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Month: April 2022

Running Windows 1.01 and old versions of DOS

Running Windows 1.01 and old versions of DOS

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I learned to program back on an old TRS-80 Model III computer as a kid. Long before Windows and even DOS, most home computers required you type in programs or load them from cassette tapes. If you were really rich, you might afford a floppy drive, but that was an expensive luxury I never had. My next computer was an IBM XT, and it ran the advanced and stalwart DOS 3.30 – which was dramatically better.

Running those old operating systems today requires you either buy one of those old systems and keep it running, or you have to emulate them. You can easily emulate DOS 3.3 and Windows 3.0 and higher on VMWare or Virtualbox, but going earlier than doesn’t seem to be supported anymore.

Enter 86Box – an emulator that lets you emulate REALLY old machines. In fact, I was able to get Dos 3.2 running Windows 1.0.

Here’s what you’ll need:

Part 1 – 86Box Setup

  1. Download 86Box and install it (source is on github).
  2. Download the latest romset and put it in the directory for 86Box called roms\
  3. Download DOS 3.2 image disks here.
  4. Download Windows 1.01 image disks here.
  5. [For later fun: download any of the other amazing images on the parent page]
  6. Start 86Box and set up 86Box by selecting Tools->Settings from the top menu, and set the system up with the following settings.

Part 2: DOS 3.2 and Windows 1.01 install

  1. Start up the 86Box.
  2. Set Media->Floppy 1 to disk01.img, then issue a ‘CTRL-ALT-DEL’ to reset it. The system should start up and boot to the dos 3.20 floppy drive
  1. Run ‘fdisk’ and it should detect your hard drive. You’ll need to create a partition to set up the hard drive.
  1. Reboot and boot from the DOS 3.20 disk again.
  2. Format the hard drive by using ‘format c: /s’
  3. Set Media->Floppy 1 to ‘DISK1-SETUP.IMG’ from the Windows 1.01 (5.25)
  4. [optional] type ‘set prompt=$p$g’ if you want to see your full path in the command prompt
  5. Run ‘setup’ from a: and follow the instructions to install Windows 1.01 on C:. Change the disks when prompted by selecting Media->Floppy 1 and setting it to each of the floppy disks for the Windows setup until it’s completed.
  6. type ‘C:’ to switch to the hard drive
  7. ‘cd \windows’
  8. ‘win’ to start windows
  9. Voila!
How to buy video cards, PS5’s, Xbox, DDR5, and not pay scalper prices

How to buy video cards, PS5’s, Xbox, DDR5, and not pay scalper prices

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For well over 2 years, it’s been nearly impossible to buy graphics cards, PS5’s, Xbox’s, and more recently, DDR5. Some of this is attributable to the rise of crypto-currency mining, new technologies coming to market, chip shortages, labor shortages, and a host of other possibilities. But no matter how you slice it, scalpers are buying these up using automated scan and purchase bots. They can often sell these items at double the retail price. And as long as that continues, we can expect to get gouged and have shortages.

There is some hope however.

Queues and purchase opportunity drawings – check your favorite product websites. Many of them are trying to make things more fair

  • EVGA has created its Queue system in which users can sign up for a small number of graphics cards they want – and then get 24 hours to buy when they come up in the queue. I did this in 2021, and after about 8 months my number came up to buy a nVidia 3090. The rules for the queue have changed several times, so be sure to read them before registering for the cards you want.
  • Newegg now has a daily Newegg Shuffle in which they sell very hard to find items. I bought some DDR5 this way after a lot of trying every day. It took about 2 month of daily attempts to win a chance to buy some DDR5. Unfortunately, they are now bundling many of their offerings with really overpriced additional components (graphics cards with $100 power supplies) – so be sure to check the resell value of the bundled items before buying. Many are grossly overpriced to the point of negating the whole deal. And no, you can’t return just the item you don’t want later for a refund.
  • Sony has a registration system to

Stock Trackers – There are Youtube, Twitch, and Discord channels that constantly check and notify you of items in stock. Here’s some examples of the countless ones out there:

Stock Tracking Services – Just as scalpers are using bots to immediately detect desirable items being in stock and snatch them up, there are companies now providing this as a service.

Retail locations:

  • BestBuy has been one of the best retailers for getting graphics cards in stock. They have also done customers a huge favor by the website notifying you that a graphic card is in stock, but you must go in person to order and pick it up. While this seems inconvenient, this keeps the bots and auto-buyers from just snatching everything in your area up automatically.
  • Walmart Plus gives the first opportunity to buy Playstations/Xboxes to their Plus subscribers. I purchased my PS5 this way. But you have to be there right when the ordering opens. Within 5 minutes the stock sold out.