: Copy all .cab files from the Windows 98 installation CD to a folder on your hard drive (e.g., C:\Win98CD ). Windows will frequently ask for these when installing new drivers.

Why this works: Windows 98 stores hardware enumeration in these binary keys. Deleting them forces a full PnP redetection on next normal boot.

When you boot this image on different hardware, Windows 98 tries to load drivers for non-existent devices while ignoring your actual hardware. The result? , and the operating system reverts to standard VGA and generic drivers.