DOS 6.3 "How to"

[timnc]

I used DOS a long time ago and went out to Win95 very soon after picking up on how to use DOS. I have a question- - - How do I install a program onto DOS using a floppy? I have win3.11 to install on a laptop.......it is on 8 floppies and is zipped. I have to put a unzip program on first to install win3.11 correct? Ok, I have a unzip program that is in .exe on a floppy. I need to know how to install the unzip program and then how to install win3.11- - - please help with any detailed info. Thanks

Tim

[AlaricD]

Usually, Windows 3.11 is not .ZIPped on the floppy....


Still,

Installing the compression software depends on the form in which you got it. It may be a self-extracting zip file. At the DOS prompt, you can make a directory called "zip" on the hard drive, copy the file from the floppy to that directory, and then execute the file once it's on the hard drive. From there, it depends on exactly what that .EXE was. For example (the things you type are boldface:

• C:\>md zip
  C:\>cd zip
  C:\ZIP\>copy a:\pkzip.exe
  1 files(s) copied.
  C:\ZIP\>pkzip

This assumes the name of the file on the floppy is PKZIP.EXE, maybe it's different for you. Substitute the correct name.

If the file is all ready to run, when you execute it, it should give usage information. If it's not ready to run, it will say it's extracting itself and one of the files extracted will be a README.TXT or similar file. Follow the directions there.

Once you have the program set up properly, you can append the PATH statement in AUTOEXEC.BAT to include C:\ZIP so that way you don't have to specify the path to PKZIP every time you wish to run it. We'll get there when we need to-- first, just get your ZIP installed...

[Eeyore]

Unless the files on the 8 Windows 3.1 install disks are in ZIP files, that is unnecessary. Many of the files on Windows 3.1 Setup Disks will have an underline at the end of the extension. Those files are compressed. By they will be uncompressed by the SETUP.EXE file on disk 1.

The prerequisite is that you must already have DOS 6.22 or older installed before you can install Windows. Here is a step-by-step Windows 3.1/3.11 Installation page you may want to look at.

------------------
My
Two Cents
Dennis
Visit Politalk

[timnc]

Thanks guys....I will try this and see what happens....I will be back in touch soon...thanks again

[timnc]

I downloaded the Win3.1 from www.massed.net which is 7 floppies. I did as it said and inserted the disk #1 and typed this A:\>Setup16.exe and hit "enter" and then got this message...... This program requires Microsoft Windows. What does this mean? Did I do something wrong or what? I would appreciate any help....thanks

Tim

[AlaricD]

Does massed.net have the permission of Microsoft to provide Windows 3.1?

Although Win3.1 is "old" in computer terms, it is still protected by copyright, and will be until 75 years after the first publication date unless the copyright is further renewed. Or something close to that.

[timnc]

I have no idea if they have rights....it just reads win3.1 downloads. I downloaded them and it gave me that message. Waht do you think...I am clueless. Thanks

Tim

[Vernon Frazee]

Gentle Reminder

Our Acceptable Usage Policy states, in part:

By using these Forums, you agree to the following:

• You will not use these forums to violate any laws nor to discuss illegal activities.
  
• You will not post any copyrighted material, nor link to any copyrighted material (with the exception of publicly available sites and pages that the legal owners of the copyrights have created to make that material freely available to the general public), unless that copyright is owned by you or by these Forums.
  
• You will not use these Forums for the purposes of sharing or distributing viruses, licenses, registration information, software keys, "cracks," or other information designed to do harm to or allow unlawful access to any computer hardware, software, networks, or any other systems.

[OilPatch197]

Ok I didn't find the 3.1 on floppies Ol well, Maybe you need to extract the disk in windows to the floppies? like unzip "disk 1 to A: then after extract, you should Have real setup disks, I know of a real good family freindly site, it have proggies, operating systems, it is...................... you've seen what frazee said.

[Vernon Frazee]

Since the first two paragraphs on MassEd.net speak of their ISP service, what you may have downloaded is their internet access software for Windows 3.1, not Microsoft's Windows 3.1.