First post, by emendelson
EDIT: I've completely reworked this system. This post provides a brief up-to-date description, and a full description of all features is here:
http://www.columbia.edu/~em36/win31dosbox.html
Everyone who wants to run Windows 3.1x under DOSBox has learned to rely on the superb guide by Dominus posted here:
As a holiday project, I used Dominus's guide as the basis for a Windows-based system that lets you install Windows 3.1x in DOSBox in less than one minute (in some cases, in less than ten seconds). You will need your own copy of the Windows 3.1x installation files (either as separate files, or on floppies or disk images, or on a CD-ROM or ISO image). This system does NOT supply a copy of Windows 3.1x or any other non-free software!
If you have the Windows 3.1x installation files (in any roman-alphabet version), this system automatically performs all the steps in Dominus's excellent guide, down to the Troubleshooting section.
This system has these advantages: you can drop a game on its icon, and it will (in many cases) automatically run Windows 3.1x. You can do the same thing with document and other files; drop them on the icon, and the files will open in Windows 3.1x in the default application for it. You can also print to the default printer (or any other printer) in the Windows host, and you can exchange text to and from the host Windows clipboard. A few other features are described on the page linked above.
Briefly, you download the system as described on the page linked above. As that page explains, you open the SETUP folder in the extracted folders and copy into it either an ISO image of the Windows for Workgroup 3.11 CD installer, or a set of Windows 3.11 or Windows for Workgroups 3.11 installation disk IMG files, or the full contents of the CD or the image files. You then run the InstallWin31DOSBox.exe program and it installs Windows 3.11 for you. If you copied the installation files into the SETUP folder (not the ISO or IMG files), and you have Windows 3.11 (not Windows for Workgroups), then the installation takes about ten seconds on modern Windows. Windows for Workgroups will take longer, because the setup program wastes time looking for a network adapter, but it eventually installs, typically in less than one minute.
The installer automatically sets up the drivers for the S3 display adapter, SoundBlaster, and a joystick. It creates a Program Manager group with installers for Video for Windows and QuickTime. It does not include a few other additional features (WinG, Win32s) described in Dominus's guide, but they should be easy to add. I've included a few in the Drivers folder, as suggested by Dominus's guide.
Again, this system includes only freely distributable software, and the only Microsoft products included are the freely downloadable WinVideo, Win32s, and WinG installers.The other programs it includes are the free PC Magazine HK utility, and one or two other free utilities, plus the open-source GhostScript and GhostScript-related software (running in the background for printing, etc.), and the free PDF-Xchange Viewer (https://www.tracker-software.com/product/pdf-xchange-viewer) which the vendor says "may be used without limitation for Private, Commercial, Government and all uses, provided it is not incorporated or distributed for profit/commercial gain with other software or media distribution of any type" (this system is not distributed for profit or commercial gain.)
A UTIL folder contains an extensive collection of PC Magazine Windows 3.1x utilities, plus a very few other third-party utilities.
If you don't need or like this system, you don't have to use it. It is entirely self-contained. If you delete the Win31DOSBox folder, no trace of the system remains on your disk. Of course I'll be glad to have suggestions for improvements.