Windows95 installation

Dragu

As Windows 95 is recently free for download from internet archive as Community Software,
I was thinking that some people could be interested by my implementation that runs as good (or bad) in Batocera or Recalbox under dosbox emulator. No network, but high resolution windows upto 1024x768 and truecolor, keyboard and mouse support. The basic setup is razer complicated, so I have packed my folder /share/roms/dos/win95.pc permitting a quick test and including the virtual system disk and a virtual 2GB data disk. There is a procedure to put windows 95 games on this data disk. You must, if you continue to use it, find a free key on the market, The description how to change key you will find by google. I was first having it running on an PI3B, pretty good for an emulated system. On Batocera it is running on the J5005. No errors.
It is funny and experimental, dont expect a lambo 🙂
http://zclub.eu/win95.pc.zip

Massouille

Hello,

Excellent Job, work perfectly on my PC 64 x86.

A have a question: can I add game space cadet pinball ? If yes, how I can do?

Thanks in advance .

Dragu

Massouille
Hi,
So it is now very easy to fill up the Data1 virtual disk. For this I put a version of xcopy.exe and deltree.com on the windows95 folder, that are compatible with dosbox.
But first to one message, that shows the mentality of Billy's Club in the time, where they think that nothing else will never run on a computer : It's now safe to turn off your computer This is not necessary, as in this time they where not able to shut it down. Going out of the screen is simple, Ctrl + F9. Just killing the dosbox program.

Now, to put games on Data1
- As example you create in your /share/roms/dos/win95.pc folders with your game files, lemm95 and spacepb.
They must be limited to 8 letters. After, you transfer your datas inside the folders.
- Now rename dosbox.bat to dosbox.bxx or what ever you like.
- Next, in the file dosbox.cfg comment
imgmount 3 data1.img -size 512,63,64,1023 -t hdd -fs none to # imgmount 3 data1.img -size 512,63,64,1023 -t hdd -fs none
and uncomment
# imgmount e data1.img to imgmount e data1.img
- We are ready to upload to the Data1 disk.

You start dosbox, and it will take you to disk prompt D:
- Now, you just put E: and you are on Data1 disk.
- Next you create your folders on Data1
mkdir lemm95
mkdir spacepb
as mkdir is internal to dosbox
-Next cd lemm95 takes you on E:/lemm95
- To copy you type d:xcopy d:\lemm95 /h /e /i will copy your game files in the right folder on Data1
-At the end you exit dosbox by EXIT or Ctrl+F9
After, in /share/roms/dos/win95.pc change back dosbox.bxx to dosbox.bat and reverse
comment and uncomment in dosbox.cfg. The game folders in win95.pc can be deleted.
Reload and start games from Data1 disk in Windows 95.

Dragu

Massouille
I just installed Space Cadet. It must be the version from Windows 95 Plus package from the Internet archive.
And it runs with good speed on my Bartop, no lags. And no sticking balls. I never tried it on PI3, so I cannot
say how it will behave on Raspberry.

BZZ

e: does not mount. but overall your windows starts well. as it did not mount in dos I did not try anygames. I will look at it as some point later on. unless you know of top of your head why e: is not detected?

Dragu

BZZ
You must just comment the line "imgmount 3 data1.img -size 512,63,64,1023 -t "
and uncomment the line"# imgmount e data1.img"
and change the name for dosbox.bat, so that you will start at dosbox prompt after reload.
Perhaps a syntax error somewhere.
This is at me the behaviour when I disable dosbox.bat, but make no changes in dosbox.cfg.
Just control if the file on your game platform is modified.

BZZ

I used PowerISO to open your virtual HDD over network, copied files into folder inside I've created. Now I clearly used a corrupted file in game that I've used as the launcher started but not the game.

BZZ

Dragu I went over your explanation 3 times now then re-downloaded your file and re-tried 2 times... It still does not work. I am not an expert on dosbox so I will educate myself over the next few days online ;-)

In the mean time -> how would you go around mounting multiple VHD ? I am not at home at the moment and only on mobile so I cannot test but would it be just a matter of changing your:
imgmount 3 data1.img -size 512,63,64,1023 -t hdd -fs none
to for example:
imgmount 3 data2.img -size 512,63,64,1023 -t hdd -fs none

Massouille

Dragu
Hello,
I haven’t understand how I must do to install space cadet. A copy/past file?

Sorry

Dragu

BZZ
In general the letters in imgmount are limited on 0,2,3. I never tried more. 🙂
So, if you want to install multiple Data disk together, this will not work.
But you can, as you write choose to install data2 instead of data1 in slot 3.
Now, the names can be "n'importe quoi" as french would say.
So, for example you could mount your disks in dosbox.bat instead of mounting them
in the dosbox.cfg section. Together with a menu, that should be possible.

BZZ

Dragu So I see... It seems its limited to Floppy, Master and Slave. Well thats a shame ;-) I got couple of games but still did not manage to get them to work, some others work. I guess there are some limitations and might have to ''work'' a little more to get them to start ;-)

Might make multiple WIN95 folders in DOSBOX and just setup different items in each 'hdd' ;- )

Dragu

BZZ
Under normal conditions you also have just one data disk.
As I told, if you know how menu selection is functioning in Dosbox, you could choose.
But just fill up the 2GB before you want to go further. 🙂
Anyway limits are the network and the directx drivers. Dont forget, it is an emulated
system that runs the programs.

