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Thread ID: 23983 2002-08-31 08:29:00 286 johnboy (217) Press F1
Post ID Timestamp Content User
75278 2002-09-01 03:27:00 You need more than the minimum (512 or 640 k) memory to run Windows on a 286 (2 MB from memory, and I seem to remember that it wasn't W3.1). RAM was expensive then --- so was everything.

But there are lots of games for DOS.

Poppa, even booting with real DOS (or free DOS ... look at google for that), a lot of the early games ran too fast on 286s: they used the CPU for timing, and relied on 4.77 MHz. 8 and 12 MHz ATs made the games unplayable. I don't know what they would be like with a 3 GHz clock, but I can imagine.;-) "Turbo" switches were added to AT clones for that reason. There were a lot of TSRs available (some will still be on Simtel) to slow the machine down for games.
Graham L (2)
75279 2002-09-01 06:48:00 I have win3.1 running on my 1MB 286. It leaves about 400KB free and doesn't support a swapfile, so it's fairly useless apart from running the included apps (eg paint, solitare etc). bmason (508)
75280 2002-09-01 09:33:00 Short answer is no.
No to a 386.
No to a 486.
Mostly no to a 586 (Pentium to us mortals).
Pentium II is worthwhile.
robo.
robo (205)
75281 2002-09-01 10:36:00 Come on robo, where's ya sense of adventure :p antmannz (28)
75282 2002-09-01 11:18:00 Re my old clutch of 5.25" floppy games discs & stuff. I am going to byte the bullet & dump then in the "Inorganic" rubbish collection shortly. If anyone wants them come & get them 09 2793909, Cost you 5 chocolate fish. Heartbroken Poppa John :( :( Poppa John (284)
75283 2002-09-01 11:59:00 So if just want to play a couple of old games it will be alright.. johnboy (217)
75284 2002-09-01 19:26:00 It just isn't worth the bother though, Ant, unless you like having useless things to dust.
robo.
robo (205)
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