Running Windows 3.11 - dosbox

[smcd]

This is a somewhat hasty tutorial to get dosbox to run Windows 3.11 (even at a reasonably rate and with sound!) I'm using the latest CVS compile, and D-Fend frontend. You'll need to make sure the dosbox config is set up to not use the dynamic core, or it'll not be as stable.

To install Windows 3.11, I ran dosbox from using it's defaults and without a frontend. You'll need to mount the folder (it needs to exist beforehand) where you want to install to, say:
mount c c:\win311\

and then mount the setup directory, say:
mount e c:\win311\install\

then run setup, in this case:
e:\setup

follow all the defaults for installing.

Now you can make a D-Fend project, set the game exe to the path you installed Windows 3.11\Windows\win.com and then point D-Fend to \Windows\setup.exe and use the following screenshots to configure the remaining options.

The below screenshots are the settings I've found to work best.
Sound: Soundblaster 1, i disabled all other sound items, including midi. I've not tested anything but soundblaster 1. If anyone cares to test others and installing drivers for them, let me know how it turns out. You may have to use the control panel to install drivers for the soundblaster 1, i did.

CPU Cycles: 10,000. setting this higher can cause sound to stutter and harm performance.

Auto-lock mouse (to use the mouse inside windows, to release capture, pressing the windows key works)

Enable XMS - this is needed for windows to run properly.

Mounting: I mounted the root of where i installed to as the C drive, a folder to copy files into to install programs as D drive, and the windows install files as E drive.

After installing windows, i copied the autoexec.bat contents into the d-fend window and commented out the first line, which seems to make no difference either way. I also added "win.com" at the bottom to automatically start the GUI instead of having to type it every time.

 

[euphoria]

Looks cool! I've DosBox 0.63 and have succesfully installed DOS and got an old game working with sounds that hasn't worked on any processor since my AMD K6 (since that i've had a Duron and an Athlon XP). DosBox is far less complicated to configure than Bochs, which is pain to get working.

 

[smcd]

DosBox is far less complicated to configure than Bochs, which is pain to get working.

Yeah it is, and quite a significant speed difference too, though I think bochs was designed for a more in-general purpose instead of solely for one platform. That could explain some of the speed issues.

 

[ScottJC]

Why would you possibily want to run windows 3.11 for? thats taking a step back don't ya think

 

[smcd]

Because you can? < geek factor > and because it gives you a nifty shell to install and launch other old games that don't work properly in modern releases of Windows

 

[minkster]

I remember Windows 3.11! Man those were the good old days. First computer I ever used too. My favorite game on that was chips challenge. Never did beat the whole game without cheating though But I think those games work without needing 3.11 to have them running properly. Yet again I only have Jezzball and Chips Challenge on my computer.

 

[smcd]

Yeah, the games shown all seem to work properly, I just installed them to play "in the proper environment" Mostly, this project was just a test to see how much dosbox can do, and the results: it can do quite a lot the people working on the project are pretty sharp


EDIT:
by the way, in the Environment panel, if you don't have EMS checked, it'll boot as "386 enhanced mode" if you enable the EMS then it'll boot as "Standard mode"

 

[paulsomm]

Are you sure you got 3.11 working?

I ask because 3.11 *requires* XMS. running it without XMS available prompts an error that your computer isn't compatable with 386 Enhanced mode. Setup would even fail saying that no XMS driver could be loaded (this is all true of actual hardware as well as dosbox)

I'm wondering if you're using 3.1 or 3.0 instead.

I've been trying to get Windows 3.11 working under dosbox 0.63 for some time. I can get it to install, but whenever I try to launch it, I see the WFW 3.11 splash screen and then dosbox dies unexpectedly.

 

[zorbid]

CPU Cycles: 10,000. setting this higher can cause sound to stutter and harm performance.

The maximum cycle amount before the sound starts to slutter varies with the system specs (CPU speed mainly). You may get higher cycles by using the dynamic core (= dynarec). I don't know if it's compatible with Windows, though.

As for the first line of the autoexec.bat, you didn't comment out the first line, it's hidden, but it is still executed. to comment it out you must put "REM " at the beginning of the line.

if you don't have EMS checked, it'll boot as "386 enhanced mode"

I ask because 3.11 *requires* XMS.

About Win3.11 in DOSBox 0.63, I don't think it's possible. Maybe if you boot it with a hard disk image of MS-DOS 5 or 6..

