How to install Windows 3.1 with DOS 7.1

[tron_thomas]

I am running Virtualbox 3.1.8 on a 32-bit version of Windows 7 running on an Intel Core2 Duo machine.

I am trying to set up a machine that can run either Windows 3.1 or Windows 3.11.

I have installed MS-DOS 7.1 on the machine. When I attempt the installation of Windows and choose express setup, the install program copies some files over to the system and then says:

Please wait while Windows 3.1 starts.
This may take a few minutes.

If Windows 3.1 does not start see
"Troubleshoogin" in your documenation. You will need to run
Setup again. You may also need to restart your computer.


The screen just sits there and never changes. Here are the contents of the system's CONFIG.SYS file:

DEVICE=C:\DOS71\ECHO.SYS W/e/l/c/o/m/e /t/o MS-DOS 7.10...
DEVICE=C:\DOS71\ECHO.SYS C/o/p/y/r/i/g/h/t M/i/c/r/o/s/o/f/t C/o/r/p. A/l/l /r/i
/g/h/t/s /r/e/s/e/v/e/r/e/d.
DEVICE=C:\DOS71\HIMEM.SYS
DEVICE=C:\DOS71\EMM386.EXE NOEMS
DEVICEHIGH=C:\DOS71\SETVER.EXE
REM DEVICEHIGH=C:\DOS71\POWER.EXE
DEVICEHIGH=C:\DOS71\VIDE-CDD.SYS /D:IDE-CD
REM DEVICEHIGH=C:\DOS71\DISPLAY.SYS CON=(,,1)
COUNTRY=001,437,C:\DOS71\COUNTRY.SYS
SHELL=COMMAND.COM /P /E:640
DOS=HIGH,UMB,AUTO
FCBS=4,0
FILES=30
BUFFERS=20,0
LASTDRIVE=26
STACKS=9,256
SET PATH=C:\DOS71;..;

Here's the contents of the system's AUTOEXEC.BAT file:

@ECHO OFF
PROMPT $P$G
SET DIRCMD=/4
MODE CON RATE=32 DELAY=1
REM MODE CON CP PREPAR=((437)EGA.CPI)
REM MODE CON CP SELECT=437
REM KEYB US,,KEYBOARD.SYS
LH KILLER
LH DOSKEY
LH DOSLFN /Z:C:\DOS71\CP437UNI.TBL
LH MSCDEX /D:IDE-CD
LH SHARE /L:30
REM LH NLSFUNC
REM LH SMARTDRV
LH CTMOUSE
REM For compatibility uprpose:
LH CTMOUSE > NUL
EHCO.
REM For locking volume to enable "direct diska ccess":
CALL LOCKDRV.BAT
BREAK ON
LNFOR ON
ECHO now you ar ein MS-DOS 7.10 prompt. Type 'HELP' for help.
ECHO.
c:\sound\envmastr.exe /l winbootdir=
c:\sound\ctcm.exe
PATH=C:\DOS71;..;;C:\DOS71\norton
call vc.bat
call gvfm.bat

What can I try that would allow me to install the windows setup to complete successfully?

[BillG]

I don't know if it is relevant or not, but Win 3.11 ran on top of DOS 6.22. DOS 7 came with Win 95 and was a completely different installation process.

[tron_thomas]

I thought I remembered seeing videos of people installing Windows 3.1 or Windows 3.11 on Virtualbox using DOS 7. However, even if they were installing correctly the videos did not mention anything that would offer insight into how to solve my problem. So, perhaps I should try an earlier version of DOS.

[mark rumsey]

Those are a couple of HUGE startup files you have there. It may simply be that all the drivers and TSRs you are loading are eating memory and leaving too little for Win3.1, but I think its more likely your DOS 7.1 setup is loading something Win3.1 does not like. I would be tempted to REM out a lot of what is in there to get to a simple configuration, then add things back one at a time until you find the one(s) that stop Win3.1 booting.

I would suggest REMing out the following from config.sys
DEVICE=C:\DOS71\ECHO.SYS W/e/l/c/o/m/e /t/o MS-DOS 7.10...
DEVICE=C:\DOS71\ECHO.SYS C/o/p/y/r/i/g/h/t M/i/c/r/o/s/o/f/t C/o/r/p. A/l/l /r/i/g/h/t/s /r/e/s/e/v/e/r/e/d.
DEVICEHIGH=C:\DOS71\VIDE-CDD.SYS /D:IDE-CD
SHELL=COMMAND.COM /P /E:640
DOS=HIGH,UMB,AUTO
LASTDRIVE=26
SET PATH=C:\DOS71;..;

I would then add the following
DOS=HIGH,UMB
LASTDRIVE=Z
I don't know what the AUTO switch on the DOS line does, and I don't think Win3.1 would understand a drive 'letter' of 26!

For Autoexec.bat I'd suggest REMing the following.
SET DIRCMD=/4
MODE CON RATE=32 DELAY=1
LH KILLER
LH DOSKEY
LH DOSLFN /Z:C:\DOS71\CP437UNI.TBL
LH MSCDEX /D:IDE-CD
LH SHARE /L:30
REM For compatibility uprpose:
LH CTMOUSE > NUL
EHCO.
REM For locking volume to enable "direct diska ccess":
CALL LOCKDRV.BAT
BREAK ON
LNFOR ON
ECHO now you ar ein MS-DOS 7.10 prompt. Type 'HELP' for help.
ECHO.
c:\sound\envmastr.exe /l winbootdir=
c:\sound\ctcm.exe
call vc.bat
call gvfm.bat

If you are still having problems, remove the LH entries so those drivers load low. Once you nhave it booting, the first things to add back are the CD drivers, then add the LH entires back until you find the one it doesn't like, then add the rest back one at a time until you find the one it doesn't like. Also, check out the three batch files called from Autoexec (lockdrv.bat, vc.bat & gvfm.bat) as something in those might be a problem.

I have Win3.11 running successfully on DOS6.22 under VBox 3.1.4. I'm running the VM with 32MB RAM (way more than Win3.1 can use) with all the virtualisation and acceleration options disabled, the sound card set as Soundblaster 16 and the network set as a bridged PCNet PCI II. I've used the inbult SVGA 800x600 16 colour display driver, then downloaded and installed the Creative SB1 sound driver and MS TCP/IP network drivers for Win3.11, so I have sound and networking. I've even managed to share folders between the Win 3.11 guest and the Win 7 host with a bit of fiddling! One VERY important thing to remember when you do get Win3.1 running. 32but disk access isn't available and you cannot enable 32bit file access or Windows will crash. Having all the performance enhancing features turn off is no big deal, however, as it still runs very fast. The fastest machine I've run 3.11 on natively is an Athlon XP 2000 (2GHz), and it was quick. My current setup is a 3.2GHz PhenomIIx4, and even though the setup means the processor is having to work much, much harder to run 3.11 under VBox than it would if it was running 3.11 natively, its even faster than on the Athlon!