Running a Windows 95 VM in Virtualbox 🌱

  1. Download MS-DOS 6.22 Download
  2. Download MS-DOS CD driver Download
  3. Download Microsoft Windows 95 Download
  4. Extract the MS-DOS and Windows 95 files
  5. Launch Virtualbox
  6. Create a New VM by selecting Machine > New

    Name: Windows 95
    Machine Folder: C:\VMs
    Type: Microsoft Windows
    Version: Windows 95
    Memory Size: 256 MB
    Hard disk: Create a virtual hard disk now

  7. Click Create
  8. On the Create Virtual Hard Disk dialog

    Name the virtual disk image Windows 95.vdi
    File size: 256 MB
    Hard disk file type: VDI
    Storage on physical hard disk: Dynamically Allocated

  9. Click Create
  10. Select the VM and Click Settings
  11. Select System > Acceleration
  12. Uncheck Enable Nested Paging
  13. Uncheck Enable VT-x/AMD-V
  14. Select Storage
  15. Click on the floppy disk drive
  16. Select the disc dropdown to the right > Choose a virtual floppy disk file...
  17. Browse to the extracted MS-DOS 6.22 files and select Disk1.img
  18. Click OK
  19. Click on the CD-ROM drive
  20. Select the disc dropdown to the right > Choose a virtual optical disc file...
  21. Browse to the extracted Windows 95 files and select Win95_OSR25.iso
  22. Click OK
  23. Make sure the Windows 95 VM is selected and click Start > Normal
  24. Press Enter to start the MS-DOS installation and press Enter multiple times to accept the default values
  25. When prompted by the installer, go to the VM settings and swap out the MS-DOS disk images and press Enter to continue
  26. Once MS-DOS has been successfully installed, select Devices > Floppy Drives > Remove disk from virtual drive
  27. Press Enter in the VM to reboot
  28. Once MS-DOS has booted, select Devices > Floppy Drives > Choose disk image...
  29. Navigate to and select cd-driver-1.25.img
  30. Type the following commands
    A:
    install
  31. The CD-ROM driver installation process will start
  32. Click OK to complete the installation
  33. Select Devices > Floppy Drives > Remove disk from virtual drive
  34. Select Machine > Reset > Reset to restart the VM
  35. Upon booting into MS-DOS the Virtualbox CD drive should be assigned a drive letter
  36. Type the following commands:
    D:
    setup
  37. Press Enter for the routine maintenance
  38. Click the Continue button
  39. Click Yes to accept the licensing agreement
  40. Continue along the default installation by clicking the Next button
  41. Select No to creating a startup disk
  42. Click Finish to complete the setup
  43. Click OK to restart the VM
  44. Follow the prompts to give the virtual machine a name and workgroup
  45. Wait for the files to copy and Windows 95 to complete initializing
  46. Select a timezone > Click OK
  47. Click Cancel on the printer setup dialog
  48. Select Devices > Optical Drives > Remove disk from virtual drive
  49. Click OK to reboot
  50. Press Escape or click the Cancel button on the Windows Network login
  51. Enjoy the boot up sound from the Gods
  52. Welcome back to Windows 95
  53. Revel in the nostalgia