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Fastest way to get a Dos/Wfw3.11/apps+games install on a non-networked 486

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sgifanatic

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As some of you may have seen, I am in the middle of my Gateway DX2-50 rehab project. While I'm still struggling with some CD issues detailed in the linked thread, I am looking to find ways in which to get a full DOS/Win3.11 install + apps and games loaded quickly.

My PC is not yet connected to the network, so floppies and CDs are the only options. My current approach is to get all the software burned on CDs and installed the traditional way. However, I am wondering if someone knows of a single CD image with the usual abandonware suspects (DOS, Wfw, Office/Works, Corel Draw, other popular apps, games) already on there. This would make the whole process quite a bit quicker.

Any thoughts?
 
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Don't know of a single CD image, but you could easily create your own by getting software that you need from WinWorldPC. Don't think they have any games though, but they do have lots of abandonware OSs and applications. I have used them extensively for my builds of both physical and virtual retro PCs.
 
You can get a CD install of Windows for Workgroups, but I expect that by the time you track down some hypothetical pre-made CD of everything else you want, you'll have long since passed the point where it would've been faster to just get everything together and burn it yourself.
 
You aren't going to find a big image with everything on it, i think the download would simply be too large. You are better off creating a list of what you want the computer to run, then finding versions of it that will run. Use various resources such as Vetusware, Beta-archive, and any other abandonware sources you may find. The CD image you come up with will literally be one of a kind to you and your machine, so make it worthwhile :)
 
Yeah what you want is specific to you. It wouldn't be practical to have such a thing.

You are going to have to custom build your own.
 
I recommend using a CD-ROM or a LapLink cable and INTERSVR/LNK or FastLynx. I typically have a boot disk with MS-DOS 6.22 that I use to launch a box. I then FORMAT C:/S/U it and copy INTERLNK to it. From the host PC I then copy across DOS and Windows 3.11 installation files.

Have fun! :)
 
PeterLI said:
I typically have a boot disk with MS-DOS 6.22 that I use to launch a box. I then FORMAT C:/S/U it and copy INTERLNK to it. From the host PC I then copy across DOS and Windows 3.11 installation files.
Click to expand...

This. I did the same for Win95/98 installs, too.
 
The easiest way is compact flash. Just be mindful of the size. My 486 was able to recognize a 2GB compact flash, but nothing greater than that (due to the bios restriction).

The adapters run maybe $8-$10 a piece, which is really reasonable. Far and away much easier to maintain, backup, and transfer content.
 
I'm assuming that "WFW" stands for "Windows for Workgroups". That being the case, why install it on a non-networked computer?

Just trying to understand...
 
sgifanatic said:
My current approach is to get all the software burned on CDs and installed the traditional way. However, I am wondering if someone knows of a single CD image with the usual abandonware suspects (DOS, Wfw, Office/Works, Corel Draw, other popular apps, games) already on there. This would make the whole process quite a bit quicker.
Click to expand...

My approach to this would be to install all this in an emulator, then .zip up the entire thing and get it to the target system and unzip it. Windows 3.x would need to be reconfigured (ala SETUP.EXE) but that would be about it.
 
Trixter said:
My approach to this would be to install all this in an emulator, then .zip up the entire thing and get it to the target system and unzip it. Windows 3.x would need to be reconfigured (ala SETUP.EXE) but that would be about it.
Click to expand...

That's a great idea. Thanks!
 
Chuck(G) said:
I'm assuming that "WFW" stands for "Windows for Workgroups". That being the case, why install it on a non-networked computer?

Just trying to understand...
Click to expand...


It is non-networked at the moment because as I've described in the more detailed thread about rehabilitating this machine, I can't find the ACCTON drivers that match the MPX chip on the LAN card. My goal is to solve that driver issue eventually and get it on the network, thus Wfw (Yes, Windows for Workgroups).
 
mojorific said:
The easiest way is compact flash. Just be mindful of the size. My 486 was able to recognize a 2GB compact flash, but nothing greater than that (due to the bios restriction).

The adapters run maybe $8-$10 a piece, which is really reasonable. Far and away much easier to maintain, backup, and transfer content.
Click to expand...


I agree, that's a great approach. I recently did a fairly extensive DOS/Windows + apps install on a mini Tu PC using CF cards and it was quite convenient (The Tu PC really deserves it's own thread/pics, which I'll get to some day).

However, as I've detailed in the Gateway rehab thread, the BIOS is really funky and while a CF card was eventually recognized, format fails at 99% right before it can complete. There is nothing wrong with the card. But, even if I use a different system to format it (/s) it still won't boot on the Gateway. More details/pics here: http://www.vintage-computer.com/vcf...-80486-Desktop-(Warning-Lots-of-images)/page4
 
Yeah I find CF cards hit or miss. CF doesn't work in my 486/33
but it does work on my newer PCI based 486. CF cards are awesome when they work (fast, big and cheap)
but they don't always work especially with the older boards
 
Burn a CD with what you need on it. At least that way you won't have to be juggling floppies over and over again. Just make certain that everything is in its own directory.
 
Here's what I have done for PCs which will use DOS and Windows 3.1. Long ago, I took a PC with no software and loaded it multiple times with various versions of DOS, saving each version after installation to another drive and reformatting the C drive for the next install.

I then installled Windows 3.1 once. After installation, I went through all the INI files and removed all the references to drive letters. Note: when Windows 3.1 installs, it embeds the drive letters for selected files (like the GRP files) in the INI files. Since these drive letters are the same as the drive where Windows 3.1 was installed, you can remove them as long as you are in the Windows directory when you start Windows. This allows you to copy the Windows software to any drive before you run it. I then save the Windows directory.

I now have multiple installed versions of DOS and a drive independant version of Windows which can be copied to any drive. These are then written to a CD and can be copied to any PC.

There is other software I install and place on that CD so that when I build a new (vintage) machine, I just copy the software from the CD.

Joe
 
Just formatted an IBM PS/ValuePoint 466DX2 I got in on Sunday with a diskette. Then used LapLink / FastLynx and copied DOS 6.22 / Windows 3.11 / drivers / games / MIDI across < 30 minutes. Could not be easier.
 
PeterLI said:
Just formatted an IBM PS/ValuePoint 466DX2 I got in on Sunday with a diskette. Then used LapLink / FastLynx and copied DOS 6.22 / Windows 3.11 / drivers / games / MIDI across < 30 minutes. Could not be easier.
Click to expand...

I too use the "copy from existing PC" method when possible, simply using the DOS supplied INTERLNK/INTERSVR programs. This works well if the software being copied has not been modified on the source machine, or has only been modified to the point where it can be easily customized once it gets to the target machine. If for example you wanted to start the new machine with a clean copy of Windows 3.1, you would not be able to copy Windows 3.1 from the source machine unless it was unaltered or you were willing to identify and undo every change that was made.

Only by installing clean versions of software and then writing them out to CD (or backup drives, etc.) before they are altered can you have a "library" of clean pre-installed software ready to simply lay down to a new machine.

Joe
 
Hell at times, depending on my mood and if I've got a spare hour or so to kill, I still do it the old fashion way. Generally make a point of covering all my bases driver wise first though. Having good background music helps. For example Jeff Waynes "The War Of The Worlds"
 

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