I currently use 5.2 on most of my computers, half because I never got around to updating it and half because of the dropped support for 32-bit hosts. I don't see why it wouldn't work on the latest version, but if you have problems with the VM, I'll update it on one of my computers and try it.
I strongly suggest you use 86Box or PCem to install Alpha Release but here is my VMware VM.
Note: Even though it has all the environment variables set up, it does NOT contain any development utilities such as Microsoft C Compiler or Pascal Compiler. If you would like to compile apps, download those utilities and libraries yourself. It is pretty much impossible to get anything to compile without the correct libraries.
I just updated my Virtualbox VM so that the clock works by using PC-DOS 3.0 instead of MS-DOS 2.11. This also makes it support 1.2MB floppy disk images. I included C:\WINDOWS\TEST in the PATH as well, so that COMMAND.COM loads with the proper title.
EDIT: MapModes hangs Windows when the display size is too large. To run MapModes, switch to the VGA driver or another low-res driver using "install C:\windows\test" in the C:\windows\install directory. Otherwise, it can still be run if it is tiled with other windows, and can be maximized after it is opened.
I also included an updated version of my modified WIN1VGA that corrects the aspect ratio (so the clock doesn't look skinny).
This version will run MapModes, but it makes windows hang when another executable is run or Windows is exited. If you are planning on running MapModes, make it the last program you run (or switch video drivers). No clue about why that program specifically is so prone to crashing in Virtualbox (MapModes works fine in DOSBox with the VESA driver), but I guess that's just what happens when the emulator is way too new for the software...
Windows 1.0 Alpha preform a version check see Windows 1.0 Alpha running MS-DOS 2.11 or MS-DOS 3.00. You must have MS-DOS 2.11 or MS-DOS 3.00 to run Windows 1.0 Alpha.
@johnlennon364 said:
Windows 1.0 Alpha preform a version check see Windows 1.0 Alpha running MS-DOS 2.11 or MS-DOS 3.00. You must have MS-DOS 2.11 or MS-DOS 3.00 to run Windows 1.0 Alpha.
Not MS-DOS 3.0. Windows 1.0 Alpha will run on PC-DOS 3.0, but for MS-DOS, only 2.x. That seems to be a common misconception, as the description doesn't make the distinction between MS-DOS and PC-DOS. I recommend PC-DOS 3.0 as the clock won't work on Virtualbox in DOS 2.x.
EDIT:
@kadencabs said:
i mean im having problems with ms dos
If you were asking how to install old versions of MS-DOS, here it goes. You first boot from Disk 1 of whatever disk set you have. Run the FDISK command. Select option 1 (Create MS-DOS Partition), and accept the defaults. When it reboots, make sure to boot from the floppy again. Run the command "FORMAT C: /S" (without quotes) to format the hard drive and install the base system. Then, to make sure DOS programs run correctly in Windows, make sure you're on the A: drive and run the command "EDLIN C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT". Type "i", press ENTER, type "PATH C:\WINDOWS\TEST" (or "PATH C:\DOS;C:\WINDOWS\TEST" if you wish to copy extra utilities), press ENTER, press CTRL-C, type "e", and press ENTER. Now run "EDLIN CONFIG.SYS". Type "i", press ENTER, type "FILES=30", press ENTER, type "BUFFERS=30", press ENTER, press CTRL-C, type "e" and press ENTER. At this point, MS-DOS is installed and you can stop here if you don't need the extra utilities. If you want the extra utilities, first create a directory on drive C: using "MD C:\DOS". Copy the files from Disk 1 to the new directory using "COPY A:*.* C:\DOS". Now insert the second disk and repeat the same command. If there are more than two disks (which I doubt for DOS 2.x/3.0), repeat that command for each disk. Now everything should work so eject the disk and reboot. From there, you should have a working DOS VM that is ready to install Windows 1.0 Alpha.
That might sound confusing so ask if you have any questions.
So you are saying DOS cannot read C drive after formatting it? Was the format successful? What emulator/hypervisor are you using? If you are using 86Box or PCem, you need to make sure you have installed a hard drive and you have configured it correctly.
