Hi all,
Just started messing with VB and successfully installed DOS, Windows 3.1 and Windows 98 buy following some useful guides on YouTube. All well and running fine.
My question is, how do I add software to these operating systems? ISOs are easy enough by mounting them but I'd like to add some EXE to a floppy or even on an ISO I've created (blank) so I can access these through the VM.
For example, I'd like to add screenantics.exe to a virtual floppy and access it through the windows 3.1 virtual machine.
Thanks for any pointers you can offer.
Adding software windows 3.1
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Re: Adding software windows 3.1
Look at the virtual ISO feature - that would be the most convenient way to get files into those really old OS. Note however that you can't get files out that way - or any other method typically available to modern PCs.
Attaching a blank ISO to a Win 3.1 VM would be pointless. It would give you a read-only empty CD inside the VM (VirtualBox doesn't provide you with a virtual CD burner).
If you attach a blank floppy image then you can write to that, but I don't know how you would extract the files on the host.
Attaching a blank ISO to a Win 3.1 VM would be pointless. It would give you a read-only empty CD inside the VM (VirtualBox doesn't provide you with a virtual CD burner).
If you attach a blank floppy image then you can write to that, but I don't know how you would extract the files on the host.
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Re: Adding software windows 3.1
I'm not concerned with taking files away from the guest os but can't figure how to get an exe into the guest os. What options do I have? Considering 3.1 would never had access to usb devices etc.
I just want to install a few programs in 3.1 but can't find a way. How do I put files on a created iso? Or floppy in fact?
I just want to install a few programs in 3.1 but can't find a way. How do I put files on a created iso? Or floppy in fact?
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Re: Adding software windows 3.1
All I really need to know is how to create floppy or iso images with the files I want to use on them. I may be incorrectly thinking VB can do this or do I need a 3rd party program to achieve this?
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Re: Adding software windows 3.1
VirtualBox has no tools for creating disk images other than the "virtual ISO" that I already mentioned.
You should use third party tools to create actual ISO images, for example ImgBurn.
I don't know of any tools to create floppy images. That doesn't mean they don't exist, just that I've had no need to look for them.
You should use third party tools to create actual ISO images, for example ImgBurn.
I don't know of any tools to create floppy images. That doesn't mean they don't exist, just that I've had no need to look for them.
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- Joined: 27. Jan 2022, 11:04
Re: Adding software windows 3.1
Thanks for your input. I'll have a look at 3rd party apps.
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Re: Adding software windows 3.1
Have you considered installing Windows 3.1 in DosBox ?
Yes I know it's a bit off topic but you hardly need a full VM for Win 3.1 and under DosBox you can easily mount a local directory as your C: drive, then you just drop whatever you need in there with your file explorer.
Just a thought.
Yes I know it's a bit off topic but you hardly need a full VM for Win 3.1 and under DosBox you can easily mount a local directory as your C: drive, then you just drop whatever you need in there with your file explorer.
Just a thought.