We have a DOS based application RUNNING under windows 98. The author has long since retired. The program has been running on the same machine for years. In order to upgrade the hardware is it resonable to clone the old drive and instal in a new machine? Could one expect the application to run as before or would new hardware result in errors?
ThanksWelcome to the CH forums.

If you were considering upgrading the Operating SYSTEM as well there might be a problem with port access. If the intention is to continue using W.98 ensure that drivers are available for the new hardware.

It is not acceptable to simply clone a system drive and install it in new hardware, the system and updates must be installed in the new hardware. User programs must also be installed.Thanks DustyAnother option is Virtualization ... we have a piece of software that is used in accounting that is too pricey to replace for a small food store, yet it will only run on 95 or 98 and pukes on NT. We are using VIRTUAL PC 2007 to run a Virtual Windows 98 OS. The replacement software package is like 10 grand, and Virtual PC 2007 has been free to download and use from Microsoft for a while now.

I was able to use Norton Ghost to create an image of the Windows 98 Pentium II 350Mhz system and then install the image to the Virtual PC 2007 as a Win98 environment with 64MB Ram. And its completes so much faster in the virtual environment and shared CPU CORE with Pentium 4 - 3.2 Ghz.

Also a friend of mine had to do the same thing at his company for an old app that he went with VMware which also has a FREE package now, and VMware will take a snapshot without having to use Ghost etc to clone and you can virtualize that way. Just not sure is that was for 98 or not...Might have been for an app that had to run in another os environment.Neat workaround, especially with imaging an existing Win98 machine. Didn't it have problems with the percieved hardware changes though?

Also, it seems silly that a software company that sells an expensive program (especially at that PRICE ) wouldn't allow for free, or at least reduced cost upgrade to a version that works with the preferred OS.