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Which OS should I use?

I actually just mentioned this in another post. With a 233 (Pentium 2?) you should have NO problems running Windows 98 SE. That's what I run. I've got a 386 that runs DOS 6.22, and then I run pretty much all the other vintage stuff on the Pentium 2. I've got 256mb of ram, but you could easily get away with even 64mb. If I still have the two chips I took out of there, I'd be happy to send them to you for free if it's in the US. Otherwise, I'll still send it to you, but I'd want you to cover shipping.

Anyway, with Windows 98 SE, I have my computer auto-boot into DOS. As far as I'm concerned, it's basically still a DOS machine. Every once in a while I'll type "WIN" and it loads Windows 98 SE.

If you modify MSDOS.SYS (I believe) or either it's IO.SYS, there should be a line in there that says "Boot Gui=1" ... if you change that to a 0, it will boot to DOS directly. Works just the same as if you had DOS 6.22 installed. Windows 98 SE stores all of the DOS utilities in a seperate folder, I think it's under like Windows\Command. I think the DOS that comes with Windows 98 SE is basically called DOS 7.xx.

Windows 95 and Windows 98 STILL run on top of DOS, unlike Windows NT, 2000, and XP.
 
Hey Todd...

I saw your post in the other thread. I ended up installing and running Windows 98SE Plus! I like it that way because I still have Windows fincionality, but I can still get to REAL DOS just by opening the commend prompt. It works for me. I have tested a lot of the games and other software on it prior to writing them to floppy, or as in my case committing them to a Zip drive for bulk loads/transfers. BTW, I also added the tool to DOS for long file names too. That eliminated a lot of issues with duplicate write projects. Like I said, this works for me quite well.



Todd82TA said:
I actually just mentioned this in another post. With a 233 (Pentium 2?) you should have NO problems running Windows 98 SE. That's what I run. I've got a 386 that runs DOS 6.22, and then I run pretty much all the other vintage stuff on the Pentium 2. I've got 256mb of ram, but you could easily get away with even 64mb. If I still have the two chips I took out of there, I'd be happy to send them to you for free if it's in the US. Otherwise, I'll still send it to you, but I'd want you to cover shipping.

Anyway, with Windows 98 SE, I have my computer auto-boot into DOS. As far as I'm concerned, it's basically still a DOS machine. Every once in a while I'll type "WIN" and it loads Windows 98 SE.

If you modify MSDOS.SYS (I believe) or either it's IO.SYS, there should be a line in there that says "Boot Gui=1" ... if you change that to a 0, it will boot to DOS directly. Works just the same as if you had DOS 6.22 installed. Windows 98 SE stores all of the DOS utilities in a seperate folder, I think it's under like Windows\Command. I think the DOS that comes with Windows 98 SE is basically called DOS 7.xx.

Windows 95 and Windows 98 STILL run on top of DOS, unlike Windows NT, 2000, and XP.
Click to expand...
 
bettablue said:
Hey Todd...

I saw your post in the other thread. I ended up installing and running Windows 98SE Plus! I like it that way because I still have Windows fincionality, but I can still get to REAL DOS just by opening the commend prompt. It works for me. I have tested a lot of the games and other software on it prior to writing them to floppy, or as in my case committing them to a Zip drive for bulk loads/transfers. BTW, I also added the tool to DOS for long file names too. That eliminated a lot of issues with duplicate write projects. Like I said, this works for me quite well.
Click to expand...


Glad to hear it!

I've been pretty happy with it too!
 
Yeah... There is 2 small problems that I'll be addressing shortly though. The computer only has a single 4 Gig drive. My software collection needs to be stored on this computer, so it will be getting a much bigger drive. Next; there is almost no room in theis computer to add anything more. Everything is so tightly packaged, that when the 3.5" floppy was removed and replaced with an IDE zip drive, and then adding in a new 5.35" DSDD 360K drive, running the ribbon cables was a nightmare.

However, it is working, so that is definitely a good thing. And it really does amaze me what it is capable of doing.

Any way Todd, thank for the input. I always like suggestions, because you never know if you might have not thought about something, or maybe not though about it correctly.

Have a great 2012.

See ya.

Todd82TA said:
Glad to hear it!

I've been pretty happy with it too!
Click to expand...
 
bettablue said:
Yeah... There is 2 small problems that I'll be addressing shortly though. The computer only has a single 4 Gig drive. My software collection needs to be stored on this computer, so it will be getting a much bigger drive. Next; there is almost no room in theis computer to add anything more. Everything is so tightly packaged, that when the 3.5" floppy was removed and replaced with an IDE zip drive, and then adding in a new 5.35" DSDD 360K drive, running the ribbon cables was a nightmare.

