Minimum hardware requirements (Was: Old, but not "Classic"

From: Computer Room Internet Cafe <netcafe_at_pirie.mtx.net.au>
Date: Fri Nov 13 18:17:42 1998

-----Original Message-----
From: Fred Cisin (XenoSoft) <cisin_at_xenosoft.com>
To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
<classiccmp_at_u.washington.edu>
Date: Saturday, 14 November 1998 10:11
Subject: Minimum hardware requirements (Was: Old, but not "Classic"


>On Fri, 13 Nov 1998, Charles Oblender wrote:
>> I've seen a 286 that ran Windows 3.0 pretty well.
>
>An 8088 XT will run Windows 3.00
in real mode, yes, have a friend who still has one
with it installed.

>An 80286 AT can also do 3.10
and 3.11 as well. In Standard mode.
Again, a friend has an NEC compatible with 6mb of ram
and Win 3.11 installed. Works pretty well actually.

>An 80386SX can do Windoze95


I have done this. It does work. But it is VERY slow.
Microsoft don't recommend it, since 95 is optimised for
32 bit all the way. But it's possible, if you are a masochist.

>3.0 can run with CGA.

3.x (.0 .1 &.11) can use EGA, CGA and even Hercules, I've done the EGA &
CGA, not
tried Hercules, but the drivers are on Microsofts Windows 3.x Driver library
site.

>3.10 SUPPOSEDLY can use the 3.0 CGA drivers, but they don't always work;

Seems to be card dependent. But it does work on many.

>3.1 therefore needs EGA
>I've never tried below VGA for Windoze95

EGA is allegedly possible, but I've never tried it. I believe it involves
using
3.x drivers or some other ugliness. But it is supposed to be possible.

>I don't know what the mimimum RAM requirements are, but my 486 NEC laptop
>can only handle "safe mode". (It has a hardware problem that prevents
>upgrading the memory)

>NB: MINIMUM requirements are NOT to be confused with RECOMMENDED
>configuration. Particularly when it gets to issues of "acceptable
>performance".

This is the major impediment. Like the 386SX running 95. It worked, but it
was
such a slug that we put 3.11 back on it after 2 days of tinkering. That
improved it's
performance significantly. I have seen a 386DX40 running Win95. It was a
little slow,
but still useable.

Cheers

Geoff
Computer Room Internet Cafe
Port Pirie
South Australia.
netcafe_at_pirie.mtx.net.au
Received on Fri Nov 13 1998 - 18:17:42 GMT