Installing Japanese Windows 98

This page is an update our "Setting up Windows 95 for Multiple Languages" with:

 Information about Windows 98

 Specific instructions for Japanese

Assumptions

The assumption here is that your machine has U.S. Windows 98 or Windows 95 installed, and you need a Japanese version of Windows 98. You might need to test software on a Windows 98 platform, or perhaps you speak Japanese and you'd like to run Japanese applications.

By the way, there are easier ways to work with Japanese, such as multilingual support on Windows NT 4.0, but if you need to test Japanese software you have no choice.

Another assumption is that you are using System Commander , version 4.0 or later. You really can't run multiple versions of Windows 9x without System Commander .

Getting started

Step 1: Make sure your current Program Files directory has been relocated below your Windows 98 directory. This is an important step, explained in "Setting up Windows 95 for Multiple Languages".

Comment: You can't install Japanese Windows 98 from normal U.S. Windows 98. If you try, you will get an error complaining that your system doesn't support the (Japanese) fonts. This is indeed unfortunate, but not fatal.

Step 2: Make a copy of your boot setup in System Commander. When you boot, select Alt S for Setup, then F for File maintenance, and A for Add. Select Copy in a new directory, and name it something like JPN98.

Step 3: Boot to this new selection.

Step 4: Shut down, with the option to start up again in DOS mode.

Step 5: When you reboot, you may not see your CD-ROM. I am assuming that you have seen this before, so I'll give a brief description of the solution. Using the DOS utilities available to you in command mode, view your autoexec.bat file using either edit, more or type (e.g. type autoexec.bat). In autoexec.bat you should see a line that says something like:

rem - By Windows Setup - c:\US98\COMMAND\mscdex /d:LASERWAV /m:10 /L:E

This line was commented out, because it is not needed in GUI mode, but you do need it in command mode. So execute the command itself:

c:\US98\COMMAND\mscdex /d:LASERWAV /m:10 /L:E

This will give you use of your CD-ROM, assuming the corresponding command in config.sys was not commented out. If mscdex fails, you will need to uncomment the DEVICE = line in config.sys that contains the name for your CD-ROM (in this case LASERWAV).

Step 6: In command mode, change directory to your CD-ROM, and to the correct subdirectory:

cd d:\japanese.at\win98

Note: This assumes you are using the Microsoft Developers' Network (MSDN) CD's. If you are using retail Japanese Windows, you might find the files in another directory (probably "i386").

Step 7: Run setup. Let's save some time and assume your disks are healthy. The "/is" skips the disk check.

setup.exe /is

Step 8:Go take a break while the system loads the files for setup.

Setup Screens

The following instructions briefly describe the Japanese screens that you will see. I assume you do not speak or read Japanese. The descriptions are only complete enough to recognize what they are saying and respond correctly.

Screen 1: License agreeement, choices (A) and (D). You (A)ccept, of course, and then click on "Next >". The word Next is in Japanese, but you can recognize the ">".

Screen 2: Enter the serial number.

Screen 3: Do you want to put this in (the current directory) US98 or another directory. It is important that you do not accept the default, since this will kill you English version. Select the lower radio button, not the default with the directory of your current version.

Screen 4: Give a new location like JPN98.

Screen 5: This screen has a red stop sign, to warn you that you'll need to set up all the .ini files. This is the least of your worries, and you really do want to change directories, so click on "Yes" (the accelerator "Y" gives it away).

Screen 6: After loading files, you will be asked what kind of computer setup is this: Typical, Portable, C, or U. Choose T or P, depending on your machine.

Screen 7: Enter your name and company (same as default, extracted from your English setup).

Screen 8: Some questions whose answers are (I) and (S). I selected the default (I).

Screen 9: Web default. The selected entry is the word for Japan, but I scrolled to the top and selected the entry in parenthesis hoping for "no channels."

Screen 10: This screen has some information, but no choices. Select "Next >".

Screen 11: There is a blue field displayed for a long time, while the system loads files. Finally the system reboots.

Screen 12: The screen that displays has in information icon and an OK button. Select OK.

Screen 13: There is a dialog with 3 fields, which are Name, Company and something else.

Screen 14: Set the clock, using the GMT-x as your guide. Most U.S. destinations contain something in parenthesis.;

Screen 15: The dialog with a drum indicates loading final files.

Screen 16: After reboot, you get a familiar log-on dialog.

You now have a working copy of Japanese Windows 98, but you're not done!

Post-setup activities

The first thing I always do is change the screen resolution to at least 1024x768.

Next, you need to move the Program Files directory:

 Double-click on My Computer (you know, the icon in the upper left), and then on drive C. You will see a directory called Program Files, which is not very Japanese. Unfortunately, this is the same name as your English Windows 98, which is why you moved your English Program Files directory under your US98 directory. If you don't do this, you will have Japanese names for things like Notepad when you are running in English, which is a vary bad situation.

 Drag the Program Files icon over to the JPN98 directory. Expect some complaints in Japanese, and say "Y" (meaning I really do want to do this outrageous deed).

 Select Start (you know, that button in the lower left), run (third icon from the bottom), and type "regedit".

 Select (R) then (E) for Export Registry, leaving the (A) radio box checked. Save the file in an appropriate place, with an appropriate name like "Reg<date>.reg". I keep these in the System Commander sub-directory for this version.

 It would help to have a shortcut to Notepad on the desktop, because it is the most reliable tool for editing Japanese text files. Right click on the desktop, and select (N) and then (S) to create a new shortcut. Type "Notepad" and click "Next (N)>" twice.

 Navigate to the registry file you just saved, and drop it onto Notepad. It is possible that Windows will send it to Wordpad instead.

 In Wordpad, edit at the botton of the first screen, "ProgramFilesDir" = " C:\\Program Files" to ..."C:\\JPN98\\Program Files\\JPN98\\Program Files". Since you are using a text files, you need to use double back-slashes (which will look like Yen signs).

 Select (E) and (E) again (or control H) to replace all "C:\\Progra" to "C:\\JPN98\\Progra". Don't search on the whole word Program, because that would cause you to miss those that have been converted to MS-DOS filenames like "Progra~1". Do a replace all (A).

 Save the file to the same place, with a new name.

 In Regedit, import (I) the file.

 Note: you have explained to Windows that the Program Files directory has moved. Some shortcuts may not have been fixed, however, so be prepared to repair them as required.

Reactivate System Commander

Go to the System Commander directory, and execute "scin.exe". This will wake up System Commander, and allow it to add the new OS.

Now you are ready to use and enjoy Japanese Windows 98!

Extra bonus: the above procedures should work with little or no modification for Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, and Korean.