Yeah, 16-bit Windows were graphical shells which ran on top of DOS. The interesting part that I think confuses folks is that Windows has its own EXE format which means that the executables cannot run under DOS, but in Windows and that’s typically a function of a OS. It also had its own drivers and other OS-like functionality. Windows 9x still needs to function and can actually crash if some of the DOS structures needed for the OS to run become exhausted. Windows for Workgroups 3.11 was a very interesting OS to me and it brings back such great memories of that early ‘90s.
when windows is running in 386 enhanced mode, it's not really running atop of dos anymore. it's more like running inside a virtual machine. windows' virtual machine manager is the first program that takes over from dos when when the user first enters "win" at prompt. the VMM first extracts info from dos when it was running at the time and then loads any real mode drivers for windows. windows VMM then switches the cpu into ring-0 protected mode and loads 32 bit system vxds along side any drivers. (drivers are the .386 or .VXD file extension) the VMM takes over system i/o functions along with some core static system vxds, and then creates a dos VM in ring-3 user mode (also known as the system vm) and proceeds to load the shell and win32 core api inside it along with any user mode drivers. when the user attempts to run any dos program inside windows system VM, the VMM creates another dos VM for that program and when that program finishes executing, windows frontend "known as winoldap" sends a signal to the VMM to shut down that dos VM. win9x also inherits this scheme but much like windows for workgroups, it can no longer be run in real or 16 bit protected standard mode. when windows is running in real mode, then it is simple as running on top of of dos.
I prefer the computers and software at 80/90 era. There weren’t less distractions about the importance of software. Now too many css, colors, images and a lot of things that makes life complicated to developers 😂
That’s my feeling too. I really appreciate the amount of work that had to go into ‘80s and ‘90s machines to get the most out of them. I mean sure you can run something like Crysis to challenge a system, but there was nothing like, for example, getting a extra 4-20KB of conventional RAM just to get some application to run. Today, I feel that its a lost art and it’s why I get such a kick out of retro videos.
@@AndreLuiz-zf6wqHTML/CSS/JavaScript nerds are not developers, this is the problem. If you’re running windows and not making a game, you’re probably not a developer
My first and original and new PC 486 DX2-66 (late 1994) came with one of those BTC keyboards, but with the smaller Enter key (Nordic). Would be nice to have one now since i am putting together my old pc that i only have the original case with original power supply and floppy. All in very good condition though. But missing keyboard, 3 button serial port mouse and 3 digit turbo display etc. Keep up the great work on the channel.
Pentium 233 and Windows 3.1? I doubt anyone seriously did this ;-) Win95 was out for almost 2 years when that CPU was released. My DX2-66 came with DOS 6.2 and Win 3.1. I used 3.1 mainly to view these CD magazines that became so popular at the time. And in '95 I ran a software MPG player on it to view VideoCD/CDI in a b&w stamp sized window ;-) The only game I ever had for Win3.1 was Sierra's Outpost.
I had Windows 95 after giving up on 3.11 WfW, on my first PC, 486DX-2 66Mhz. Installed Pentium overdrive CPU and 8MB of RAM (eventually 16MB), and eventually moved onto 233MMX Pentium and more RAM. I don't think there was a reason to stick with 3.11 on a faster PC, especially the games. I don't remember exactly when 3D graphics and GPUs came about, but I know I had 3Dfx on Windows 95 at some point. I don't think 3.11 had that option.
i believe that card is for xt machines, early at's like the 386, im not sure if it needs drivers, on some motherboards there is a slot offset from the regular isa slots, its for boards like that, on 386 machines its sometimes on the far left when looking at the computer from the front, there might be a slot for it as well offset, might just be a 286 im thinking of; im pretty sure you dont need drivers to run that card.
I didn't have much, PCs were always way behind, early/mid-90s eWaste wasn't much, Usually had to go to "Computer Shows" at Flea Markets around Detroit lol. I loved my Pentium 233 MMX, I thought that beat my friends' PII's & K6's hands Down
19:50 I've built quite a few MS-DOS era rigs with Windows 3.1x whatever over the years with many brands of video cards. That generic SVGA driver has never worked for me. Not once, not ever. You might have better luck either trying for an adapter specific driver or using SciTech Display Doctor which uses VESA modes. As for Win 3.1 games, I played the hell out of Space Empires, WinWarII, SimAnt, and F18 No Fly Zone. I honestly didn't game that much in Win 3.1, spent more time in DOS.