If you did not tamper with the partition table or the BPB, I can't see a reason why DOS wouldn't recognize the partition it just formatted. Don't ever try adjusting the partition size by editing partition table and BPB - it will confuse DOS if not done properly.
I suggest you try IBM PC-DOS 3.0 as it is likely the version of DOS Microsoft used to develop and test Windows 1.0 Alpha Release. Once you have successfully formatted the hard drive, make sure you use the SYS command to transfer system. If you are going to manually transfer the system (for whatever reason), copy IBMBIO.COM (IO.SYS), IBMDOS.COM (MSDOS.SYS) and COMMAND.COM to the newly formatted partition in that order.
Once you have formatted the hard drive and transferred system to it, make sure you copy WININST.BAT to your C drive and reboot. After the reboot, insert disk #1 in drive A and run WININST.BAT from drive C and follow the instructions. Make sure you pick the right display adapter when asked (you can patch the EGA driver to become a monochrome VGA driver). Windows 1.0 Alpha Release also supports the use of DOS mouse drivers which enables you to use a PS/2 mouse.
How I installed MS-DOS: Make a 16MB partition. (Set the size to 0.016 GB) Then, boot off the floppy disk. Now type "fdisk". Press 1, Enter, and let it reboot. Now type "format c: /s" It should successfully format Copy all the files from A: to C: (copy a:*.* c:) Then, remove the floppy disk and press CTRL+ALT+DELETE in the virtual machine. This should make the virtual machine reboot. You should be greeted with the DOS prompt.
Make sure you selected EGA-it works better than CGA as VMware Player has some minor glitches (e.g. jackjones101567's post: ). Also make sure you have loaded up a mouse driver. I got a little virtual disk that has CuteMouse on it which you can load the floppy disk and copy the contents to the root of the C: drive. Then run it and load up Windows (go to C:\WINDOWS\TEST, and type win)
Re-run the installer and pick EGA. What I mean by "re-run the installer" (this is easier):
Go to C:\WINDOWS\INSTALL. Type "install C:\WINDOWS\TEST". Now pick EGA, and load up Windows (type "cd C:\WINDOWS\TEST" and then "win") EGA is better in VMware Player because It fully supports it.
If you want the mouse driver to load on startup, then go to the root of the harddisk. Now type edlin C:\autoexec.bat. Now type "i". Now type "echo off" (press Enter). Now, type "ctmouse" and press Enter. and then press CTRL + C, and type "q" and press Enter. Now you should get out of the app.
There was a option for EGA, wasn't there?
Also, as far as I know, 320x200 CGA 1-4 colors often works better than 640x200 CGA 1-2 (which im suspecting that Windows Alpha is using as it's default CGA driver)
Please make sure you have loaded a mouse driver. If it is not loading, then I'm suspecting that's because of the mouse driver that it is using.
@vio08 I used a generic version of MS-DOS 2.11 I compiled myself. It does not contain any OEM-specific stuff and works perfectly on VMware.
The reason it keeps loading is probably the display (or any other) driver being incompatible. Try the monochrome EGA driver or jb881122's monochrome VGA patch. Make sure you install a DOS mouse driver before you start Windows.
@vio08 Yes-please make sure you get a mouse driver. I've already linked you a floppy disk image that has CuteMouse on it which you can copy to the root to the C drive and then run it, or you could edit the autoexec.bat using the "Edlin" utility which I just showed you how to modify the autoexec.bat. Anyway, besides ComputerHunter's VM, I have a pre-made VM (which is what the end result should look like):
Comments
I currently use 5.2 on most of my computers, half because I never got around to updating it and half because of the dropped support for 32-bit hosts. I don't see why it wouldn't work on the latest version, but if you have problems with the VM, I'll update it on one of my computers and try it.
Does anyone want me to share my VMware VM?
Yes, why not?
I strongly suggest you use 86Box or PCem to install Alpha Release but here is my VMware VM.
Note: Even though it has all the environment variables set up, it does NOT contain any development utilities such as Microsoft C Compiler or Pascal Compiler. If you would like to compile apps, download those utilities and libraries yourself. It is pretty much impossible to get anything to compile without the correct libraries.
