I tried it a few years ago on my XP computer with Windows 98 installed in Virtual PC; it crashed as soon as the game tried to load.
Did you set the game options so it would run in software mode? If not, that would explain the crash. Virtual PC has no video acceleration.
The machine I'm using is my sister's old one. She got a virus or such so I took it back to factory install. She bought a new W7 with a XP partion and didn't want it anymore. I have to assume that it is with no service packs.
One way to tell is to click the Start button, then Control Panel. Switch to Classic View (if it's set to Category View), and double-click the System icon. You should see something like this:
http://www.askdavetaylor.com/0-blog-pics/windows-xp-system-general.pngThis example has SP2
It's got DirectX 8.1 and 480MB of RAM (lol)
But what does it have for a video card? Check the Display tab of dxdiag. (Start button --> Run --> Type
dxdiag
in the box and OK it. See what it says for Name: on the Display tab.
If it's got Intel graphics, that's probably why it's having problems. Intel graphics has no video memory, and would explain why the computer has an odd amount of system memory listed (part of it being reserved for video).
I also still have my old W98. I gave it to my mother first and she used it for 2 years, then I gave it to my father-in-law who used it for years. Once they all updated to newer machine I took it back. I thought I might want to play an old game on it. I've always wanted to replay Outcast, shivers 2, Alice and Jekyll and Hyde.
It might be good for Arthur's Knights too.
But don't forget Windows 98 may need to be rebooted once in a while -- especially if it crashes.
Since I dug these out from storage I think I'll take the time to redo play them. I can then finally get these games off my shelves.
Have fun.