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First post, by butterfly

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I cannot get Windows 386 (Windows 2.1), known as the first Windows version to break the 640K wall, to work.
The error reported (both in DOSBox and VirtualPC) is
HMA already in use

I have tried doing some Internet search but I couldn't find any useful information (I cannot even remember how you can "free" HMA or if I ever did it).

What I do know is that a very old version of DOS is needed.
I tried DR-DOS 5.0 (that is not very old in facts), MS-DOS 3.3 and DOS (unknown publisher) 2.1 without success.

I am just curious of seeing this version of Windows in action.
I hope my help request doesn't look silly.

Reply 1 of 7, by bugs_bugger

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What version of DosBox did you use? Windows compability was improved since the release of 0.65 again, I heard. You should try the newest CVS and then report again.

And please try to post the version you used when reporting errors. 😀

Reply 3 of 7, by butterfly

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I always forget to say which version. I always use the latest one, at the moment 0.65 but that's not a DOSBox problem, it's a DOS problem. Actually, I think, my problem 🤣, cos I tried it on a 486sx, 32MB of RAM, FAT12, HDD10MB and I get the same error.

Reply 4 of 7, by collector

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Only Windows 3x is supported. Use the search to find mutible threads on this. It is not likely support for pre 3x versions will be added.

The Sierra Help Pages -- New Sierra Game Installers -- Sierra Game Patches -- New Non-Sierra Game Installers

Reply 6 of 7, by kruwi

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I'm not sure, but ...

Maybe 32 MB of RAM on your real 486 sx are too much? Remember that at the time windows 2.1/386 was released there was almost no machine equipped with even only 4 MB of RAM.