Windows 98 — Qcow2

By default, QEMU emulates a slow PIO IDE mode.

Here's a step-by-step guide to creating a Windows 98 Qcow2 image: windows 98 qcow2

Windows 98 remains a critical environment for digital preservationists, retro-gamers, and legacy software maintenance. The QCOW2 format is the industry standard for QEMU virtualization, offering features like snapshots and thin provisioning. However, Windows 98 was released in an era where direct hardware access (DMA, IRQ routing) was the norm. Virtualizing it requires specific "downgrading" of emulated hardware to match the operating system’s expectations. By default, QEMU emulates a slow PIO IDE mode

**Conclusion**