Running Windows 1.0 Developer Release 5

Windows 1.0 Development Release #5 is a pre-release build of Windows 1.0. This build is the fifth in the Developer Release series, intended to help with application development. As such, it contains sample apps (some of them even with source code). According to install.bat, it was compiled on 1984-11-01.

However, it requires special requirements to run, otherwise it can crash at startup or not load at all. You need to use special requirements to do it. Only certain emulators like PCem is meant to run this, although you can run this on PCjs.org.

PCjs
This is the most easiest environment to install on. Sadly, there is no disks to install it by itself so you must download the disks yourself, and unlike PCem you cannot save the image for later use. You need to download these disk images: Here's how I installed:
 * Windows 1.0 Developer Release Disks (3 disks)
 * MS-DOS 2.11 Disk 1 (bootdisk)
 * 1) You should use this machine to install. Other machines might not be compatible or have too little space to fit disk 1 of the install disks. Coincidentally, this machine runs from Windows 1.0 Developer Release 5 to Windows 95.
 * 2) *Funny enough, after failing to fit disk 1 due to too much memory, when I reboot the computer crashed! You should use a different machine if you get "too big to fit memory" error.
 * 3) Reboot using the MS-DOS 2.11 bootdisk in drive A:.
 * 4) Run fdisk to partition DOS to the hard drive.
 * 5) Format the hard drive then run "sys C:"
 * 6) Reboot using the bootdisk. Do not switch to the Windows 1.0 install disk or you will get "Bad or missing command interpreter"!
 * 7) Now when you booted to DOS, switch to the Windows 1.0 install disk. Do not run "install.bat" as you must run it from the hard drive.
 * 8) Copy the install.bat file from the A: to the C:.
 * 9) Run install.bat at C:. You need to be careful as unlike the final Windows 1.0 release, this setup does not care about the disks so you may get a corrupted Windows version in the end that won't boot. Follow on screen instructions, the emulator should not capture your mouse as it will not do so until you reach the Windows interface so you do not have to worry about keypresses.
 * 10) *If anything takes too long, use the MgH modifier on the bottom right of the emulator to speed things up. Remember, the installation won't capture your mouse so there is no risk in changing your drives quickly.
 * 11) Prosper! Windows 1.0 Developer Release 5 on PCjs! Note that it is compiled in 1984, in which bootscreens weren't a thing. Also note that it won't detect drive B:, but it is mostly useless, and that there is no color as it does not support those drivers. You still need to keep the bootloader in when you reboot to prevent any "no command.com detected" errors.

PCem
PCem is another software to use, although you will still need to install the disks and DOS 2.11 and it is less friendly due to even interpreting the "CTRL+END" (or Windows Key) command to uncapture your mouse a key to continue. You should be careful here or you will mess up and have to do the installation again. You need to download these disk images:
 * Windows 1.0 Developer Release Disks (3 disks)
 * MS-DOS 2.11 Disk 1 (bootdisk)
 * 1) Reboot using the MS-DOS 2.11 bootdisk in drive A:.
 * 2) Run fdisk to partition DOS to the hard drive.
 * 3) Format the hard drive then run "sys C:"
 * 4) Eject drive A: then reboot. Do not switch to the Windows 1.0 install disk or you will get "Bad or missing command interpreter"!
 * 5) Now when you booted to DOS, switch to the Windows 1.0 install disk. Do not run "install.bat" as you must run it from the hard drive.
 * 6) Copy the install.bat file from the A: to the C:.
 * 7) As a recommended safety procedure, go to Settings, Configure..., then set the CPU to 4.77MgH.
 * 8) Run install.bat at C:. You need to be careful as unlike the final Windows 1.0 release, this setup does not care about the disks so you may get a corrupted Windows version in the end that won't boot. Follow on screen instructions, when its copying files, press Ctrl+End (or Windows Key) to get out of mouse capture. You must do it before it says "Switch to disk # then press a key", or it will think your keypress is a command to continue and will copy the files from the wrong disk!
 * 9) Prosper! Windows 1.0 Developer Release 5 on PCem!

However, note that the command MSWIN to start Windows points to a batch file. It only works immediately after installing Windows because the installation batch file runs a PATH command. To start Windows after rebooting these emulators, you will need to navigate to C:\WINDOWS\TEST and type KERNEL to run Windows 1.0 Developer Release 5 again.

These steps also works on Windows 1.0 Alpha, except the startup executable is now "win".