https://www.oldapps.com/flash_player.php?system=Windows_3.1
😁

If you want to drive yourself completely mad and have years of spare time you weren't planning to do anything with, you could always try to get GNU Gnash running under Win 3.x.

p0w3r_0ff wrote on 2020-07-09, 12:52:

as for another story, my whole thing boots up from an single usb stick

Why not just put a bootable Linux distribution on there?

Jorpho wrote on 2020-07-09, 15:16:

If you want to drive yourself completely mad and have years of spare time you weren't planning to do anything with, you could always try to get GNU Gnash running under Win 3.x.

p0w3r_0ff wrote on 2020-07-09, 12:52:

as for another story, my whole thing boots up from an single usb stick

Why not just put a bootable Linux distribution on there?

well it is just the good idea of running a swf file in an so old system. i know, there are plenty other easy ways. but i want to create this way specifically. the gnash idea doesnt sound too far. but.. i dont know, i would need to spend a bit of time for learning how to compile this application for being compatible with win32s. actually, it isn't since it says "invalid format" (guess there are libraries and functions which win32s doesn't provide). well lets see how this works out - or maybe even not.

Hm.. What about Windows NT 3.x?
Or OS/2 Warp 3/4 with Odin?
They might be able to run much newer EXE files.

Win32s is very compatible to Win32 programs from the days of early Windows NT.
Originally, Win3. 1+Win32s were available to developers before Windows NT 3.1 itself.

That's why Win32s was updated constantly,
even to the point that it got a few new APIs of the Win95 betas and could run applications that original NT 3.1 didn't support (but NT 3.5x).

Anyway, Win32s requires well written Win32 programs.
Programs that include relocation tables, use no new GDI brushes, no threading and are not larger than 16MiB.

Strictly speaking, there are three different types of Win32 APIs on PC. Win32 (NT), Win32s, Win32c (Win9x)..

Come to think of it, HX DOS Extender might be a better bet than Win 3.x.

Jo22 wrote on 2020-07-14, 13:33:

Hm.. What about Windows NT 3.x? Or OS/2 Warp 3/4 with Odin? They might be able to run much newer EXE files. […]
Show full quote

Hm.. What about Windows NT 3.x?
Or OS/2 Warp 3/4 with Odin?
They might be able to run much newer EXE files.

Win32s is very compatible to Win32 programs from the days of early Windows NT.
Originally, Win3. 1+Win32s were available to developers before Windows NT 3.1 itself.

That's why Win32s was updated constantly,
even to the point that it got a few new APIs of the Win95 betas and could run applications that original NT 3.1 didn't support (but NT 3.5x).

Anyway, Win32s requires well written Win32 programs.
Programs that include relocation tables, use no new GDI brushes, no threading and are not larger than 16MiB.

Strictly speaking, there are three different types of Win32 APIs on PC. Win32 (NT), Win32s, Win32c (Win9x)..

you know what, i got related ideas like you said. let me tell you what i tried:

*Windows 3.1 - on an universal USB Stick without network stack (even with MS-DOS LAN Manager 3.x) - no way, you wont even get 127.0.0.1 to run - local file opening with IE5 or Netscape Navigator is possible, but nobody in their right mind would - flash support till Version 3 - not working practically, gnash wont work
*Windows for Workgroups 3.11 - Macromedia (not Adobe 😁) Flash Player till version 3 - not really much of an flash support - gnash just doesnt want to do anything and is still invalid format
*Windows NT 3.1 - Macromedia doesnt work at all, gnash won't work crashes on some kernel-DLLs and mutters bout not having openGL
*Windows NT 3.51 - this is more what we're talking about. Gnash still stresses around, but Firefox 2.0.22 a special adapted Edition for W95 and NT3.51 *works*! i found an flash NSPSWF32.DLL which does the Job! Network works good (if you have the right network card - that is or you virtualize), and even a few flash files are playin!

http://www.win3x.org/win3board/viewtopic.php?t=15907

in this board someone took firefox and created an build that works on NT 3.51 and 95. i appreciate their work and their well-made tutorial.

so basically, if you want to go back to the past (to play some flashy games that sucks a**) windows nt 3.51 is sure an interesting approach. not too new, but not too old either. but i guess the border you can't cross with NT 3.51 is still on Macromedia Flash 8. It wont go beyond that, since Flash 9 needs lots of crypt32 DLLs as i tried to start the exefile that came with it. at least it works for my case.

another thing is: i cant install netscape 6 on NT 3.51. i wonder why. it always says that i have 0kb free space but it needs a few megs. i guess the DLLs wont get their values from the calls. so maybe nt 3.51 is still too old for netscape 6 or 7. (which is logical).

the other idea with the dos enhancer, i will try that too. its a pretty good idea.
as for OS/2.. mh nah, i tried that system one time in the past. but even almost 16 years ago it felt out of place for me. if you put it like this and go beyond the borders of using M$ and DOS, you can even send me to the holy halls of Linux where i stick probably forever with redhat linux 6.2 =D well, maybe i try this too someday.

I'm glad it kinda works now! 🙂

As for OS/2.. Well, with the newer Odin compatibility layer (Warp package), a few Win32 emulators like VICE and Neko Project already do run..
https://youtu.be/pqobKuFXOh8

Also, Firefox got ported to Warp4/Ecomstation/Blue Lion OS..
So maybe Flash is available there, as well.

As for Gnash.. I tried it out on Ubuntu a few years ago.
https://youtu.be/EqNXHv42EUY

In case you need a sample game/swf file:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bhcfzs8JiTs