MULTIBOOT WINDOWS

w3.1 - 95 - 98 - ME - 2K - XP - 6 - 7

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* Please read the Copyright statement here. *

I originally created this website in 2022 to publish examples (in .vhd format) of multibooting earlier versions of
Windows using Virtualbox.

Since then the site has grown to include examples of DOS GUIs, boot managers, file managers, w3.1 graphical
shells, collections of small and tiny early Windows freeware programs and other odds'n'ends.

As such, this introduction page was rather a long page so I've decided to move the original multiboot topic
with details of multibooting early Windows to a separate page to make this page a little more readable.

Multiboot Windows VHDs - Examples and Multiboot Tips:

Various pages with 14 examples of multiboot VHDs for w3.1-95-98-ME-2K-XP-Vista-7.

Includes a few tips on multibooting Windows and downloads of all example VHDs.

There are also 2 examples of embedded VHDs - w3.1+w98 in XP in w7 on w10 - and w98 in 2K in XP on w10.

To explore and download . . . click here.

Maximum Number of MBR Partitions for Windows/DOS:

The definitive answer to that old question . . . " What is the maximum number of MBR partitions ? "

And the answer is . . . it varies, depending on the version of Windows.

To find out what the maximum usable number of MBR partitions is for a Windows hard disk . . . click here.

Tip - Save Some HD Space on Windows 7-8-10-11 Installs:

If you're a bit short of HD / SSD space for a Windows install, you can do an install without having the Windows
installer create the default System / MS Reserved / Recovery partitions and save around 10GB+ of disk space.

Worth a thought if disk space is a limiting factor for your Windows 7, 8, 10 or 11 install.

One of these methods also allows a quick bootable install using any logical partition, which could be useful.

For details . . . click here.

22 Good DOS GUIs:

As I have a passing interest in DOS, I've been trying out some DOS GUIs lately to see if there are any good
ones around these days.

I've tried out 70 DOS GUIs so far and I've uploaded 30 of these to the Internet Archive (in 26 posts).

Of these 70, I've picked out 22 DOS GUIs that I think are well worth trying (as of December 2022).

For more details of these DOS GUIs - and the install files for each . . . click here.

Included with each one is a VirtualBox VHD I used for testing and the source (install) files for each GUI.

50 Boot Managers for DOS and Early Windows:

Just out of curiosity I decided to see just how many boot managers I could find on the web that would suit DOS
and early versions of Windows (W3.1, 95, 98, ME, 2000, XP).

So far, I've managed to find 50 boot managers.

Most of the boot managers are from the 1990's and early 2000's and are getting very hard to find on the net
now, so uploading them to the Internet Archive - and also to this site - is a way of preserving them so they're
not lost when the few existing sites that have them disappear.

While there are 50 different boot managers, there are 125 versions of them in total.

For more details of these boot managers - and the install files for each . . . click here.

15 Windows 3.x Alternative Graphical Shells:

Following on from my look at DOS GUIs, I've rounded up some alternative graphical shells for Windows 3.x.

I've found 15 different shells (with 34 versions in total) and packed the install files in a zip file

For more detail on the shells - and the install files for each . . . click here.

270 DOS & Windows File Managers, 600+ Versions:

I've uploaded all the DOS and Windows file managers I've accumulated over the last 25 years.

There are 270 file managers (give or take a few) and roughly 600+ versions of them.

I've uploaded all I have so that some of the earlier and more obscure ones won't be lost to time.

For more detail on the file managers - and the install files for each . . . click here.

Small-Tiny-Micro Windows Freeware Programs:

I've been something of a freeware collector over the last 25+ years and during that time I've collected around
100,000 programs (give or take the odd 1,000 or 3).

I've always been intrigued by small Windows programs and how these could achieve the same result as
programs 10 or 100 times their size.

Mainly though, I admire the skill and discipline that's needed in creating very small yet functional programs.

Uploading them here is also a way of helping to preserve them as many of these earlier programs are in
danger of disappearing from the net.

It will be a work in progress, depending on my motivation or lack thereof at any given time.

