With a machine able to POST it was time to install an operating system. There is not really much of a debate about which one to pick.
I made a mistake when I decided to get the software in the original boxes. The version of Windows 98 was still sealed. And I could not get myself to crack it open. So I did the only logical thing. I bought it again in the OEM version.
Sadly no bootable CD but it came with a boot floppy that automatically configured the CD drive. The installation was as smooth as I remembered it.
I was always amazed by the quality of Microsoft stuff from that era. Back then, you could take the HDD out of an old machine, insert it in a completely different PC, and the thing would boot all the way to a 640x480 desktop. All you had to do was install a few drivers.
Windows 98 came with support for the Matrox Mystique out-of-the-box. I only had to use the drivers that came with the SoundBlaster Live and network card to get them working.
The next thing I wanted to be able to do was transferring files from/to the Quake PC. All I had to do was to enable File Sharing in Windows 98 and check the SMB 1.0 option in Windows 11 Features list.
Once again, I tip my hat to Microsoft for its remarkable focus on backward compatibility. That being said, transfer speed was slower than I anticipated. So I only transferred a single file, ftpserver3pro.zip for Quick ‘n Easy FTP Server Pro. It is a marvel of a stand-alone FTP server with blazing fast transfer speed.
The only weird thing about it is that it is skinned for Windows XP so you get a little bit of a visual mismatch. Overall it is well worth it given how useful it is.
If you don't have a Windows machine available, you can also just run an FTP server and use Internet Explorer to download Quick ‘n Easy FTP Server Pro. Modern browsers have dropped support for FTP but IE4 will have it forever!
The latest version of winrar supporting Windows 98 is wrar311.exe. It allows to decompress anything that was ever compressed (except 7z :/). I also followed the example of LGR[2] and register my version after all these years of free-loading.
Version strings like 17.10.01prd7 chronicle a lifecycle: features added, bugs fixed, security patches applied—or sometimes backported. Yet relying on a single image file to remain secure demands active maintenance. Images become stale. Vulnerabilities discovered after release still lurk until the image is updated and redeployed. Effective security requires traceable update channels, signing, and observable deployment practices.
: Building modern, controller-less campus overlays.
Choose the "Dublin-17.10.1" release from the left-hand sidebar. Cat9kv-prd-17.10.01prd7.qcow2 Download
Once you have securely acquired the QCOW2 image, you can deploy it across various network virtualization platforms. Below are the steps for the two most popular environments. Option A: Integrating into EVE-NG
Cat9kv-prd-17.10.01prd7.qcow2 is a qcow2 file that appears to be related to a specific virtual machine or software project. While the exact nature of this file might not be immediately apparent, its designation suggests it could be a product of Cisco Systems, given the "Cat9kv" prefix, which is reminiscent of Cisco's Catalyst 9000 series. Version strings like 17
This article explains everything you need to know: legitimate sources, installation steps, performance tuning, and common troubleshooting.
Deploying the 17.10.01 release version unlocks a robust testbed for modern enterprise networking capabilities: Choose the "Dublin-17
The file is the virtualized disk image for the Cisco Catalyst 9000v (Cat9kv) virtual switch running Cisco IOS-XE 17.10.01 (Dublin) . This image allows engineers to simulate advanced Layer 2 and Layer 3 features of modern Catalyst enterprise switches in virtual lab environments. What is Cat9kv-prd-17.10.01prd7.qcow2?
Cisco tightly controls its enterprise software binaries. Third-party sites hosting direct downloads for Cat9kv-prd-17.10.01prd7.qcow2 violate Cisco copyright agreements and often bundle malware or corrupt images.
There is a cultural friction here. Open-source communities prize transparent images and rebuildable artifacts. Enterprises and IP holders may restrict images to protect revenue or control certified usage. The result is a bifurcated world: reproducible, inspectable stacks for some; opaque, vendor-curated appliances for others.
Import the .gns3a file into GNS3 (File -> Import appliance).