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Guide:Microsoft Windows in DOSBox‐X

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Wengier edited this page Oct 5, 2020 · 12 revisions

Microsoft Windows Installation Guide

This guide explains how to install Microsoft Windows in DOSBox-X.

External links

Some external links with useful information:

Where to get Windows?

These pages assume that you have Windows diskette images or CD-ROM. Getting these image files is outside the scope of this guide.

Windows version highlights

Windows versions 1.0-3.11

For these versions you have the choice if you run the directly in DOSBox-X itself, using the integrated DOS, or if you install a real DOS first and run Windows underneith that.

There are various limitations that Windows imposes that are dependant on the version. A few milestones:

  • MS Windows 1.01

    • Initial release

  • MS Windows 1.02

    • International release

  • MS Windows 1.03

    • Additional screen and printer drivers

  • MS Windows 1.04

    • Adds support for the IBM PS/2

  • MS Windows 2.03

    • Adds overlapping windows

    • Adds 16 colour VGA support

  • MS Windows 2.10 286

    • Adds HIMEM.SYS

  • MS Windows 2.11 286

    • Minor changes to memory management

    • Adds AppleTalk support

    • Adds updated printer drivers

  • MS Windows 2.01 386

    • Adds support for protected mode

    • Adds EMS emulation

  • MS Windows 2.03 386

  • MS Windows 2.10 386

  • MS Windows 2.11 386

  • MS Windows 3.0

    • Can support up to 16MB RAM

  • MS Windows 3.1

    • Real (8086) mode support dropped

    • Can support up to 256MB RAM

    • Adds TrueType

    • Includes Multimedia extensions

    • Adds 32-bit disk access

  • MS Windows for Workgroups 3.1

    • Adds support for SMB file sharing

  • MS Windows 3.11

    • Bug fix release

  • MS Windows for Workgroups 3.11

    • Standard (286) mode support dropped

Microsoft Windows 95+

These versions must be installed in a virtual HDD image.

  • MS Windows 95

    • Adds MS-DOS 7.0

  • MS Windows 95 OSR1 (aka 95A)

    • Adds IE 2.0

    • Adds Infrared support

  • MS Windows 95 OSR2 (aka 95B)

    • Updates IE to 3.0

    • Adds Firewire, UDMA and IRQ steering support

    • Adds support for FAT32

    • Updates MS-DOS to 7.1

    • Adds support for DirectX 2.0a

  • MS Windows 95 OSR2.1 (aka 95B)

    • Adds (limited) USB and AGP support

  • MS Windows 95 OSR2.5 (aka 95C)

    • Updates IE to 4.0

    • Adds Active Desktop

    • Updates DirectX to 5.0

  • MS Windows 98

    • Adds Windows Driver Model (WDM) support

    • Adds Disk Cleanup, Windows Update, Multi-monitor and Internet Connection sharing

    • Updates IE to 4.01

    • Adds Outlook Express, Windows Address Book, FrontPage Express, Microsoft Chat, Personal Web Server and NetShow

    • Adds support for DVD (UDF 1.02 read support)

    • Updates DirectX to 5.2

    • Includes a FAT16 to FAT32 migration utility

    • Includes RealPlayer 4.01, Flash Player and Shockwave Player

    • Adds support for the Euro currency symbol

  • MS Windows 98SE

    • Updates IE to 5.0

    • Updates DirectX to 6.1

    • Removes RealPlayer and WinG

  • MS Windows ME

    • Adds support for USB Mass Storage

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