Earlier Windows on 1990s PC? - Page 3 - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Oldcodger · 28th Sep 2015, 11:25 pm

If you run floppies and have problems with them, and are running a DOS 6 version, then seek out a copy of Norton 4.5.

Dave Moll · 29th Sep 2015, 5:46 am

Quote:

I was going to have three folders win1, win2 and win3 for Windows 1, 2 and 3 if the plan works. Will one copy of DOS suffice for three copies of Windows?

As I said earlier in this thread, that is exactly the setup on my PC/AT. I don't remember whether the install gave me the option of installing in a folder other than WIN or whether I renamed it afterwards. All versions run as separate applications on the same copy of DOS, selectable by setting the default directory before issuing the WIN command.

Baggrus · 29th Sep 2015, 11:48 am

Don';t forget that not all early versions of Windows will sitr happily over dos6x .. win1+2 prefer dos4x (it's an advantage to experiment with dosbox emulator.. which will allow you to install lots of different versions in directories rather than on whole partitions, and you can use the batch file to give a choice which to boot.

With dosbox you can even set the dos version (set ver x) ..

As regards Win 1x .. it won't install, you need to mount the disk image and then run it.

AC/HL · 29th Sep 2015, 11:58 am

From memory (always risky) WIN1 is little more than Dos Shell which was part of DOS4 and possibly 5.

Baggrus · 29th Sep 2015, 12:11 pm

It's actually quite pretty, in a basic kind of way. Similar in look to win2 .. but it's a pain to boot from a floppy image, and it simply can't handle anything more modern than a 486. I have only managed to boot it once, after a while reading and finding how. The dosbox forum calls it "the windows 1 challenge"

Running from anything but dosbox isn't possible here as I'm linux only.

28th Sep 2015, 11:25 pm	#41
Oldcodger Nonode Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: West Midlands, UK. Posts: 2,181	Re: Earlier Windows on 1990s PC? If you run floppies and have problems with them, and are running a DOS 6 version, then seek out a copy of Norton 4.5.

29th Sep 2015, 11:48 am	#43
Baggrus Pentode Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Wigan, Greater Manchester, UK. Posts: 163	Re: Earlier Windows on 1990s PC? Don';t forget that not all early versions of Windows will sitr happily over dos6x .. win1+2 prefer dos4x (it's an advantage to experiment with dosbox emulator.. which will allow you to install lots of different versions in directories rather than on whole partitions, and you can use the batch file to give a choice which to boot. With dosbox you can even set the dos version (set ver x) .. As regards Win 1x .. it won't install, you need to mount the disk image and then run it.

29th Sep 2015, 11:58 am	#44
AC/HL Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 9,642	Re: Earlier Windows on 1990s PC? From memory (always risky) WIN1 is little more than Dos Shell which was part of DOS4 and possibly 5.

29th Sep 2015, 12:11 pm	#45
Baggrus Pentode Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Wigan, Greater Manchester, UK. Posts: 163	Re: Earlier Windows on 1990s PC? It's actually quite pretty, in a basic kind of way. Similar in look to win2 .. but it's a pain to boot from a floppy image, and it simply can't handle anything more modern than a 486. I have only managed to boot it once, after a while reading and finding how. The dosbox forum calls it "the windows 1 challenge" Running from anything but dosbox isn't possible here as I'm linux only.