virtualbox.org

I notice that Virtualbox lists "Windows 3.1" among the various flavors of Windows guests.

How exactly is that supposed to work? As I recall, Windows 3.1 (or 3.11, the version I used back in The Day) had to be installed on top of an already-working DOS install. Available docs seem to back me up on this. I'm pretty sure Windows 95 was the first version that could be installed by itself, although it was little more than a GUI for DOS.

I haven't been able to make that happen, so far. I do have a working MS-DOS 6.22 VM, but I can't get CD-ROM support to work, so there's no way (so far) to install from the Windows 3.11 CD-ROM I have.

Where do you see that Windows 3.1 is supported?

You might be able to install it but there will be no guest additions and it will suffer the same problems that DOS has with high CPU usage and poor graphics.
The first thing that you will need to do is install a CDROM in the DOS guest (still not supported) and then you should be able to install Win 3.1(also not supported).

right on the front page

Presently, VirtualBox runs on Windows, Linux, Macintosh and OpenSolaris hosts and supports a large number of guest operating systems including but not limited to Windows (NT 4.0, 2000, XP, Server 2003, Vista, Windows 7), DOS/Windows 3.x, Linux (2.4 and 2.6), Solaris and OpenSolaris, and OpenBSD.

anyways, since that mod isnt gonna help you. i will, get an ms dos boot disk fdisk will partition the emulated c drive then format it install ms dos 6.22 from .img floppy images then install windows 3.1 from the img files it can be kinda hard the first time, but its a good experience, nice and easy when you get going.

i used win image for the floppy disk images

I believe the OP stated that they already had a working DOS install. Just that they did not have CD working in it.
Without the CD working you will not be able to actually install the image if that is what they have. Floppies were available back then but I doubt anyone still has a good floppy install.

Anyway here is a list of guest http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Guest_OSes and not all of them are officially supported either.
Official support starts with Windows XP.

mudducks...........

starts with dos,

all os'es work and are supported and runnable

and if you werent muducckin it perry, theres good install's all over, got my dos and win 3.1 install from vetusware, but the site went funky now.

Well I must admit I have no clue what you are talking about but I do understand the use of illegal software and this is something else we do discuss or allow.
There is a real difference in what some people call abandonware and what Microsoft thinks about it. Probably why the site is shutdown.

Anyway if you disagree that is fine. But keep up the name calling and you will have a problem.

nah, the site wasnt shutdown, lol. its been glitched.

tis abandonware, im not, keep up the threats and you'll have a squishfest to worry about.
site needs techier mods