I don't think you can have a menu as such

I do something almost what your asking. I've a batch file with one line
c:\windows\net start

I load that if I want networking, if not I don't run it 😀

Yes you can. Different system.ini (in1 in2 in3 etc...) files. Just copy over the aproriate system.ini file. And different win.com switches.

Then make a batch files. Thats about it.

Cyberdyne wrote on 2021-01-20, 17:27:

Yes you can. Different system.ini (in1 in2 in3 etc...) files. Just copy over the aproriate system.ini file. And different win.com switches.

Then make a batch files. Thats about it.

ok i did think that but wasn't sure about it and what switches is for win.com

chinny22 wrote on 2021-01-20, 16:52:

I don't think you can have a menu as such […]
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I don't think you can have a menu as such

I do something almost what your asking. I've a batch file with one line
c:\windows\net start

I load that if I want networking, if not I don't run it 😀

i did think think but wanted to see if could like all in one thing

I think it's doable, 3.x is mostly just text-files for the ini files and most of them are similar in format to Config.sys and Autoexec.bat. Probably could reference various configurations using menu commands - however, that means you might lose your logo part of the way through boot - when it opens up a window to select the Windows 3.1 configuration you want. You would probably have to create separate ini's for each configuration and reference them in the Win.ini and System.ini using %Ininet% %ininonet% %inireal% etc - may also be doable using some of the WIndows command line switches for Win.com (/n for no networking - which I use myself with my laptops to shut down networking for the regular NIC when undocked).

creepingnet wrote on 2021-01-20, 19:55:

I think it's doable, 3.x is mostly just text-files for the ini files and most of them are similar in format to Config.sys and Autoexec.bat. Probably could reference various configurations using menu commands - however, that means you might lose your logo part of the way through boot - when it opens up a window to select the Windows 3.1 configuration you want. You would probably have to create separate ini's for each configuration and reference them in the Win.ini and System.ini using %Ininet% %ininonet% %inireal% etc - may also be doable using some of the WIndows command line switches for Win.com (/n for no networking - which I use myself with my laptops to shut down networking for the regular NIC when undocked).

ok, this is all new to me and dont mind a challenge now and again and learn along the way and otherwise why not try, no harm

will maybe one do a proper muti windows 3.x boot but for now all i done was have run with win/n command and made a bat file to start net.exe and boot windows with normal win command and it works for now as i dont alwasy need the net loaded each time

Robhalfordfan wrote on 2021-01-20, 16:04:

and thought could windows 3.xx have the same idea to free up as much conventional memory as possible

What makes you think conventional memory is important when running Windows 3.x?

Jorpho wrote on 2021-02-22, 00:36:

Robhalfordfan wrote on 2021-01-20, 16:04:

and thought could windows 3.xx have the same idea to free up as much conventional memory as possible

What makes you think conventional memory is important when running Windows 3.x?

i thought since dos needs as much as possible when running dos games and software and windows 3.x is basically a dos shell where it wasn't as integrated as windows 95 - ME era and also i do see a sight performance boost when the is more conventional memory available (i could be wrong as i am learning) especially when windows boots up

i manage to free up about 560-570kb conventional with expanded memory on

is conventional memory important for windows 3.x or is the the total ram or umb

i know windows 3.x can run with extended memory but i had the odd message about not enough memory for some programs for windows 3.x

Robhalfordfan wrote on 2021-02-22, 12:48:

i thought since dos needs as much as possible when running dos games and software and windows 3.x is basically a dos shell where it wasn't as integrated as windows 95 - ME

Even for DOS games that use DOS extenders, conventional memory isn't necessarily as important as total memory.

There are probably some weird cases where having more conventional memory might make a difference, but Windows 3.x was brimming with mysteries and there are probably various different reasons why you might get an "odd message about not enough memory" at any given time.

For Windows 3.1 Memory issue prevention I've used a program called 1MBfort for about 2 going on 3 decades now. Seems to do the trick. I've got a Windows 3.1 installation right now that saw regular use for the past 5 years and I have yet to get a single "out of memory" error message in it, and I'm using things like digital audio workstation software like Cakewalk and lots of W32s applications on top of that install.

Jorpho wrote on 2021-02-22, 14:51:

Robhalfordfan wrote on 2021-02-22, 12:48:

i thought since dos needs as much as possible when running dos games and software and windows 3.x is basically a dos shell where it wasn't as integrated as windows 95 - ME

Even for DOS games that use DOS extenders, conventional memory isn't necessarily as important as total memory.

There are probably some weird cases where having more conventional memory might make a difference, but Windows 3.x was brimming with mysteries and there are probably various different reasons why you might get an "odd message about not enough memory" at any given time.

i think i am trying an general almost all-round setup that's works for most dos/early windows games to cover most cases and as i am aware there will be odd case where it may more or more work to get working properly (the fun, this wild west ish area for software for this era and before and getting to work best as it can)

i generally thought dos extenders were starting to become common place till 93/94 and common going into late dos period

creepingnet wrote on 2021-02-22, 16:35:

For Windows 3.1 Memory issue prevention I've used a program called 1MBfort for about 2 going on 3 decades now. Seems to do the trick. I've got a Windows 3.1 installation right now that saw regular use for the past 5 years and I have yet to get a single "out of memory" error message in it, and I'm using things like digital audio workstation software like Cakewalk and lots of W32s applications on top of that install.

never heard of that and how much ram do you use and what type as i am using 32mb edo ram paired with 486 dx4 100 WT and 256 l2 cache and a 2mb pci diamond stealth 64 card

would that help with games that stream video from cds and playable framerate where the actual specs need to run game is higher than the recommend requirements and in "pure dos" (without any windows installed) seems to perform better and smoother

i am using a scsi cd drive 16x max drive with a pci scsi card (with it own bios) as i thought that would take a little of load off the cpu rather than using onboard ide (which i imagine is an old version and "new" at the time)

Windows 3.1 needs a bit of memory below 1MB. This memory should be contiguous, also.
Another utility, Fix1MB also tries to help here.

For the inner workings, please have a look at the help file of that WMI program in this link:
Re: Viewing the Upper Memory area

i did give both of the programs a try and still quite understand what they do as i only got the out of memory issues when i have use memmaker with ems off and optimise for windows and when trying open some programs and seen to be fine when turn ems and optimise for windows

wasnt there an app called VCOM System Commander ? v8 , v9 that was used to multiboot many oS?

SETBLASTER wrote on 2021-03-15, 02:38:

wasnt there an app called VCOM System Commander ? v8 , v9 that was used to multiboot many oS?

Yes, there are a great many such programs available (see for instance Dual boot software recomendation? ) but those are not what for the OP wants to do.

thank you for more possible programs to use for ideas/builds

but jorpho is right - looking to muti setups for windows 3.11 in same pc in same dos 6.22 install like the same style with the dos boot menu with different autoexec and config file but with windows 3.11 files instead