Question Does windows 95 or 98 work on modern machines or will this cause problems? (playing old games)

[UsernameRequiredEmail]

So I like to play old games however every game I like has a plethora of problems on modern windows versions, and the so called solutions I find to be abhorrent and ineffective including dos box, changing files in system, so called compatibility back dating and so on, you just run into endless problems and give up.

If I buy windows 95 on a modern system however am I going to run into yet more problems with regards to windows 95 not being designed to cope with modern multi core different architecture computers?

If so what is the solution windows 2000? Or just buy an old lap top for an old version of windows?
I mean did lap tops even exist back in 95 were they square screened or wide screen?

 

[USAFRet]

Moving this to Legacy.

 

[35below0]

For some games there are no solutions.

DOSBox is not ineffective. Almost every DOS game under the sun has been able to work. If you do not understand how to configure DOSBox, ask. It isn't easy. Certain games benefit from different scaling settings, others can not work.

The era you mention is the most difficult. Games from late 90s and early 00s have been patched or hacked, and can work. Even difficult ones such as Max Payne or Scarface TWIY.
But Win 95 games that do not have a DOS version are a problem.

You can't really buy Win95 anymore, and it will not know how to use new hardware. Plus you're limited to lower amount of RAM and old filesystems.
The only way is to buy an old machine that still runs, but it's been 30 years. Most are dead. I'm not sure even i would want a 486/DX2 anymore.

Emulation is the alternative. Instead of running physical old hardware, use software to emulate it. There aren't many Atari STs or Amigas left, but people nostalgic for games or demos can run them using emulators. DOSBox is itself an emulator of sorts, though not so much of specific hardware.

The easiest and simplest solution is to look at GOG.com and see if they sell the game. If they do, they will have hacked the living daylights out of it in order to make it work (unless they slap DOSBox onto the DOS version).


What are the specific games you are looking to play? I might be able to help. I have a lot of old games and there are very very few that cannot be played in Win 11.


Your idea of buying Win 95/98 is inviting more frustration and pain than you can imagine.
Possibly using a vuirtual machine can spare you having to deal with old hardware, *but* VM Win95 or 98 often do not play nice with games.

 

[TerryLaze]

So I like to play old games however every game I like has a plethora of problems on modern windows versions, and the so called solutions I find to be abhorrent and ineffective including dos box, changing files in system, so called compatibility back dating and so on, you just run into endless problems and give up.

If I buy windows 95 on a modern system however am I going to run into yet more problems with regards to windows 95 not being designed to cope with modern multi core different architecture computers?

If so what is the solution windows 2000? Or just buy an old lap top for an old version of windows?
I mean did lap tops even exist back in 95 were they square screened or wide screen?

Windows 95 will not run a new system, it won't even run on an old system from around 2000 since it craps out with more than ~500Mb of ram.
A laptop is going to be a huge undertaking, you will have to find one that is new enough so that it can compensate for laptops being weaker than desktops, then it will need to have soundblaster and at least svga, if you want 3d games it will need to have 3dfx or similar, that's going to be very hard to find.
A laptop from 95 will not be able to play any good games from that era.

Your best bet is PCem since it emulates a full range of hardware from that time.

 

[gamerk316]

Dosbox works relatively well for native DOS executables. Yes, it's a pain to set up .conf files, but does result in the "best" compatibility.

For 95/98 era stuff, I typically first check over at pcgamingwiki.com; they're *very* good in regards to linking to bugfixes and solutions to get games up and running.

I've heard good things about PCem, though haven't used it personally. That might be preferred if you have a troublesome Windows based program from that era.

 

[TerryLaze]

Dosbox works relatively well for native DOS executables. Yes, it's a pain to set up .conf files, but does result in the "best" compatibility.

If you buy/have them from steam or gog they already come pre configured in at least a playable state.

 

[faalin]

Back in the day before the Government went all crazy on ThePriateBay i downloaded a file that had DOS games ranging from 1981 to 2006. All of them run fine in DosBox with DosShell.

You install DosBox then point DosShell at it, inside of DosShell you then start adding games by pointing it at the .exe and then on the dashboard it gives you an Icon. Double click the icon and it automatically does all the commands in dosbox to launch the game.

I do have VM's in Oracle Virtualbox, Windows 3.1, 95, 98, NT 5.0, ME, 2000, and xp. The only CD game that i have tried was the original Warcraft that i installed on the windows 98 vm

 

[TerryLaze]

You can play a lot of dos games on the internet archive right on the browser...

https://archive.org/details/doom-play