Windows 98 - unidentified device drivers

[TomerPeer]

Hello,

I am trying to configure WMware to work with Windows 98se. Everything works fine but two single things - the device drivers for the ethernet controller and another device are marked with a yellow exclamation mark.

The unidentified devices are named:

PCI Ethernet Controller

PCI System Peripheral

The VMWare version installed is 9.0.2 build-1031769.

Screenshot attached.

Help?

[MarAndreas]

The ethernet controller uses AMD PCNET drivers - I think they should be on the Windows install disk, but if not, Google may be able to help.

The "PCI System Peripheral" is the VMCI bus device - this does not work on Windows 98, and can be ignored.

[TomerPeer]

Hi MarAndreas and thanks for your reply.

I've tried searching for them, but all I could find are PCNET drivers for windows XP and 2003 that windows 98 won't recognize.

[MarAndreas]

OK, I found this KB article:

Windows 98 virtual machine with AMD PCNet driver crashes (2003669)

It loos like AMD reworked their download page since then, searching for the package name in the KB turns up this:

NDIS5 Driver for Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows ME and Windows 98

That should be it.

[TomerPeer]

That is the same driver package I've found earlier, it only contains drivers for win XP and 2003... Windows 98 won't recognize them even if i direct it to each one of these folders.

[RDPetruska]

Post the vmx file for your guest.  Looking through the inf file in the WinXP folder of that driver, there are sections for Win9x - and the release notes for the driver on AMD's site indicate Win98 will work.

Also, the driver package at

http://www.powershelladmin.com/wiki/Microsoft_deployment_tools_vmware_xp_amd_pcnet_nic_missing#AMD_P...

appears to have a few more inf files in the root - that may work better.

[TomerPeer]

Theres the vmx file:

.encoding = "windows-1255"

config.version = "8"

virtualHW.version = "7"

scsi0.present = "TRUE"

memsize = "512"

ide0:0.present = "TRUE"

ide0:0.fileName = "25-games-test-cl2.vmdk"

ide1:0.present = "TRUE"

ide1:0.autodetect = "TRUE"

ide1:0.deviceType = "cdrom-raw"

floppy0.startConnected = "FALSE"

floppy0.fileName = ""

floppy0.autodetect = "TRUE"

ethernet0.present = "TRUE"

ethernet0.connectionType = "bridged"

ethernet0.wakeOnPcktRcv = "FALSE"

ethernet0.addressType = "generated"

usb.present = "TRUE"

mks.enable3d = "TRUE"

serial0.present = "TRUE"

serial0.fileType = "thinprint"

pciBridge0.present = "TRUE"

pciBridge4.present = "TRUE"

pciBridge4.virtualDev = "pcieRootPort"

pciBridge4.functions = "8"

pciBridge5.present = "TRUE"

pciBridge5.virtualDev = "pcieRootPort"

pciBridge5.functions = "8"

pciBridge6.present = "TRUE"

pciBridge6.virtualDev = "pcieRootPort"

pciBridge6.functions = "8"

pciBridge7.present = "TRUE"

pciBridge7.virtualDev = "pcieRootPort"

pciBridge7.functions = "8"

vmci0.present = "TRUE"

usb.vbluetooth.startConnected = "TRUE"

displayName = "Clone of WIN985"

guestOS = "win98"

nvram = "Clone of WIN985.nvram"

virtualHW.productCompatibility = "hosted"

powerType.powerOff = "hard"

powerType.powerOn = "hard"

powerType.suspend = "hard"

powerType.reset = "hard"

extendedConfigFile = "Clone of WIN985.vmxf"

ide1:0.fileName = "auto detect"

ethernet0.generatedAddress = "00:0C:29:7D:84:19"

vmci0.id = "-238461774"

tools.syncTime = "FALSE"

uuid.location = "56 4d e8 f2 aa a7 27 1f-76 49 8f cf 7d 7d 84 19"

uuid.bios = "56 4d e8 f2 aa a7 27 1f-76 49 8f cf 7d 7d 84 19"

cleanShutdown = "TRUE"

replay.supported = "FALSE"

replay.filename = ""

ide0:0.redo = ""

usb.autoConnect.device0 = ""

pciBridge0.pciSlotNumber = "17"

pciBridge4.pciSlotNumber = "21"

pciBridge5.pciSlotNumber = "22"

pciBridge6.pciSlotNumber = "23"

pciBridge7.pciSlotNumber = "24"

scsi0.pciSlotNumber = "16"

usb.pciSlotNumber = "32"

ethernet0.pciSlotNumber = "33"

vmci0.pciSlotNumber = "36"

usb:1.present = "TRUE"

ethernet0.generatedAddressOffset = "0"

ethernet0.virtualDev = "e1000"

tools.remindInstall = "FALSE"

vmotion.checkpointFBSize = "16777216"

usb:1.speed = "2"

usb:1.deviceType = "hub"

usb:1.port = "1"

usb:1.parent = "-1"

tools.upgrade.policy = "manual"

ide1:0.startConnected = "TRUE"

unity.wasCapable = "FALSE"

bios.forceSetupOnce = "FALSE"

checkpoint.vmState = ""

ide0:1.present = "TRUE"

ide0:1.fileName = "25-games-test-0-cl2.vmdk"

ide0:1.redo = ""

checkpoint.vmState.readOnly = "FALSE"

policy.vm.mvmtid = ""

vc.uuid = ""

serial0.startConnected = "FALSE"

sound.present = "TRUE"

sound.fileName = "-1"

sound.pciSlotNumber = "34"

sound.autodetect = "TRUE"

softPowerOff = "FALSE"

usb.generic.allowHID = "TRUE"

mks.keyboardFilter = "allow"

hpet0.present = "FALSE"

ehci.present = "FALSE"

[WoodyZ]

I just installed Windows 98 SE and Windows automatically recognized and installed the necessary drivers for the "AMD PCNET Family Ethernet Adapter (PCI-ISA)".  So if for whatever reason you can't select the correct driver from what's included in Windows then either the V4.51.zip or AMD_PCnet_family_VMware_nic_V4.51.zip from the links work.  During the install one is prompted twice to "Please insert the disk labeled 'AMD Driver Disk 1', and then click OK." and you just need to point it back to that folder and it will install in a VMware default Windows 98 configured Virtual Machine and if it doesn't then as already mentioned about the .vmx configuration file, however DO NOT post the contents into the body of the reply, rather attach it as a file.

Note: Use the "Use advanced editor" link in the upper right corner of the normal reply window to bring up the Advanced Editor where you'll be able to attach files via the Choose File button or Browse button (depending on the Browser) above the Post Message button!

[WoodyZ · Accepted solution]

Remove the following and you should be able to install the AMD Driver:

ethernet0.virtualDev = "e1000"

[RDPetruska]

Yes, that's what I expected the problem was... which is why I asked the OP to post the vmx file.  🙂

[WoodyZ]

I know why you asked and had you not I would have, but not "post" rather "attach" as a file!   It's one thing to post a few lines of a config/log file however it's rude to post the entire content of these files into the body of a reply.

[TomerPeer]

It seems that this solved the issue! thank you!