# windows 3.1 installation



## mobo (Feb 23, 2003)

I'm trying to put windows 3.1 onto an older laptop and did so and all seemed to go accordingly. when the installation was ending the final screen showed a message to reboot and at the msdos prompt type *win* to boot into 3.1. When I attempted I recieved an error message about the incorrect msdos version...

anyone with some insight as to a fix or direction in which to look ?

Thanks in advance for anything ....


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## 700mb80min (Jul 24, 2003)

instead of just win try typing .....C:\WIN or C:\WINDOWS\WIN


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## mobo (Feb 23, 2003)

it is after the c:
so it would be C:\win as stated so in the previous screen ....I'm gettin a hammer .......(runs downstairs really mad now)


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## doggard (Oct 18, 2002)

Which version of DOS did you install prior to the Win3x ?


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## mobo (Feb 23, 2003)

oops...before ? I guess ill put six on it now after reformat and try it ...


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## doggard (Oct 18, 2002)

Yes win3x doesnt include the dos like later editions.
You can use one of the freeware versions if you havent got the MS version.


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## doggard (Oct 18, 2002)

BTW youd normally install DOS OS by booting up with disk 1 [3 floppies for MS 6x] and then the DOS CD drivers [if installed].Then run the setup from disk one of win3x.


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## mobo (Feb 23, 2003)

I have 6 on floppy here so ill just reformat load dos then 3.1 ?


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## mobo (Feb 23, 2003)

Thanks.i'm on the move trying to break this thing and so far i'm on course..


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## doggard (Oct 18, 2002)

Yep,dont forget the DOS CD drivers if you have one installed.


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## mobo (Feb 23, 2003)

No cd on this dinosaur


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## doggard (Oct 18, 2002)




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## mobo (Feb 23, 2003)

Gotta watch my step for the dinosaur doo doo around..


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## 700mb80min (Jul 24, 2003)

don`t forget to look for fossils .... .. pm me if you get the dos in


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## MyBootDisks. (Jan 26, 2003)

Hello,

I think I know the problem you are having. You have installed Windows on a version of DOS that is older then 6.22.

You need to download one of my bootdisks from my site (if you want) that is 6.22 or older. http://www.mybootdisks.com/downloads.asp

Once you download the file, create the bootdisk and insert it into your laptop...using the SYS command you can transfer the system files from the DOS 6.22 disk onto the laptop.

The command is: SYS C:

If the SYS file is not on the disk, you can find it on any Windows computer and copy it onto the bootdisk.

Once you have transfered the system to the laptop, you can remove the disk, restart the laptop and type WIN and all should be working.

Regards,
MyBootDisks.com


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## mobo (Feb 23, 2003)

Thanks for that..I did so a few days ago now..The 6.22 install was what the doctor ordered.


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## MyBootDisks. (Jan 26, 2003)

ok wonderful...sorry i was a little late with the solution...but great to know the system is back up and running!

Regards,
MyBootDisks.com


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## doggard (Oct 18, 2002)

> _Originally posted by MyBootDisks.:_
> *
> 
> I think I know the problem you are having. You have installed Windows on a version of DOS that is older then 6.22.
> ...


Errr...............I think your got it wrong there MyBootDisks your way does not install any DOS files [except the 3 boot files] which whilst it will boot to windows will be unable to run DOS at all.
Besides which Win3x will run on earlier versions of DOS or even FreeDOS,DRDos and such with no problem.
The common mistake new users make is to assume win3x comes with a dos install the same as win95 and above and just install it to a sysed harddrive.



> [Unlike it's successor Windows 95, Windows 3.x is only a program. It must be run in a DOS environment. It's use is limited to 16bit disk partitions. However it can be operated under DOS 7.0 which was the operating system for Windows 95a and Microsoft DOS versions as early as 4.0. It can also be used with competitive operating systems such as DR-DOS and PC-DOS. With certain modifications to later operating system files, Windows 3.x can operate in a Windows 95b (OSR2) DOS environment and on a FAT32 partition.
> /QUOTE]
> http://www.geocities.com/politalk/win31/index.html


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## MyBootDisks. (Jan 26, 2003)

Windows 3.x does not need the full version of DOS to operate. I did not say that Windows 3.x couldn't be used in any other version of DOS, but assumed that it would be much easier to drop down to a version that Windows 3.x will understand.

I actually installed a system just as I suggested only two days ago and there are no problems with it.

Regards,
MyBootDisks.com


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## Melodi (Dec 19, 2003)

Maybe this is none of my business, but why would anyone want to install Win3.1? Is there something about it that works better with certain programs. Yes, I know totally off topic. But I am curious.


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## MyBootDisks. (Jan 26, 2003)

The person that I helped install it the other day was installing it on an old laptop that had the following specs:

486/33
4 MB RAM
140 MB Hard Drive

With the above specs you can only install DOS, Windows 3.x or Linux.....he went with Windows 3.x.

Regard,
MyBootDisks.com


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## mobo (Feb 23, 2003)

What linux would be acceptable to use there ?


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## MyBootDisks. (Jan 26, 2003)

Any version of Linux, but it would only function in the command line interface (CLI).

Regards,
MyBootDisks.com


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## mobo (Feb 23, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Melodi:_
> *Maybe this is none of my business, but why would anyone want to install Win3.1? Is there something about it that works better with certain programs. Yes, I know totally off topic. But I am curious. *


The size of some very old systems as far as ram and hard drive space is the reason melodi...Too much of a shame to throw the ground breaking systems of yesteryear away..


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## MyBootDisks. (Jan 26, 2003)

Ya, actually the person that I got it working for was for his daughter to use at high school. Yes its old, but it still functions....limited ....but it does the job.

MyBootDisks.com


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## Melodi (Dec 19, 2003)

> The size of some very old systems as far as ram and hard drive space is the reason melodi...Too much of a shame to throw the ground breaking systems of yesteryear away..


Thanks Mobo for the info! Gosh what was I thinking?  Throw away an antique! Oops this brought yet another question to mind. Can you go on line with something like that? Is one able to install a modem on such a....fine piece of equipment?


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## MyBootDisks. (Jan 26, 2003)

You can install a modem and get online but you would be very limited to the things you can do. There is a web based DOS browser that you can install and view web pages on (graphical). Or in Linux you can use the application call Lynx which is a text based browser.

You could slow do telnet, and remote access to a Linux/UNIX server.

Regards,
MyBootDisks.com


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