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I HAVE XP INSTALLED, BUT i WANT TO BUY SOFTWARE NEEDED TO INSTALL 95. I HAVE old games that will not work even with compatability (i tried). So how can I install 95, just buy the software and it will do it itself?
Please help,
Thank you :confused:

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by alc6379

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Short answer: don’t try to “replace” XP with Windows 95 on the same modern PC unless you’re prepared for headaches. For most people the fastest, least-risk way to run old games is to emulate or virtualize Windows 95 (or DOS) rather than repartitioning or reinstalling on real hardware. See official DOSBox for DOS-era titles and PCem/86Box for accurate old‑hardware emulation. (dosbox.com)

If you still want a physical dual‑boot (as suggested) and to follow ’s “95 then XP” rule, note two critical points: Windows 95 cannot boot from or fully use NTFS (it expects FAT/FAT32), and installing 95 after XP will overwrite XP’s boot files/bootloader so you’ll need to repair or rebuild XP’s loader and edit the boot menu (or use a helper like EasyBCD) to recover a proper dual‑boot. Back up everything and plan the partition types carefully before you touch the disk. (jeffpar.github.io)

If your goal is “old games that won’t run under XP compatibility mode,” pick the tool by the game’s needs: pure DOS games → DOSBox; Win9x games needing 3D/SoundBlaster/Voodoo hardware → PCem or 86Box; if you want a quicker test environment, a VM (VirtualBox/VMware) can work but expect limits (no official Guest Additions for Windows 9x in many builds and partial/unsupported guest support). Try an emulator/VM first before touching partitions. (dosbox.com)

Practical next steps: make a full image backup of your XP disk; try the game in DOSBox; if it needs Win95, spin up PCem/86Box and install Win95 there using legitimate media; only attempt a real dual‑boot after you’ve tested the game in an emulator and you understand the FAT vs NTFS and bootloader implications.

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Member Avatar for alc6379

To do it right, you would install 95 on your C:\ partition, and then have a seperate partition for your XP install.

95/98 didn't have a concept of a bootloader, but XP does. If you install 95/98, and then install XP, the XP installation should detect those other installations, and make entries for them in your bootloader menu.

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