Computer Hope

Microsoft => Microsoft Windows => Windows NT/2000 => Topic started by: Cityscape on June 25, 2009, 05:46:15 PM

Title: Does Windows NT 3.51 need DOS?
Post by: Cityscape on June 25, 2009, 05:46:15 PM
Hi,

I know Windows 3.1 must have MS DOS, but i was wondering if the NT versions (NT 3.1, 3.5, 3.51) also need DOS?

I want to use Windows NT 3.51 so i need to know...

Adam
Title: Re: Does Windows NT 3.51 need DOS?
Post by: Quantos on June 25, 2009, 07:17:49 PM
No, it doesn't, it installs stand alone.
Title: Re: Does Windows NT 3.51 need DOS?
Post by: Cityscape on June 25, 2009, 08:10:21 PM
What about Windows NT 3.1 & Windows NT 3.5?
Are they standalone or do they need DOS?

And do you know where i could get DOS by the way?

Thanks for your help Quantos. :)
Title: Re: Does Windows NT 3.51 need DOS?
Post by: Quantos on June 25, 2009, 08:30:16 PM
I don't remember if 3.5 needs an OS under it or not.  I seem to remember that 3.1 does.

I have no idea where you could find DOS.  It's not sold anywhere that I know of.  You could try eBay, but whatever you buy there could be a pirate or be infected.
Title: Re: Does Windows NT 3.51 need DOS?
Post by: Cityscape on June 25, 2009, 11:03:31 PM
That's too bad cause I also have Windows 3.1 which i want to install but it must have Dos to work.
No, it doesn't, it installs stand alone.
Thanks, that's what i needed to know. :)
Title: Re: Does Windows NT 3.51 need DOS?
Post by: Quantos on June 25, 2009, 11:06:25 PM
The hard part would also be getting drivers.  Unless you have some old hardware lying around.
Title: Re: Does Windows NT 3.51 need DOS?
Post by: Rob Pomeroy on June 26, 2009, 01:49:56 AM
I want to use Windows NT 3.51 ...

The question I'm dying to ask is... why?!  ;)
Title: Re: Does Windows NT 3.51 need DOS?
Post by: Cityscape on June 26, 2009, 10:53:56 PM
Just for fun...
And to run old games on.

The hard part would also be getting drivers.
NT 4.0 drivers should work, right?
Title: Re: Does Windows NT 3.51 need DOS?
Post by: Quantos on June 27, 2009, 01:02:49 AM
Quote
NT 4.0 drivers should work, right?

No, unless the manufacturer says that the driver will work for another OS then you should NEVER use a driver for a different OS.

NT 4.0 was very different than any other version of NT, and definately won't work for a 16 bit OS.
Title: Re: Does Windows NT 3.51 need DOS?
Post by: Cityscape on June 27, 2009, 10:23:42 AM
NT 4.0 was very different than any other version of NT, and definately won't work for a 16 bit OS.
Okay, but NT 3.51 was 32 bit.
Title: Re: Does Windows NT 3.51 need DOS?
Post by: BC_Programmer on June 27, 2009, 12:22:21 PM
NT 3.1,3.5,3.51, 3.51+Shell pack*, NT4, are ALL 100% 32-bit applications. they can run 16-bit applications via the use of the virtual 8086 features of all processors since the 80386.

Using ANY version of NT for old games will NOT work. DOS games run no better- in fact, probably much worse - under older versions of NT then they do under XP/Vista. Why? Well, it wasn't a consumer OS until XP... business don't care if DOS games work- they might have some old apps running via DOS but for the most part these are "businessy" text applications that work find under the NT VM.


Driver wise, an NT4 driver *might* work with 3.51, since a lot of NT4 drivers were really just NT 3.51 drivers made "shell aware". Additionally, for the most part NT4 drivers were tested using the beta of NT4 which was the (soon to be explained) "shell option pack" for NT 3.51.

For the most part, it depends on the device. In fact, you'll be lucky to find  a driver at all. Best results will obviously come from using a driver designed for the right version. Just remember that windows 3.1 drivers will not work- and neither will Windows 95 drivers.

explorer shell introduced with windows 95. It fell behind schedule though, so aside from a few beta's it wasn't actually released. It did, however- change NT 3.51 into NT4 version-wise (in an attempt to prevent applications from getting confused over versions and having to determine if they can actually use the features present in the shell pack). In reality, NT3.51 and NT4 are no more different then NT 3.1 and NT 3.5, kernel wise- of course there were a few changes, which are inevitable, but for the most part it wasn't a huge departure in any department other then the GUI.


