Follow the setup guide here.
Create a win98.conf:
[sdl]
autolock=true
[dosbox]
title=Windows 98
memsize=128
[video]
vmemsize=8
vesa modelist width limit=0
vesa modelist height limit=0
[dos]
ver=7.1
hard drive data rate limit=0
floppy drive data rate limit=0
[cpu]
cputype=pentium_mmx
core=normal
[sblaster]
sbtype=sb16vibra
[fdc, primary]
int13fakev86io=true
[ide, primary]
int13fakeio=true
int13fakev86io=true
[ide, secondary]
int13fakeio=true
int13fakev86io=true
cd-rom insertion delay=4000
[render]
scaler=none
[autoexec]
Assuming you’ve dragged the DoxBox-X into Applications, run it with the win98.conf file like this (or add to a .sh file):
/Applications/dosbox-x.app/Contents/MacOS/DOSBox-X -conf win98.conf
Shift-A not working on some 2026-10 builds
See https://www.reddit.com/r/dosbox/comments/1x47w4d/dosboxx_shifta_doesnt_work_other_shiftletter_work/ – this was fixed on https://github.com/joncampbell123/dosbox-x/pull/6644 and as of 17/10/26 this fix is only in a nightly build, which can be downloaded from the artefacts from this Action: https://github.com/joncampbell123/dosbox-x/actions/runs/39013242244
Create and mount disks
Create a boot disk:
IMGMAKE win98-hdd.img -t hd_8gig
Mount the hhd image:
IMGMOUNT C win98-hdd.img
Mount the CD image and boot:
IMGMOUNT D Win98.iso
IMGMOUNT A -bootcd D
BOOT A
Now the install should start:
After the install completes and it reboots, close dosbox-x, edit your win98.conf and add these lines in the [autoexec] section to map your drives on startup:
IMGMOUNT C "/Users/your-user/path-to/win98-hdd.img"
IMGMOUNT D "/Users/your-user/path-to/Win98.iso"
BOOT C:
Restart again with -conf win98.conf – up and running!
