Win31DOSBox: Windows 3.1x for 64-bit Windows

Dosbox Windows 3.1 Image
Install Windows 3.11 In Dosbox
Install Windows 3.11 In Dosbox
Install Windows 3.1 Dosbox
Run Windows 3.1 In Dosbox

Install Windows 3.11 On Dosbox. DOSBox supports standard VGA graphics. However, it also supports some other types of graphics. By default, it’s set up to emulate S3 Graphics. For best graphics support, you’ll want to install the S3 graphics drivers and configure Windows 3.1. Download Windows 3.11, Installed in DOSBox - Package (zip) www.oldgames.sk Package for Windows XP/Vista/7 (32&64-bit) Install this package and run game with shortcut in OldGames.sk folder. If you are having problems with install on Vista/Seven, run package as Administrator. The program is fairly large, spread out over 5 floppy disks. To install it into DOSBox, follow these steps: Create a new folder titled D Create a new folder titled C Take note of the exact location of both new folders. On Windows, you can see this by clicking the address bar once you're in the folder. In DosBOX 0.72, Windows 3.11 runs perfectly. The graphics problem that DOSBoxRocks described, is due to the standard graphics driver. When I installed the S3 864 video driver, I can even use 1200x1600 resolution, fully functional with 16.7M colours. For sound, I use the standard Soundblaster 1.5 driver, works great for WAVE and MID sound.

Note: You probably do not need this system; use winevdm instead!

For most Windows 3.x applications, this system is no longer needed. Instead, use the winevdm system that lets you run 16-bit Windows applications transparently in 64-bit Windows. I have created an installer that effortlessly installs winevdm (also known as otvdm), and you may read about and download it here. If you find an application that does not run under winevdm, then post a bug report on the winevdm GitHub page linked above.

A DOSBox-based Windows 3.1x system

64-bit Windows can run software written for Windows 3.x only through the use of an emulator such as DOSBox-X or DOSBox, or through the winevdm system described above. If you only want to run one Windows 3.x program, install winevdm. If you want to run a full Windows 3.11 system, this page provides an easy method for doing so.

This page provides a setup program that makes it easy to create a Windows 3.11 system that runs under DOSBox-X or DOSBox. The setup program does the installation for you, but you will need to provide a full set of Windows 3.1x or Windows for Workgroups 3.11 installation files, disks, or disk images, or a Windows 3.1x or Windows for Workgroups 3.11 installation CD (or CD image file), or an MSDN download of Windows for Workgroups 3.11. You may use the installation files or disks from any roman-alphabet version of Windows 3.11. (No product code is required when installing Windows 3.x.)

Unlike most other Windows 3.1x implementations for modern Windows, this system can print to your current Windows default printer or any other printer installed in your host Windows system, and it can exchange text between the Windows 3.1x clipboard and the host Windows clipboard.

This system includes sound, display, and joystick drivers, but it does not include advanced features like WinG and Win32s, which can be added by following the guide described below. It also includes icons that will install WinVideo and QuickTime for Windows if you want them.

Note: This system was updated 23 May 2021.

Windows 3.1x installation files (or disks , disk images, CD, or CD image) should be easy to find on eBay or elsewhere. MSDN (VisualStudio.com) subscribers can download and use en_wfw311.exe, which contains the latest version of Windows for Workgroups 3.1x, or any other roman-alphabet language version of the MSDN download of WfW311 (e.g. fr_wfw311.exe). Microsoft's license agreement for Windows 3.x gave you the right to make an archival copy of the installation media. Perhaps you can find that copy and use it.

Dosbox Windows 3.1 Image

Note: The MD5 hash for the authentic MSDN version of en_wfw311.exe is AFA00ADE9F31F4C4470D2D5B1462D5D7

When you have the Windows 3.1x installation files or disks or disk images, download the system setup archive here. Extract the contents of the archive to any convenient directory. The contents include a folder named Win31DOSBox with a number of subfolders.

Under 64-bit Windows, this system uses a custom build of DOSBox-X. If you run it under 32-bit Windows, it uses a custom build of the original DOSBox. If for any reason, you prefer to use the original DOSBox under 64-bit Windows, simply delete or rename DOSBox-X.exe in the system's DOSBox folder.

How to install Win31DOSBox

1. Find the Win31DOSBoxSETUP folder in the files that you extracted from the downloaded system setup archive. (I assume that you have Windows 3.11, but the installation should work with the earlier 3.1 version.)

2. Then copy any of the following into the Win31DOSBoxSetup folder, depending on how you obtained the Windows 3.11 installation files:

An .ISO file that contains the Windows for Workgroups 3.11 installation files (typically found with a name like Winfw311.iso). Just copy the .ISO file into the folder; do not mount it or extract items from it.
A set of the six to nine .IMG files containing disk images of the Windows 3.11 or Windows for Workgroups 3.11 installation floppy disks. Just copy the full set of image files; do not mount them or extract them. (Different versions will have different numbers of disks.)
A copy of the Microsoft Developer Network self-extracting archive of the Windows for Workgroups 3.11 installation files, named en_wfw311.exe. (or the corresponding file for any other roman-alphabet version). Just copy the archive; you need not extract the contents.
If you have all the installation files (from an ISO or a set of IMG files) in a single folder, then copy the full set of installation files. Do not make separate subfolders; simply copy all the files into the Win31DOSBoxSetup folder.

3. Run InstallWin31DOSBox.exe. If you copied an ISO or a set of IMG files, this installer program will extract the contents of those files and then install Windows 3.11.

Note: If you are installing Windows for Workgroups, be prepared to wait a minute or more while Windows Setup displays a message saying it is trying to identify your network adapter. (It won't find a network adapter, but I can't figure out how to make it skip this step.)

Troubleshooting: If you see any error messages while Windows is being installed, delete the entire contents of the Win31DOSBoxC-DRIVEWINDOWS folder and try again. You may also need to empty the SETUP folder and copy the installation files into it again.

4. When the installer is done, it will offer to run Win31DOSBox.exe to start Windows 3.11. Use Win31DOSBox.exe in the future to run Windows 3.11.

Details: In brief summary this is what the InstallWin31DOSBox.exe program does:

If you use an ISO or EXE version of the installation files, it expands the files and tests whether you are installing Windows 3.1x or Windows for Workgroups 3.11.
It then makes a copy of the Windows 3.x installer's SETUP.SHH automated setup file, modifies it (manipulating its format to use ANSI instead of Unicode) by adding printers, changing various options, etc.
It then runs the Windows 3.1 setup program, using the customized automated setup file created in the previous step, and exits the new installation.
It then copies system files, sound, video, and other drivers from the StorageAddFiles folder into the Windows folder, and modifies SYSTEM.INI and WIN.INI to use the S3 video drivers, SoundBlaster sound driver, and the joystick driver.
It also copies two PC Magazine utilitie

Install Windows 3.11 Dosbox