11. Running Windows under DOSEmu

Okay, perhaps you've heard the hooplah. DOSEMU can run Windows (sort of.)

11.1 Windows 3.0 Real Mode

DOSEMU has been able to run Windows 3.0 in Real Mode for some time now. If you really, really, really want to run Windows under DOSEMU, this is the route to take for the moment.

11.2 Windows 3.1 Protected Mode

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*    WARNING!!! WARNING!!! WARNING!!! WARNING!!! WARNING!!!   *
*                                                             *
*  Danger Will Robinson!!!  This is not yet fully supported   *
*  and there are many known bugs!  Large programs will almost *
*  certainly NOT WORK!!!  BE PREPARED FOR SYSTEM CRASHES IF   *
*  YOU TRY THIS!!!                                            *
*                                                             *
*    WARNING!!! WARNING!!! WARNING!!! WARNING!!! WARNING!!!   *
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What, you're still reading?

Okay, it is possible to boot WINOS2 (the modified version of Windows 3.1 that OS/2 uses) under DOSEMU. Many kudos to Lutz & Dong!

However, YOU NEED BOTH LICENSES, for WINDOWS-3.1 as well OS/2 !!!

There are many known problems. Windows is prone to crash, could take data with it, large programs will not load, etc. etc. etc. In other words, it is NOT ready for daily use. Many video cards are known to have problems (you may see a nice white screen, however, look below for win31-in-xdos). Your program groups are all likely to disappear. Basically, it's a pain.

On the other hand, if you're dying to see the little Windows screen running under Linux and you have read this CAREFULLY and PROMISE NOT TO BOMBARD THE DOSEMU DEVELOPERS WITH "MS Word 6.0 doesn't run!!!" MESSAGES

• Get DOSEMU & the Linux source distributions.
• Unpack DOSEMU.
• Configure DOSEMU typing './configure' and do _not_ disable vm86plus.
• Compile DOSEMU typing 'make'.
• Get the OS2WIN31.ZIP distribution from ???? oh well, and now you have the first problem. It _was_ on ibm.com sometime ago, but has vanished from that site, and as long as it was there, we could mirror it. ,,,, you see the problem? However, use 'archie' to find it, it will be around somewhere on the net ,,, for some time ;-)
• Unpack the OS2WIN31 files into your WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory. (Infact you only need WINDOWS/SYSTEM/os2k386.exe and the mouse driver)
• Startup dosemu (make certain that DPMI is set to a value such as 4096)
• Copy the file winemu.bat to your c: drive.
• Cross your fingers.

Good luck!

REMEMBER: THIS IS NOT AT ALL RECOMMENDED!!! THIS IS NOT RECOMMENDED!!! WE DO NOT RECOMMEND YOU TRY THIS!!!

11.3 Windows 3.x in xdos

As of version 0.64.3 DOSEMU is able to run Windows in xdos. Of course, this is not recommended at all, but if you really want to try, it is safer then starting windows-31 on the console, because when it crashes, it doesn't block your keyboard or freeze your screen.

Hints:

• Get Dosemu & Linux source.
• Unpack dosemu.
• Run "./configure" to configure Dosemu (it will enable vm86plus as a default).
• Type "make" to compile.
• Get a Trident SVGA drivers for Windows. The files are tvgaw31a.zip and/or tvgaw31b.zip. They are available at garbo.uwasa.fi in /windows/drivers (any mirrors?).
• Unpack the Trident drivers.
• In Windows setup, install the Trident "800x600 256 color for 512K boards" driver.
• Do the things described above to get and install OS2WIN31.
• Start xdos.
• In Dosemu, go to windows directory and start winemu.
• Cross your fingers.

Notes for the mouse under win31-in-xdos:

• In order to let the mouse properly work you need the following in your win.ini file:

       [windows]
       MouseThreshold1=0
       MouseThreshold2=0
       MouseSpeed=0
  

• The mouse cursor gets not painted by X, but by windows itself, so it depends on the refresh rate how often it gets updated, though the mouse coordinates movement itself will not get delayed. ( In fact you have 2 cursors, but the X-cursor is given an 'invisible' cursor shape while within the DOS-Box. )
• Because the coordinates passed to windows are interpreted relatively, we need to calibrate the cursor. This is done automatically whenever you enter the DOS-Box window: The cursor gets forced to 0,0 and then back to its right coordinates. Hence, if you want to re-calibrate the cursor, just move the cursor outside and then inside the DOS-Box again.