However, it is working, so that is definitely a good thing. And it really does amaze me what it is capable of doing.

Any way Todd, thank for the input. I always like suggestions, because you never know if you might have not thought about something, or maybe not though about it correctly.

Have a great 2012.

See ya.
Click to expand...


Here's something to think about. They sell combo-drives. You could free up some much needed space in that computer.

In my P2, I've got a 5.25" floppy drive that has built into it a 3.5" floppy drive. Both drives are attached in the same 5.25" form-factor casing.

Here is one example I found on line: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Canon-combo...C_Drives_Storage_Internal&hash=item1e69cef01f

$(KGrHqZ,!lYE65O!-oMUBO+jQ404Sg~~60_12.JPG

Another "combo drive" you can also do is an IDE-CD drive, with a 3.5" floppy built into it... it's one of the more weird combos I've seen, but here's one of them:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/TEAC-CF506A...C_Drives_Storage_Internal&hash=item415f8b98ac

$(KGrHqR,!gwE5k8vM6zsBOyD+t5(+w~~60_12.JPG

Hope that helps. Personally, I use the 5.25 + 3.5" floppy drive... works awesome. The one I have (don't know about the one I listed in the search), but mine only needs to be plugged in by a single floppy (block) connector, and it's automatically recognized as an A and B drive. 3.5" floppy is listed as the A drive, and the 5.25" is listed as the B drive, but I can flip a jumper if I need to.
 
I've seen these. But for my purposes, I really have no need for a 3.5" floppy, and the primary reason I installed the floppy drive I did was to have true DSDD support for a dual sided 360Kb floppy didks. By installing a larger capacity dual sided drive, you run the risk of not completely filling the data track on rewrites casuing the disk to become unreadable by a real 360 dual sided diskette.

Todd82TA said:
Here's something to think about. They sell combo-drives. You could free up some much needed space in that computer.

In my P2, I've got a 5.25" floppy drive that has built into it a 3.5" floppy drive. Both drives are attached in the same 5.25" form-factor casing.

Here is one example I found on line: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Canon-combo...C_Drives_Storage_Internal&hash=item1e69cef01f

View attachment 7511

Another "combo drive" you can also do is an IDE-CD drive, with a 3.5" floppy built into it... it's one of the more weird combos I've seen, but here's one of them:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/TEAC-CF506A...C_Drives_Storage_Internal&hash=item415f8b98ac

View attachment 7512

Hope that helps. Personally, I use the 5.25 + 3.5" floppy drive... works awesome. The one I have (don't know about the one I listed in the search), but mine only needs to be plugged in by a single floppy (block) connector, and it's automatically recognized as an A and B drive. 3.5" floppy is listed as the A drive, and the 5.25" is listed as the B drive, but I can flip a jumper if I need to.
Click to expand...
 
Both win 95 and win 98 are dos based just need more space and memory win31 11 win95 60 win98 200 you need win95 d version for usb support
 
If you use Win9x DOS mode, pick up and install DOSLFN and you'll get long filename support in DOS (for those programs that can actually use it). Makes reading directory listings somewhat easier.
 
I completely agree...

I completely agree...

lutiana said:
To me that hardware scream Windows 98SE (bump the RAM up though).
Click to expand...


I've got a dual Pentium 2 / 266 that runs Windows 98 SE, and it runs awesome (doesn't even see or care about the 2nd processor anyway).


In my opinion, put Windows 98 SE, and modify the MSDOS.SYS file in the root of C and change the line that says "BOOTGUI=1" to "BOOTGUI=0"


This will make Windows 98 SE automatically boot in DOS. For all intents and purposes, it is essentially DOS 7.0. As a matter of fact, Windows 98 SE should come with most of the DOS programs in Windows\Command.

I copied them all to C:\DOS and set the path to that anyway. You can even use DOS 5.0 and up files without having to use SETVER.EXE

Just copy them all into the folder.


I basically use the computer as if it was just a DOS machine, and then when I want windows... I just type "Win" and it loads Windows.

I boot with a Config.SYS and Autoexec.Bat. I have HIMEM.SYS loaded, an Oak CD/IDE driver, MOUSE.COM from Microsoft, and a few other things. I copied all the files needed from DOS 6.22 so that I could use MEMMAKER, and I ran it on the machine. I get about ~620k base memory, and 512mb extended memory.


I use that machine to play most of my DOS games, and some late 90s / early ~2000 games that were designed for Windows 95 / 98.


Todd
 
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