It should work natively (ie without booting from a disk image) in the current CVS.

For more info about DOSBox, check the official forums, and the wiki:
http://vogons.zetafleet.com
http://dosbox.sf.net/wiki

 

[paulsomm]

About Win3.11 in DOSBox 0.63, I don't think it's possible. Maybe if you boot it with a hard disk image of MS-DOS 5 or 6..

It should work natively (ie without booting from a disk image) in the current CVS.

For more info about DOSBox, check the official forums, and the wiki:
http://vogons.zetafleet.com
http://dosbox.sf.net/wiki

I do not know about the CVS version but I can confirm the released build 0.63 doesn't work with 3.11. When krnl386.exe tries to go into "386 enhanced mode" Dosbox closed. 3.11 cannot run in standard mode (win /s) and all attempts to give an error that standard mode is not supported.

But, this isn't a big deal. 3.11's only advantage is networking, which isn't supported under dosbox anyhow. I went to *snipped* to get a copy of Windows 3.1, which does run in Standard mode, and I'm now using it on Dosbox 0.63.

(to note, I do own a license to Windows 3.1 (and 3.11), just don't have the media anymore, so for me getting the installer is legal, but I imagine for anyone who doesn't still have that old EULA certificate, it would be illegal).

 

[smcd]

I mentioned I was using the latest CVS version if you'll read. Using the dynamic core makes it very unstable, and also causes the sound drivers to crap out and not work. If you'll notice the D-Fend configuration screenshots you'll see I have "Enable XMS" checked, thus... XMS is in use. I installed both Windows 3.11 and Windows for Workgroups 3.11, both work fine. Regarding the @ line, you're correct. It isn't commented out, oops! I tried it with REM and Windows still runs fine, and found that ; also works to comment lines.

It is entirely possible, I assure you. Myself and several of my friends have done it following my instructions.

Regarding the link to the site to download Windows, please remove it (you're likely to get banned if not). I don't think it belongs in this thread. You can easily pick up Win3.11 on ebay, half, whereever. I got my copies through an MSDN subscription.

 

[RJARRRPCGP]

Yep. Talk about old-school!!!!

 

[smcd]

Here's a video for you non-believers! File is 7zipped ~140kb, ~8.9MB uncompressed, MS Video 1 codec used to encode video. AVI format, around 1:05 minutes @ 30fps. This is dosbox current cvs (downloaded from aep-emulation) running through D-Fend v2.

 

[PsyMan]

DosBox runs Windows 3.11 since a v0.62 CVS release. Until a later 0.63 CVS release there was no mouse support (now there is).
In order to install and run Windows 3.11 you just have to disable ems from the configuration file of DOSBox

 

[smcd]

@ PsyMan, if i disable EMS it runs fine, if I then enable it, it runs fine. Looking at the About dialog, it boots into 2 different modes depending on if EMS is enabled or disabled.

EDIT:
by the way, in the Environment panel, if you don't have EMS checked, it'll boot as "386 enhanced mode" if you enable the EMS then it'll boot as "Standard mode"

 

[paulsomm]

DosBox runs Windows 3.11 since a v0.62 CVS release. Until a later 0.63 CVS release there was no mouse support (now there is).
In order to install and run Windows 3.11 you just have to disable ems from the configuration file of DOSBox

Would anyone mind please posting a sample dosbox.config known to work with 3.11 in 386Enh mode?

I'm tempted to try this on my WinXP machine. The crashing of DosBox when trying 386 Enhanced Mode happens on my OS X machine, so I want to verify if indeed it's just OSX related.

Thanks in advance

 

[Trotterwatch]

Paul, could you please remove the illegal download link in your previous post (re: downloading of Windows).

 

[Martin]

Removed illegal link

 

[paulsomm]

Confirmed, it's an OSX-only problem with 386Enh mode not working. It runs fine under XP. Thanks for the help. I'll try to track the issue down in more detail and report it as a bug when compiled under OS X.

As for the link, sorry, I'll keep in mind not to post such in the future. I didn't intend to start any controversy and I understand this isn't a "warez" or such forum.

As a side note for it being "illegal", well, I did mention if you have the license you're fine and regardless the legality of such a download all depends on where you live. Fortunately, not all of the world is bound by the same IP laws. But, my posting the link likely crossed that line since for me it's fair-use to recover media I've lost, but I can see how the link would be abused by others. Sorry guys.

 

[smcd]

Thanks, and good luck finding the bug in the OSX version