Windows 3.0 / 3.1 3.0 TestDrive

Windows 3.x was the first to gain significant development and commercial traction. It combined the 8086, 286, and 386 modes of Windows 2 in to one package. It replaced the MSDOS Executive with a Program Manager and File Manager similar to those in OS/2 1.x. Much of its success was spurred by the availability and success of Microsoft Office. Although Microsoft would have had you believe otherwise, Windows 3.x was the direct foundation for Chicago/Windows 95.

Other Windows Versions:
| 1.0 | 2.x | 3.x | NT 3.x | 95 | NT 4.0 | 98 | 2000 | ME | All |



Screenshots

Release notes

The Windows 3.0 Test Drive is a demo floppy set that could be obtained for free through PC World. It consists of a stripped down minimal install Windows 3.0 install and a PC World interactive sideshow. There was a separate version for EGA and VGA as well as 1.2mb and 1.44mb disk.

Installation instructions

Use the VGA version for VGA systems.

The EGA version will only install correctly on EGA-only systems.. The Setup program gets confused if you try to install it on a machine with VGA.

To install the EGA version on a machine or emulator with VGA, edit the [display] section of the SETUP.INF and add the line:

"vga = 1:ega.drv, "EGA", "133,96,72", , 1:egalogo.lgo, , , , 1:egalogo.rle"

The included Windows files are crippled to prevent running normal Windows 3.0 software. It is possible to run other Windows 3.0 applications by inserting the string "DEMOAPP" in to an EXE's application description header.

But it has Solitaire! So what else do you need? :)

Product type
OS
Vendor
Microsoft/PC World
Release date
1990
User interface
GUI
Platform
Windows
Download count
789 (7 for release)

Downloads

Download name Version Language Architecture File size Downloads
Microsoft Windows 3.0 PC WORLD TestDrive - EGA (5.25-1.2mb) 3.0 PC WORLD TestDrive - EGA English 1.61MB 3
Microsoft Windows 3.0 PC WORLD TestDrive - VGA (5.25-1.2mb) 3.0 PC WORLD TestDrive - VGA English 1.95MB 4

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