieguy!
P.S. i am on it right now