Trying to install W98, getting this error at the start of setup, can elaborate more if necessary

Did you format before you started to install?
Go to Bootdisk.Com and get a Windows 98 boot disk.
Then, run fdisk to make sure you are using FAT32, and then format it using the format command.

I did all of the above, this is actually the 2nd HD I've done it on with the same result

Trying running a scandisk. Also, have you tried repartitioning it? Delete all of the partitions and re-partition it and then format the partition.

I haven't run scan disk but both HDs I tried this were repartioned, they were both originally NTFS
One is an IBM 6.7gb and the other is a WD 4.3gb