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Windows 1 / 2

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Smack2k

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Is it possible to install different versions of Windows 1 and Windows 2 on the same computer, just in different folders for each install? Wanted to try this out but not sure if its even possible
 
Windows 1.0 - 3.11 itself should live nicely in whatever directory you put it in.

The problem is with some third-party software and drivers, which were written to assume that Windows was always in C:\WINDOWS and would just dump its configuration and system files there without asking.
 
Yes. Just have to be careful in specifying the path statement; bad things will happen if a DLL from the wrong version is called.
 
vwestlife said:
Windows 1.0 - 3.11 itself should live nicely in whatever directory you put it in.

The problem is with some third-party software and drivers, which were written to assume that Windows was always in C:\WINDOWS and would just dump its configuration and system files there without asking.
Click to expand...

Good to know.....Im not sure, are there a lot of drivers / third-party software for Windows 1 and Windows 2?
 
vwestlife said:
The problem is with some third-party software and drivers, which were written to assume that Windows was always in C:\WINDOWS and would just dump its configuration and system files there without asking.
Click to expand...

One way of mitigating this would be to install neither version of Windows into the C:\WINDOWS directory, and have something like C:\WIN1 and C:\WIN2, that way after installing something if something does appear in C:\WINDOWS you can manually install it into the appropriate one.

I typically install Windows for Workgroups 3.11 into C:\WFW311 and haven't really run into an issue with that, just installers defaulting to C:\WINDOWS and having to manually type the correct path in.
 
Smack2k said:
Good to know.....Im not sure, are there a lot of drivers / third-party software for Windows 1 and Windows 2?
Click to expand...

Most drivers for Windows 1 and 2 are for printers and plotters.

Besides this, there are a few display drivers (CGA, EGA and some specific display cards from AT&T, Olivetti, Hewlett Packard).
Additionally some system drivers are combined into the windows start and overlay files (the installer combines these modules into one).

These versions can be installed side by side provided that only one is in the PATH.
 
A number of Windows programs had shared DLLs and those shared DLLs need be in the Windows directory. Some Windows programs like Command Post modified Windows applications and thus needed all the application files shoved into the Windows directory. I don't know of one that shipped with different Win 1 and Win 2 files so, if the software ran on both Win 1 and 2, it would be necessary to install the files that have to be in the Windows directory in each versions Windows directories.
 
You could write batch files for the various versions of Windows that will set the path correctly and rename the folder of the Windows version you start to "c:\windows". Of course, that means you need to install every version to c:\windows and rename the folder afterwards.

But as long as the path is correct, you shouldn't run into much trouble when the folder has a different name. I had Windows 3.11 installed in c:\win311 back then and can't remember any issues.
 
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