i just installed windows 3.11 for work groups and after the windows start up screen comes up the screen turns black any ideas

From the MS-DOS Prompt. Change to \Windows directory, and run SETUP. Check that you have the correct Video driver installed. Reset to 16 color VGA if not sure. Last time this happened to me, The Video was set to 256 Color SVGA with a 128KB VGA Card!

thank you for all your help you guys are the best

Similar problem: I wonder if any of you can help me out. I am trying to put together a computer for a family with a 7 year old daughter, who cannot afford to buy one. They are primarily in need of Internet access and Word for Windows for the girl to use for school work. I have obtained a Gateway 486/33 server that currently has Windows for Workgroups 3.11 with DOS 6.22. It has 638k Conventional Memory (52k used), no upper or reserved, and 7,168k extended (xms) (2,112k used) memory. Total memory is 7,806k (2,164k used). It says that the largest executable program is 586k (same as conventional memory free). Here's where I need your expertise: Can I reformat the hard drive (or delete Workgroups) and load Windows 95, or just install 95 on top of Workgroups (which I didn't think would work)? How about Microsoft Office? Hard drive has not been partioned into multiple drives, nor a mirrored drive. It has a 3 1/2 floppy and a 5 1/4 floppy. Circa 1994 to 1996. It has room to add RAM (16 total slots, 8 being used). I would need to add a modem. The CPU seems to function properly, other than somebody deleted the driver for the CD-ROM unit. Would I need to boost the processor speed with one of those chips that straddle the 486? (If it's not too expensive). I am working on a very limited budget (I will be paying for whatever goes into it), but it's for a good cause. If I can get this puppy to the point where they can use it for a year, or so I would be happy. I would appreciate any assistance you can give me pointing in the right direction, and letting me know how I should accomplish this.

If you are on a limited budget to upgrade this computer, then why not stick with the present operating system? According to the specs you listed, it should get you up and running, provided that you use an internet suite that includes verson 3x of Netscape or Internet Explorer. Later versions require more ram. I would fine tune the settings in the Config.sys and Autoexec.bat files. Run the dos Memmaker program to optimize your resources. In the Autoexec.bat file change the stacks setting to: Stack=18,512 I found that this helped prevent crashes. However, if you are set on Win95, you should be able to install the upgrade over WFW, but you would have to install more memory --16megs of ram minimum, 32megs is much better. And your would have to upgrade your CPU. I upgraded a 486dx33 with a turbochip from Kingston Technologies and it runs fine. However to do all the upgrades,(hardware, software) you may be spending $300 - $500 As the price of newer computers with operating systems pre-installed continues to decrease, then is it worth spending the money to upgrade an old system today? While the internet experience is not as enhanced for users running win3x rather than win9x, there is still much that a 7 year old can do and learn even if on an old computer. I work in a school district and we still run WFW3.11 in the computer lab for our students

To Jack, I made a mistake in my last message. The line Stacks=18,512 goes in the config.sys file. Also, note that the upgrade version of Win95 is alot cheaper than the full version,if you decide to install 95. And of course you would need to keep WFW3.11 on your computer. After the installation of Win95, you can delete the old dos and WFW files and save some space on your hard drive.

Thanks to all for the advice. I pulled 3 mem sticks out of an old 386 I had. All I need to know now is how to adjust the bios to recognize the new RAM, and find a CD driver for the OAKCDROM in the PC (can't find anywhere on the 'Net). The main reason I wanted to go to Win95 is that is what the school uses that the girl attends.