BZZ

Dragu of course ;p but trust me it will not be hard to fill it in once I start ;-)

Dragu

BZZ
I just give you an example of a dosbox.bat file that should offer data disk selection, but never tested.
Parallel to this, all the lines in the [autoexec] section of dosbox.cfg must be commented.

@echo off
:menu
cls
echo.
echo. 
echo.
echo.
echo.
echo WIN95 Collections
echo.
echo 1 = Collection 1 - Data1.img
echo 2 = Collection 2 - Data2.img
echo 3 = Collection 3 - Data3.img
echo.
echo 4 = Quit
echo.
choice /n /c:1234 Make a selection:
if errorlevel ==4 goto leave
if errorlevel ==3 goto c3
if errorlevel ==2 goto c2
if errorlevel ==1 goto c1
goto end

:c1
imgmount 2 win95.img -size 512,63,16,520 -t hdd -fs none
imgmount 3 data1.img -size 512,63,64,1023 -t hdd -fs none
boot -l c
goto menu

:c2
imgmount 2 win95.img -size 512,63,16,520 -t hdd -fs none
imgmount 3 data2.img -size 512,63,64,1023 -t hdd -fs none
boot -l c
goto menu

:c3
imgmount 2 win95.img -size 512,63,16,520 -t hdd -fs none
imgmount 3 data3.img -size 512,63,64,1023 -t hdd -fs none
boot -l c
goto menu

:leave
exit
:end

Dragu

Massouille
copy+paste was after the moon landing. 😉 This is standard dos commandline.
Now also today you cannot copy+paste a folder to a file, and Data1.img is a file
for windows.
If you have problems with the procedure, make like @BZZ over PowerISO if this
is functioning as it seems.

Massouille

Dragu

I have interstand now.
With power iso, I have add file in data1.img : working great!

I haven’t sound on win95, normal?

Thanks.

Dragu

Massouille
Great for the Data1 disk.
Concerning sound, if you have sound in Batocera (interface), you should also have it for windows 95.
The manifestation is first the welcome sound in windows itself when it has loaded. In space cadet you
have under options/sound the enable of the sound in the game.

BZZ

Dragu I played with your files a little and I hope you dont mind but I cleaned it a little and added few things: https://gofile.io/?c=uyFCTl . Also installed couple of programs, extended windows partition to 2gb and added couple of games(start->programs->accessories->games). They should all be freeware and all tested. Second partition is your data1 formatted and left blank for own use. I am still working on couple of DLL-s and few other things.

I have to say I had fun working back on your version and I still did not quite figure out how you got it to run as well under Recalbox(found your posts from few years ago) ;-)

EDIT: 2nd download link (just in case) https://filebin.net/mcfc18epucjj0xqq/win95.pc.rar?t=cqz9hxhe

EDIT2: Just realized I've uploaded a version where some games are actually crushing windows in Batocera. I will have a look at it at some point this week. Oooppsssss ;-)

kiliyatsi

Dragu Concerning sound if you have sound in Batocera (interface), you should also have it for windows 95.
The manifestation is first the welcome sound in windows itself when it has loaded. In space cadet you
have under options/sound the enable of the sound in the game.

Parallel to this, all the lines in the [autoexec] section of dosbox.cfg must be commented.

BZZ

So I went another way..... I had a saved post install copy so I started again and installed some updates, DLL-s , drivers. I got couple of programs including Deamon that oddly required more work than I expected including Internet Explorer setup for some reason to install. I used the second HDD(95_2.img) to hold two images packed with games. It loads correctly under windows environment, however I still have trouble getting it to run correctly on Batocera. I did test few times and sometimes it works fine other times it freezes the system awhile and works again other times it just freezes all together and needs reboot (ctrl+F9). I left the 'Programs' folder on C: with updates and some software. Most were already installed and working fine its just in case something 'dies'.

30 days URL from today: https://ufile.io/xttdqxjl
Another link: http://bit.ly/2Kgz10s

voljega

BZZ So I went another way..... I had a saved post install copy so I started again and installed some updates, DLL-s , drivers. I got couple of programs including Deamon that oddly required more work than I expected including Internet Explorer setup for some reason to install. I used the second HDD(95_2.img) to hold two images packed with games. It loads correctly under windows environment, however I still have trouble getting it to run correctly on Batocera. I did test few times and sometimes it works fine other times it freezes the system awhile and works again other times it just freezes all together and needs reboot (ctrl+F9). I left the 'Programs' folder on C: with updates and some software. Most were already installed and working fine its just in case something 'dies'.

Hello @BZZ, can you share this or the clean version again ? I'm interested in trying to make it work automatically like a regular ES system

BZZ

"Clean" version but with programs folder, second HDD blank. Nothing installed, no patches, updates, DLLs. Just the basics for it to start.

30 days URL from today: https://ufile.io/q4azm0fs

Dragu

BZZ
Honestly, I have no idea what you want to tryout.
The download that I proposed is a working version of WIndows 95, now you want to surf on this wave.
.Very strange behaviour. 🙁 And I dont want to be in an relation with this mostly illegal download sites.