Windows 1.0 Beta

Author: Anonymous

Here, we'll be covering the "Beta" build! From this build onwards, we'll be using a Compaq OEM version of MS-DOS 3.31. It was the last build of the DOS 3.x series. Get used to it, as we'll be using it for many of our future builds. In order to install this version easily without all of the Compaq utilities, boot from the second disk, and copy the files from the second and third disks to the hard drive. The rest of the process is pretty much the same as before.

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So, whenever I try to install this build off of the floppies, it hangs near the end. Thankfully, there's a little dirty trick I know that can help us! Create a directory anywhere on the hard drive, and copy all of the files from all of the Windows Setup floppies to that directory.

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Afterwards, enter the command shown here. It pretty much tells DOS to make the A: directory point towards the directory that we created. After doing this, go ahead and run "SETUP".

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As you can see, this is the first build to have a full-fledged "Setup" program.

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This is also the first build that gives you the option to install Windows onto floppy disks in case you don't have a hard drive, which for many people, was still the case at the time.

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This build is also the first to give you a choice, in terms of where you want Windows to be installed on the hard drive. (edited)

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This build apparently supports installing from the floppies or from the hard drive. If the SUBST command is being used, the option you choose makes no difference whatsoever.

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We'll be choosing option 2. This is where it would crash if you were running it directly off of the floppies.

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It forces you to select a printer, even if you don't have one. Luckily, this doesn't make a difference, in terms of performance. Even though it says that you can skip this, you can't. Hitting the "Q" key does absolutely nothing!

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Unlike previous builds, you do not need to mess with AUTOEXEC.BAT in order to make Windows boot correctly. You can just go ahead and run Windows right off the bat!

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As you can see here, this is the first build of Windows to have a boot screen! (NOTE: Capturing these boot screens with PCem is an absolute nightmare because it requires precise timing, and even then, it's more based on luck than anything else!) (edited)

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Here it is!

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The first build to have an "about" box!

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Oh, don't you talk about my boxes! I LIKE BOXES!!! :)

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As you can tell, this is also the first build to have color!

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Some the programs tell you when this build was made. Here's an interesting specimen: a calendar window that OVERLAPS! If you remember, the final build of Windows 1.01 doesn't have overlapping windows. They wouldn't properly introduce the feature until Windows 2.x.

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Some the "about" boxes are less detailed than others.

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This build's control panel has more customization features!

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Here we have a list of the different printers that were supported.

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The first build to let you customize the window colors!

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The cube returns!

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The introduction of Paint! Not a very good introduction, as this build, Paint in particular, is extremely buggy!

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Well, this is cool!

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This is the first appearance of the PIF editor!

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REVERSI IN COLOR!!! :)

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This is neat! As long as it's not the cable provider (Spectrum actually is my cable provider), then I'm fine!

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BONUS: How to run Windows 1.0x ("Beta" and later) in 800x600 resolution! Copy these files to your Windows installation directory and run "WIN1VGA.EXE" (edited)

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When you want to install Windows, run "VGASETUP" rather than "SETUP".

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When you reach this part, choice 7 will be the 640x480 driver, while choice 8 will be the 800x600 driver. We'll choose option 8.

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...and viola! Windows 1.0 Beta running in 800x600! Truly beautiful! According to the author of this patch, this only supports the builds after this one, but this one does work!

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HI-RES REVERSI!!! :)

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That's all for this build! Onto the next one! :)

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