Running a Windows NT 4.0 VM in Virtualbox 🌱

  1. Download Microsoft Windows NT 6 Download
  2. Extract the Windows NT 4 files
  3. Launch Virtualbox
  4. Create a New VM by selecting Machine > New

    Name: Windows NT 4
    Machine Folder: C:\VMs
    Type: Microsoft Windows
    Version: Windows NT 4
    Memory Size: 256 MB
    Hard disk: Create a virtual hard disk now

  5. Click Create
  6. On the Create Virtual Hard Disk dialog

    Name the virtual disk image Windows NT 4.vdi
    File size: 1024 MB
    Hard disk file type: VDI
    Storage on physical hard disk: Dynamically Allocated

  7. Click Create
  8. Select the VM and Click Settings
  9. Select System > Acceleration
  10. Uncheck Enable Nested Paging
  11. Uncheck Enable VT-x/AMD-V
  12. Select Storage
  13. Click on the CD-ROM drive
  14. Select the disc dropdown to the right > Choose a virtual optical disc file...
  15. Browse to the extracted Windows NT 4 files and select the .iso file
  16. Click OK
  17. Make sure the Windows NT VM is selected and click Start > Normal
  18. Press Enter to setup Windows NT
  19. Press Enter to continue
  20. Press C to continue
  21. Page Down until you can press F8 to agree to the Licensing Agreement
  22. Press Enter to accept no changes
  23. Press Enter to install to the Unpartitioned space
  24. Select the 2nd option to partition using the NTFS file system > Press Enter
  25. Press Enter a few more times for good measure
  26. When prompted, remove the CD by selecting Devices > Option Drives > Remove disk from virtual drive
  27. Press Enter to restart the VM
  28. After rebooting a few times you will be prompted to reinsert the CD-ROM
  29. Devices > Option Drives > Choose disk image
  30. Navigate back to the downloaded Windows NT 4 .iso file
  31. Click Open
  32. Click OK inside the VM
  33. Follow the default prompts and then enter a name and organization > Click Next
  34. Give the computer a name > Click Next
  35. Type an administrator password > Re-type to confirm > Click Next
  36. Select No, do not create an emergency repair disk > Click Next
  37. Click Next
  38. Select Wired to the Network > Click Next
  39. Click the Find button and then Next, Next, Next, Continue
  40. Click Yes to use DHCP
  41. Click Next, Next, Finish
  42. Set the date/time and time zone and click close
  43. Wait for the files to copy and Windows 95 to complete initializing
  44. Select a timezone > Click OK
  45. Remove the CD by selecting Devices > Option Drives > Remove
  46. Click the Restart Computer button
  47. Select Input > Keyboard > Insert Ctrl-Alt-Del
  48. Enter the administrator password created earlier and click OK to login
  49. Welcome back to Windows NT 4
  50. Revel in the nostalgia

Optional Steps

  1. Select Devices > Insert Guest Additions CD image...
  2. If VirtualBox Guest Additions doesn't autorun, open My Computer > CD Drive > Double click VBoxWindowsAdditions-x86.exe
  3. Install Guest Additions accepting the defaults
  4. Accept any driver popups from the Guest Additions installer by clicking the Continue Anyway button
  5. After the installation completes select Reboot now > Click Finish
  6. Upon rebooting, you can now full screen the VM and the internal resolution will automatically change to match the window size
  7. Download i12bretro Windows SP.iso Download
  8. Select Devices > Optical Drives > Select disk image...
  9. Navigate to and select i12bretro_Windows_SP.iso
  10. If the VM doesn't autorun, open My Computer > CD Drive
  11. Open the Windows NT folder > Double click Windows NT 4.0 SP6.exe
  12. Follow the dialogs to install Service Pack 6
  13. Click Finish to reboot and complete the SP6 install