I just updated my Virtualbox VM so that the clock works by using PC-DOS 3.0 instead of MS-DOS 2.11. This also makes it support 1.2MB floppy disk images. I included C:\WINDOWS\TEST in the PATH as well, so that COMMAND.COM loads with the proper title.
EDIT: MapModes hangs Windows when the display size is too large. To run MapModes, switch to the VGA driver or another low-res driver using "install C:\windows\test" in the C:\windows\install directory. Otherwise, it can still be run if it is tiled with other windows, and can be maximized after it is opened.
I also included an updated version of my modified WIN1VGA that corrects the aspect ratio (so the clock doesn't look skinny).
4 hours is way too short to cut off edits...
This version will run MapModes, but it makes windows hang when another executable is run or Windows is exited. If you are planning on running MapModes, make it the last program you run (or switch video drivers). No clue about why that program specifically is so prone to crashing in Virtualbox (MapModes works fine in DOSBox with the VESA driver), but I guess that's just what happens when the emulator is way too new for the software...
Something I want to ask you. Where did you find Paint? Because I couldn't find it anywhere on the 86box emulator. Could you please help me?
EDIT: Btw, 86box also supports Bus mouse protocol, not only serial.
PAINT.EXE is a deleted file on Disk 2 and can be restored using the UNDELETE utility.
How do I install this?
It installs easily in 86Box/PCem, on top of MSDos 2x or 3.0 with these configs.
Machine: [286] AMI 286 clone
CPU: 286/6
Memory: 640kb
Graphics: CGA
Hard drive: IDE Sectors32 Heads16 Cylinders30 7mb
Floppy: 5.25" 360k
Mouse: Microsoft 2-button mouse (serial).
Copy the Wininst.bat to C:, then run it.
Windows 1.0 Alpha preform a version check see Windows 1.0 Alpha running MS-DOS 2.11 or MS-DOS 3.00. You must have MS-DOS 2.11 or MS-DOS 3.00 to run Windows 1.0 Alpha.
Not MS-DOS 3.0. Windows 1.0 Alpha will run on PC-DOS 3.0, but for MS-DOS, only 2.x. That seems to be a common misconception, as the description doesn't make the distinction between MS-DOS and PC-DOS. I recommend PC-DOS 3.0 as the clock won't work on Virtualbox in DOS 2.x.
EDIT:
If you were asking how to install old versions of MS-DOS, here it goes. You first boot from Disk 1 of whatever disk set you have. Run the FDISK command. Select option 1 (Create MS-DOS Partition), and accept the defaults. When it reboots, make sure to boot from the floppy again. Run the command "FORMAT C: /S" (without quotes) to format the hard drive and install the base system. Then, to make sure DOS programs run correctly in Windows, make sure you're on the A: drive and run the command "EDLIN C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT". Type "i", press ENTER, type "PATH C:\WINDOWS\TEST" (or "PATH C:\DOS;C:\WINDOWS\TEST" if you wish to copy extra utilities), press ENTER, press CTRL-C, type "e", and press ENTER. Now run "EDLIN CONFIG.SYS". Type "i", press ENTER, type "FILES=30", press ENTER, type "BUFFERS=30", press ENTER, press CTRL-C, type "e" and press ENTER. At this point, MS-DOS is installed and you can stop here if you don't need the extra utilities. If you want the extra utilities, first create a directory on drive C: using "MD C:\DOS". Copy the files from Disk 1 to the new directory using "COPY A:*.* C:\DOS". Now insert the second disk and repeat the same command. If there are more than two disks (which I doubt for DOS 2.x/3.0), repeat that command for each disk. Now everything should work so eject the disk and reboot. From there, you should have a working DOS VM that is ready to install Windows 1.0 Alpha.
That might sound confusing so ask if you have any questions.
wait wait wait i get an error not ready error reading drive c
Did you format C drive after running FDISK? Did you format it with the same version of DOS?
yes and yes and yes and yes
What specifically were you trying to do when you got that error?
