Can i suggest a far simpler solution?
Format HDD and reinstall XP. You said it went bonkers...the install? Or a PC running XP?
Can the Win98 machine handle XP or perhaps XP lite?[/quote]
Good morning. Will what went bonkers with the XP is that will I was playing DL it turned off and then restarted and kept doing it when I turned it on even when I did not play DL. And as I said my Win98 is using only what came with it in the box, so I don't if it would work.
The 'clicking sounds' and the fact that an error comes up with the message "Cannot find the 'M:/Setup.exe'( or one of its components) Make sure the path and filename are correct and that all required libraries are available."... should indicate something other than the system requirements.
If the drive can not read the file, it has nothing to do with system requirements. It has more to do with the hardware, or possibly a defective CD disc.
got the impression that the error the OP was getting wasn't consistent - that it was just a few games (newer) and not all. I know I've had some issues with certain game installers not playing well with my OS (despite the game itself working fine with my OS).
Will it is only some of my new games, here are the ones I have tried besides DL. C&C The First Decade, C&C 3 Tib Wars, C&C 3 KW. I have been able to get Rome: Total War to work but my computer isn't up to it, it can see the Star Wars: Empire at War disk but says that I need XP.
And I have the Game of the Year version of DL that has the sound track disk.
Edit: And I tried getting Stardock Central, but after I signed up it kept sending me back to make a new account when I try to download it and I can't find the log in box.
Thanks everyone for the help.