Hi. Here's my problem. I am using Microsoft Virtual PC 2007 and I am attempting to install Windows 3.1. I have a minor problem: All I possess to do so is a CD from an older computer, which appears to be a recovery CD that has all of the necessary files to install DOS 6.2 and Windows 3.1, and a few other things. I also have a recovery floppy disk, which really seems to be an MS-DOS boot disk. I am hoping that someone could guide me through the process of setting this up. I have tried to install MS-DOS 6.2 using some of the files I have at my disposal. I copied the files from my recovery CD's INSTALL/DOS/DISK1 directory (the PC won't boot from it) and put them onto a floppy (only took the files, I didn't put them into a folder. I didn't input a label for the disc, either). After using the boot disk, I type "setup" at the command line with the DOS setup disk 1 in the drive. I continue through prompts until it says to insert disk 1, then hit enter. Well, I have disk 1 in, so I hit enter, and it tells me again. It will continue to do so. I try a new method. A readme from the /INSTALL/DOS/DISK1 directory tells me how to install MS-DOS manually. I try it. It tells me to type "SYS A: C:" to put system files onto the hard drive. It says "Invalid drive specification." So, to make a long story short, can someone help me to at least install MS-DOS, if not Windows 3.1, using what I have at my disposal? If it is impossible (I don't see how; I've used an XP recovery disk to install Windows XP on a virtual machine) with what I have, can someone tell me what I'll need? I'm not looking to spend money on this, though. Thanks in advance.

I've never used a CD like you described, but I still have original DOS 6.22 install disks and my experience is that they will not work unless the floppy disk is labeled correctly, the setup program just doesn't see a disk unless it has the correct label. The label for DOS 6.22 Disk1 is DISK<6 spaces>1. That's a total of eleven characters: DISK - 6 spaces - 1. Disk2 is the same way, DISK<6 spaces>2, and so on for disk3. If that works for you, then go ahead and try the Windows 3.11 disks. They have to be labeled: Disk1-"MSWIN3111" (no spaces), Disk2-"MSWIN3112, Disk3-"MSWIN3113", etc. Good luck.

Hi, My set of 3.1 disks have the following label format... WIN31DISK1 WIN31DISK2 ... To use the SYS command you need to have SYS.COM, COMMAND.COM, MSDOS.COM and SYSTEM.COM on the disk you are activating the SYS command from. If you have DOS 5 - 6.x in the floppy, then type A: to go to the floppy. Type SYS A: C: and that should do it. Since you are using a Virtual PC, 3.1 may not recognize the NTFS file structure and therefore cannot SYS it. Just guessing with that one. Do you know that it is possible to install 3.1 with the Virtual PC? Dave

Actually, I was finally able to install it. I didn't need to label the disks. However, I had to use the recovery floppy to reformat drive C:. I think Virtual PC may have used something like FAT32, which Win 3.1 doesn't support last I checked. So, I was able to get DOS 6.2 and WFW 3.11 working, and added essentials like the TCP/IP stacks without issue. Thanks for the help!