Installing Windows 3.1 from floppy disks \ VOGONS

Installing Windows 3.1 from floppy disks

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First post, by ol2ec

Posted on 2015-05-19, 19:08

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Hi fellow retro fanatics,

I'm trying to install the Compaq OEM version of Windows 3.1, which should contain an incredibly rare piece of software: Xsoft's TabWorks 1.2!

The readme tells me I should put the executables on floppy disks and start by running the first executable. I'm planning on putting the executables in seperate folders, and mounting those folders as floppy disk drives in DOSbox instead. However, I'm not able to run the executables in DOSbox:

Probably this means I'm not running the executable in the correct environment, but I don't know how else I would do it! Do you know how I'm supposed to perform the installation?

Last edited by ol2ec on 2015-05-19, 20:02. Edited 3 times in total.

Reply 1 of 10, by dr_st

Posted on 2015-05-19, 19:31

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This is the standard message you get when running a Win32 executable in DOS. Try running the executables in Windows. Put one in a test directory, launch it and see what happens.

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Reply 2 of 10, by collector

Posted on 2015-05-19, 19:36

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VOGONS does not give support for illegally downloaded software. Expect a mod to delete that link and lock this thread shortly.

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Reply 3 of 10, by ol2ec

Posted on 2015-05-19, 19:40

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I tried launching the executable in Windows 3.1 (a different version which I am already using in DOSbox).

I do have WIN32S installed, so I should be able to open 32bit applications. This is the message I get when trying to install WIN32S again:

Reply 4 of 10, by collector

Posted on 2015-05-19, 19:43

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Just because you removed the link does not change the fact that abandonware is not supported here.

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Reply 5 of 10, by ol2ec

Posted on 2015-05-19, 19:44

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collector wrote:
VOGONS does not give support for illegally downloaded software. Expect a mod to delete that link and lock this thread shortly.

My apologies, I removed the link.

For what it's worth, I do have a licensed version of Windows 3.1 (on an old Compaq pc). The hard drive it was installed on is dead though, so this is my only option to continue using my old games.

Reply 6 of 10, by oerk

Posted on 2015-05-19, 19:56

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Have you tried running the executables in Windows (XP/7/8) directly? Maybe they're self-extracting archives that contain the individual files. That would be my guess.

Reply 7 of 10, by ol2ec

Posted on 2015-05-19, 20:03

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Hi oerk,

It looks like I can run the executables in Windows 8:

I'll try to find a floppy disk emulator. The executable seems to expect a floppy disk to be inserted.

Reply 8 of 10, by ol2ec

Posted on 2015-05-19, 21:09

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oerk wrote:
Have you tried running the executables in Windows (XP/7/8) directly? Maybe they're self-extracting archives that contain the individual files. That would be my guess.

Thanks again, this was the solution to the issue.

The executables extract the installation files to an inserted floppy. I was able to create an empty virtual floppy drive by mounting an empty floppy image using ImDisk. The Virtual Floppy Drive tool doesn't work on 64bit systems, but luckily ImDisk does!

Reply 9 of 10, by calvin

Posted on 2015-05-20, 20:23

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A USB floppy drive should work as well.

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Reply 10 of 10, by DosFreak

Posted on 2015-05-20, 21:08

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Thread closed. We only provide support for owned original disks or images of original disks.

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