Title: Re: Does Windows NT 3.51 need DOS?
Post by: Cityscape on June 27, 2009, 03:40:55 PM
Using ANY version of NT for old games will NOT work. DOS games run no better- in fact, probably much worse - under older versions of NT then they do under XP/Vista.
Sorry bout that, i'm actually not using it for DOS games.
I set Windows 3.1 (w. underlying DOS 6.22) to run my DOS games on.

explorer shell introduced with windows 95. It fell behind schedule though, so aside from a few beta's it wasn't actually released. It did, however- change NT 3.51 into NT4 version-wise (in an attempt to prevent applications from getting confused over versions and having to determine if they can actually use the features present in the shell pack). In reality, NT3.51 and NT4 are no more different then NT 3.1 and NT 3.5, kernel wise- of course there were a few changes, which are inevitable, but for the most part it wasn't a huge departure in any department other then the GUI.
So NT 3.51 with shell pack uses the NT4 interface and stuff? Or is shell pack the same as a service pack?  ???
Title: Re: Does Windows NT 3.51 need DOS?
Post by: BC_Programmer on June 27, 2009, 03:42:00 PM
The shell pack was basically a NT4 beta. it was later "recanted" and NT4 was released a little afterward.
Title: Re: Does Windows NT 3.51 need DOS?
Post by: macdad- on June 27, 2009, 03:47:13 PM
From what BC said,

Anything past Windows NT is fully independent of DOS.
Title: Re: Does Windows NT 3.51 need DOS?
Post by: Quantos on June 27, 2009, 04:04:52 PM
Quote
NT 3.1,3.5,3.51, 3.51+Shell pack*, NT4, are ALL 100% 32-bit applications. they can run 16-bit applications via the use of the virtual 8086 features of all processors since the 80386.

Thanks BC, it's been a really long time since I've run any of those. 
Title: Re: Does Windows NT 3.51 need DOS?
Post by: BC_Programmer on June 28, 2009, 09:36:16 AM
I'd like to thank the MSDN Library, April 2000 distribution. I probably read a good 80% of the articles, backgrounders, knowledge base articles, etc that were in there, since I didn't have the internet at the time.
Title: Re: Does Windows NT 3.51 need DOS?
Post by: Quantos on June 28, 2009, 11:31:53 AM
I used to read...

I found that my head was full though, and when I tried to learn something new, I would forget something that I already knew.

Like the time that I learned how to make beer, I completely forgot how to drive.
Title: Re: Does Windows NT 3.51 need DOS?
Post by: BC_Programmer on June 28, 2009, 11:46:01 AM
aww man, that's like what happened one time, I learned how do drive on two wheels, and then forgot that whole "don't drive on the sidewalk" rule. At least, that's what I told the police.
Title: Re: Does Windows NT 3.51 need DOS?
Post by: Quantos on June 28, 2009, 12:09:09 PM
How was the judge?  Did he have a sense a humor?
Title: Re: Does Windows NT 3.51 need DOS?
Post by: hot dog on June 29, 2009, 11:37:44 AM
The question I'm dying to ask is... why?!  ;)

I just had to mention I lol'ed here       
Title: Re: Does Windows NT 3.51 need DOS?
Post by: camerongray on July 10, 2009, 09:15:05 AM
All Windows NT OSs do NOT need DOS.

Why not try freedos http://www.freedos.org (http://www.freedos.org) - This *SHOULD* run Windows 3.1 and your games

Or try DOSBox http://www.dosbox.com (http://www.dosbox.com)

Cameron Gray
Title: Re: Does Windows NT 3.51 need DOS?
Post by: Cityscape on July 10, 2009, 08:18:39 PM
Why not try freedos http://www.freedos.org (http://www.freedos.org) - This *SHOULD* run Windows 3.1 and your games

Or try DOSBox http://www.dosbox.com (http://www.dosbox.com)

Cameron Gray
Thanks for that suggestion, but I already have Windows 3.11 setup with MS DOS 6.22
All Windows NT OSs do NOT need DOS.
Thanks for the clarifcation Cam.
Title: Re: Does Windows NT 3.51 need DOS?
Post by: neelchauhan on July 18, 2009, 02:01:53 PM
One feature of NT is that DOS is not required to run or install. I highly recommend you use DOS bootdisk with CD support to install.
Title: Re: Does Windows NT 3.51 need DOS?
Post by: BC_Programmer on July 18, 2009, 08:28:39 PM
One feature of NT is that DOS is not required to run or install. I highly recommend you use DOS bootdisk with CD support to install.


WHY. You keep contradicting yourself!

a bootdisk isn't needed. but use one anyway.

Why? what does it add? All NT CDs since 3.51 are bootable! and I think 3.1 is on floppies anyway.
Title: Re: Does Windows NT 3.51 need DOS?
Post by: Cityscape on July 20, 2009, 01:00:36 PM
Yeah it''s bootable.
But I'm having install problems, i'll post that as a new topic soon.