So you are saying DOS cannot read C drive after formatting it? Was the format successful? What emulator/hypervisor are you using? If you are using 86Box or PCem, you need to make sure you have installed a hard drive and you have configured it correctly.
If you did not tamper with the partition table or the BPB, I can't see a reason why DOS wouldn't recognize the partition it just formatted. Don't ever try adjusting the partition size by editing partition table and BPB - it will confuse DOS if not done properly.
I suggest you try IBM PC-DOS 3.0 as it is likely the version of DOS Microsoft used to develop and test Windows 1.0 Alpha Release. Once you have successfully formatted the hard drive, make sure you use the
SYScommand to transfer system. If you are going to manually transfer the system (for whatever reason), copyIBMBIO.COM(IO.SYS),IBMDOS.COM(MSDOS.SYS) andCOMMAND.COMto the newly formatted partition in that order.Once you have formatted the hard drive and transferred system to it, make sure you copy
WININST.BATto your C drive and reboot. After the reboot, insert disk #1 in drive A and runWININST.BATfrom drive C and follow the instructions. Make sure you pick the right display adapter when asked (you can patch the EGA driver to become a monochrome VGA driver). Windows 1.0 Alpha Release also supports the use of DOS mouse drivers which enables you to use a PS/2 mouse.Why I am getting notifications whenever someone posts a comment?
Keep in mind that it didn't crash.
EDIT: Except, uh, when I opened a application.
I used ms-dos 2.11 [NCR OEM] successfully in 86Box.
MS-DOS 2.11 [NCR OEM] doesn't work well (EDIT: in VMware Player). I did Microsoft MS-DOS 2.11 [Toshiba T1100 Plus OEM] (3.5-720k). Here's the link: https://winworldpc.com/download/17359b45-483f-11e9-8581-fa163e9022f0
How I installed MS-DOS:
Make a 16MB partition. (Set the size to 0.016 GB)
Then, boot off the floppy disk.
Now type "fdisk".
Press 1, Enter, and let it reboot.
Now type "format c: /s"
It should successfully format
Copy all the files from A: to C: (copy a:*.* c:)
Then, remove the floppy disk and press CTRL+ALT+DELETE in the virtual machine. This should make the virtual machine reboot.
You should be greeted with the DOS prompt.
Also make sure you have loaded up a mouse driver. I got a little virtual disk that has CuteMouse on it which you can load the floppy disk and copy the contents to the root of the C: drive. Then run it and load up Windows (go to C:\WINDOWS\TEST, and type win)
http://www.mediafire.com/file/igja49zn2r3ltcr/CuteMouse+driver+for+early+versions+of+MS-DOS.ima/file
This is what happened when I opened Windows Alpha in ms-dos 3.30. I can't see anything!
SomeGuy is right about the CGA.
Re-run the installer and pick EGA.
What I mean by "re-run the installer" (this is easier):
Go to C:\WINDOWS\INSTALL. Type "install C:\WINDOWS\TEST". Now pick EGA, and load up Windows (type "cd C:\WINDOWS\TEST" and then "win")
EGA is better in VMware Player because It fully supports it.
If you want the mouse driver to load on startup, then go to the root of the harddisk. Now type edlin C:\autoexec.bat. Now type "i". Now type "echo off" (press Enter). Now, type "ctmouse" and press Enter. and then press CTRL + C, and type "q" and press Enter. Now you should get out of the app.
There was a option for EGA, wasn't there?
Also, as far as I know, 320x200 CGA 1-4 colors often works better than 640x200 CGA 1-2 (which im suspecting that Windows Alpha is using as it's default CGA driver)
Please make sure you have loaded a mouse driver. If it is not loading, then I'm suspecting that's because of the mouse driver that it is using.
http://www.mediafire.com/file/igja49zn2r3ltcr/CuteMouse+driver+for+early+versions+of+MS-DOS.ima/file
The reason it keeps loading is probably the display (or any other) driver being incompatible. Try the monochrome EGA driver or jb881122's monochrome VGA patch. Make sure you install a DOS mouse driver before you start Windows.
If you still can't get it to run, download a pre-made VM here: https://forum.winworldpc.com/discussion/comment/165395/#Comment_165395