Windows 3.1

[Windows 8]

Is there any way to make Windows 8 look like Windows 3.1? Seems like it'd be really cool.

 

[CountMike]

I don't think you can lower resolution and colors that much and even if you could most stuff would not work. You can use "Total Commander" or "Free Commander" to open full screen automatically and have it look like old File Manager. Or, find the picture of 3.1 desktop, set it as your desktop picture.

 

[Windows 8]

I just mean make it look like it as in border/button styles etc. I dont want that low of res lol.

 

[drakulaboy]

it's possible i guess, like classic theme for win8

 

[CountMike]

it's possible i guess, like classic theme for win8

That's Win 95.

 

[Hopachi]

it's possible i guess, like classic theme for win8

That's Win 95.

Yes, the only thing that can be done on top of that is alter the colors and text a bit to make it look even more classic.

But that will need to be another theme if it's applied with patching of system files.

 

[Hopachi]

Patching system files just to get that extra retro look is a bit too much, you can just try AeroLite / High Contrast themes first.

You can also pick some favourites from the bunch of classic themes that were available in the classic collection:
http://www.eightforums.com/customization/21955-classic-theme-windows-8-a-3.html#post356002

If you create new themes based on AeroLite and high-contrast:
You can alter the colors in the *.theme file itself but fonts will need to be altered in the registry.

More info:
http://www.eightforums.com/customization/25496-special-themes-aerolite-high-contrast-variations.html

 

[jimbo45]

Hi there

You could go back to Windows release 1 !!!! -- not sure though if you could get resolution as LOW as the original -- especially on large screens.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[CountMike]

Never mind resolution, what would you do about 64 bit processor and 16 bit apps ? I have original 3.11 diskettes and it can't boot with them.

 

[m4v3r1ck]

Never mind resolution, what would you do about 64 bit processor and 16 bit apps ? I have original 3.11 diskettes and it can't boot with them.

Why not install your Windows 3.11 in a VM?

~ Cheers

 

[Berton]

As I recall, shortly after Windows 95 came out a small program became available that allowed making Windows 3.x look like Windows 95. It probably is no longer available and, as mentioned, Windows 3.x probably won't work on 64-bit hardware. Adding to the situation is the need to install MS-DOS 6.22 first followed by Windows 3.x [or Windows for Workgroups 3.x]. Windows 3.x and earlier was only a GUI/Graphical User Interface or Operating Environment that ran on top of the Operating System while DOS was the OS, both began the merge into one starting with Windows 95.

What I have done in Windows XP was install Virtual Machine followed by Windows 95B which was the first with FAT32 disk formatting support. The first consumer of Windows to have NTFS support was Windows XP. NTFS is needed for support of single file size of 4GB and more.

Both MS-DOS, and competing versions, plus Windows 3.x and earlier came only on floppy disks, never on CD and many new computers don't have the drive and have seen some that don't even have support in the BIOS for floppy drives, some may have it only for the A: drive but not for the B: drive.

 

[CountMike]

I have 11 3.5" diskettes for 3.11 installation, first one is boot disk from which everything starts, guess it is DOS disk whith which you didn't have to go further than disk 2.
As far as I remember 32 bit NTFS started with Win NT, not XP.

 

[Berton]

I have 11 3.5" diskettes for 3.11 installation, first one is boot disk from which everything starts, guess it is DOS disk whith which you didn't have to go further than disk 2.

Very possible that MS-DOS and Win3.11 were bundled. When I was building we'd sometimes get 3 disks for MS-DOS, the third one was Enhanced Tools. Windows for Workgroups 3.11 was a set of 8 disks, still have mine.