TITLE Open Discussion: DOS, Windows 3.x, Windows 9x and Windows ME — Retro Systems, Compatibility & Real Hardware

[Korwin]

This topic is an open discussion hub for classic DOS and early Windows operating systems:
MS-DOS, Windows 3.x, Windows 95/98, and Windows ME.

The goal of this thread is to collect practical, real-world experience related to:

• Installing and configuring legacy operating systems
• Running classic software and games
• Hardware compatibility (ISA/PCI cards, chipsets, GPUs, sound cards)
• Storage solutions (IDE, SATA adapters, CF/SD mods)
• BIOS and firmware limitations on old and modern platforms
• Emulation vs real hardware (DOSBox, PCem, 86Box vs native systems)

This topic is intentionally open for replies.
If you have a quick question, an observation, or want to share a working setup, you can simply reply here.

If your case requires long logs, multiple screenshots, or step-by-step troubleshooting,
please create a separate topic in this category and reference it here if needed.

Recommended use cases for replying in this thread:

• “Does this hardware combination work with Windows 98 SE?”
• “Best sound card for pure DOS on late Socket 370 / Socket A?”
• “Issues booting DOS with modern SSD + adapter”
• “Real hardware vs emulation — pros and cons”
• “Tips for stable retro builds in 2025+”

This is a technical discussion space.
Please keep replies focused, factual, and based on hands-on experience where possible.