So far I've uploaded:

* 5 versions of floppy images with various small but usable Windows apps
* A 1.44mb floppy image with 242 small WIndows GUI apps
* A 1.44mb floppy image with 343 small Windows GUI apps

I've also just uploaded all the 14,000-ish tiny dos-w3.1-w9x-XP-w7+ programs I have between 1kb and 1mb:

* 1,292 programs from 01kb - 10kb (8mb archive)
* 4,555 programs from 11kb - 100kb (187mb archive)
* 2,262 programs from 101kb - 200kb (286mb archive)
* 3,543 programs from 201kb - 500kb (1gb archive)
* 3,835 programs from 501kb - 1mb (2.1gb archive)
* 15,027 programs from 01kb - 1mb combined in a 3.6gb archive

To view the details of these and all downloads that are available . . . click here.

Wallpapers for Windows XP-3.1-95-98-Vista-7-10-11 and MAC:

A trip down memory lane. 280 Windows XP wallpapers I've accumulated over the years.

For a preview of them and a zip file for download . . . click here.

And . . . around 300 wallpapers for Windows 3.1 - 95 - 98 - Vista - 7 - 10 -11 and MAC (in various resolutions).

For a preview of them and zip files for download . . . click here.

Nanny Google Update 28 Nov 2025:

I noticed this morning that clicking on either of the page links below to go to the Small-Tiny-Micro XP page
or the VirtualBox Portable page in both Google Chrome and the related Supermium browser will now display
a very dramatic "Dangerous site" warning on a bright red background - only missing a skull and crossbones.

The stated reason for the warning is:
" blah blah . . . Google Safe Browsing, which recently found harmful software on the site that you tried visiting."

Microsoft Edge, Firefox, LibreWolf, Pale Moon, Basilisk, r3dfox and OffBy1 are fine with the page and obviously
not yet infected with the Google Mind Virus although being birds of a feather, that could change at any time.

Nanny Google - keeping the world safe from Windows XP and VirtualBox.

Anyways, if Nanny Google's advice concerns you just go back to pg13 television - or perhaps decide today is
the day you put on your grown-up clothes and make your own decisions.

Else just go to your room, lock the door, pull the curtains shut, curl up in bed, close your eyes and put your
hands over your ears and keep repeating "Scary world, scary world, scary world . . . ".

Small-Tiny-Micro Windows XP Versions - eXPer1ence, Dark Reverser and Others:

I'd uploaded most of the versions I have to the internet Archive but I'd missed including them here (the page
on the Internet Archive is: https://archive.org/details/ListOfEXPer1enceMicroXPTinyXPVersionsApr2018 ).

Since uploading to the Internet Archive I've found a few more versions, so the list here will be more complete.

If you're interested in small-tiny-micro versions of XP then these may interest you.

To explore the uploads . . . click here.

VirtualBox Portable Versions:

I've always found VirtualBox useful for testing early Windows versions and as I used to do a bit of travelling I
preferred using portable versions of VirtualBox for many years.

I've uploaded a selection that will run on x32 or x64 machines from Windows XP and up.

I've also included one of the last versions of the original VirtualBox by Innotek that will run on Windows 2000
(although it's an installer version rather than a portable version).

To access the files and download . . . click here.

Synology Hyper Backup Quirks:

Why is Synology Hyper Backup so slow . . . and . . . where's my data ?

For a possible explanation to these questions . . . click here.

This really gets my goat:

A brief rant on the latest crop of internet forum richards who loudly proclaim "no Windows 64 bit OS can be
installed on an MBR hard disk" - and a pictorial debunking of that b/s . . . click here.

Some SnGs:

And just for SnGs, my collection of round tuits . . . click here to browse.

For no particular reason . . . some pictures of my recent offices:

Office #1530 Office #3717 Office #3711 Office #1531
Office #7471 Office #3750 Office #7384 Office #8444

And sometimes when you're just waiting to start the next trip . . . stuff happens.

FTP Site:

I run an FTP server with Freeware I've collected over the last 25+ years at: ftp://shotterftp21.mooo.com/

Login as "anonymous" using your FTP Client of choice . . . or download Pablo's FTP Wanderer client here.

And for all you script kiddies taking a break from PG13 television or TikTok - by all means, keep trying to log in
as "Admin", "Server", "Daemon", "Web", "Trash", "LetMeIn" etc. as it provides some amusement on dull days.

To Sum It All Up:

I hope that some of the information above will prove useful to some.

Feel free to download whatever you want.

I've not included my contact details as I'm too old and cranky for long email walks in the moonlight these days
(although I expect some of you have already figured out my email address).

If you feel a need to contact me, don't expect a quick reply as I only check drop boxes once every blue moon.

Anyways, try out multibooting early Windows - when you suss it out you'll be as happy as a dog with 2 tails.

Kind regards,
Shotter_Nail
W Drop