Updated: 16 January 2022
1. What versions of Windows 3 can I install?
You can install Windows 3.1, 3.11 and Windows for Workgroups 3.11 on MS DOS on Virtual Box.
Other versions of DOS may only be able allow Windows 3.1 or 3.11 and then mayb e in Standard mode only.
2. How do I install Windows 3 on Virtual Box?
Boot from a MS DOS 6.x install disk and run Setup to install MS-DOS.
If you do not have full MS-DOS install disks, boot from a MS DOS boot disk, run FDISK to create a new primary
partition e.g. 512Mb, exit and restart. Then run FORMAT C: /S to create a bootable hard disk into MS DOS.
Once MS DOS is installed, you can insert the first Windows 3 disk, and run SETUP.EXE. You will be asked for
further disks to install more components as the installation progresses.
Once Windows has been installed to C:\Windows folder, you will need to reboot the computer (press Right Ctrl+Del),
to load up DOS. Windows will not auto-load unless you update Autoexec.bat. Enter win command to load up
Windows and display Program Manager.
3. How do I use Program manager?
Program manager is the pre-cursor to Windows Explorer (or File Explorer) on Windows 95 or later. It's purpose is to display
and organise Windows programs into Program Groups. Programs are launched by double-clicking on the program icon.
Some applications may create their own Program Groups.You can create your own program groups by selecting File, New, Program Group.
Enter a description and a name of the program group to create the group. New programs can be added to opened group by selecting File,
New, Program Item. Enter a description, the command line (path and filename of the program), the working directory and an optional key
shortcut. Program Items can be dragged and dropped between Program Groups if you wish.
To save the layout, on the Options menu, make sure 'Save Settings on Exit' is enabled.
To exit windows back to MS DOS, select File, Exit Windows.
4. How do I configure Windows 3?
There are two program items called Control Panel and Windows Setup.
The control panel can be used to configure areas such as Color, Fonts, Ports, Mouse, Desktop, Keyboard, Printers, International, Date and time,
Network, Sound Mapper, MIDI Mapper, ODBC, Enhanced, Fax, Drivers and Sound.
The Windows Setup item can be used to configure System settings, Network settings, Setup applications or Add and Remove Windows Components.
System settings may include Display drivers, Keyboard setting and Mouse drivers.
Network settings may include installing Microsoft Windows Network, Banyan VINES, BW-NFS, Netware, PC-NFS or MS-Net Compatible,
Artisoft LANtastic, DEC Pathworks, IBM OS/2 LAN Server, TCS 10Net. You can set up File and Print Sharing and add protocols such as
Microsoft NetBeui, IPX/SPX, Microsoft TCP/IP.
Other settings can be manually adjusted by editing the WIN.INI and SYSTEM.INI (initialisation files) via the SysEdit program. These are text files split
into sections such as [Windows] , [Desktop] , [Extensions] which can be modifued by a text editor. Incorrect settings can cause Windows to fail to load.
So be careful with this. The service can be resotred by undoing the changes are restore the file(s) from previous backup files.
5. How do I install application programs?
You can install programs in multipe ways:
a) Use File Manager, browse the installation floppy or CD disk and run Setup.exe.
b) In Program Manager, select File, Run and enter path or browse for the Setup.exe program.
c) Use Windows Setup and select Setup Applications.
In Windows 3, there is no 'Program files' folder, so they are usually created in folders from the C:\ folder e.g. C:\OFFICE. Note that folder and filenames
are the short 8 character long names.
To uninstall programs, run the Setup program again and select option to uninstall the program. Otherwise, remove the Program Item icon from Program manager,
and use File Manager to delete the program's folder and files.
6. How do I setup Display driver and Sound for Windows 3?
By default you will get the standard VGA display driver and no sound. For a larger window area and more colours you need the SVGA driver and the SoundBlaster 16
driver for sound.
See this article on VirtualBox Forums to download and installing them.
7. Can I access the network or internet from Windows 3?
If you want to use TCP/IP with Windows 3.1 then you also need to install Trumpet Winsock and load the above Network packet drivers before starting Windows, then run C:\Winsock\Tcpman.exe in Windows before you can start using Windows network applications
The best way to network, is to use Windows for Workgroups 3.11 (WFW), which allows you to install networking properly, using Microsoft TCP/IP protocol via the Network Settings.
To browse the web you can use Netscape Navigator/Communicator, Internet Explorer 3 or even NCSA Mosaic.
8. Can I share folders in Windows 3?
In Windows for Workgroups, you can share folders via File Manager, Disk menu, Share As option.
9. Where can I download applications for Windows 3?
Windows 3.1 utilities including Winsock
Networking with
Windows 3.1
Networking
with Windows for Workgroups 3.x
mTCP network utilities
Windows 3 updates
Updates:
OldVersion
Windows 3.1 Software
Programs:
Winzip
Netscape browsers
Internet Explorer browsers
Guide to DOS on Virtualbox.