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Why did older Windows OSes require MS-DOS to be installed?

Colt_0pz
By Colt_0pz
in Windows
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When I was installing win95 on a virtual machine, I had to install DOS first but I don't understand why. Can someone explain to me?

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Because it wasn't an "OS" back then, just a GUI that ran on top of your OS.

Remember to either quote or @mention others, so they are notified of your reply

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So you have found that Windows is boot strapped by DOS. To be market dominant they needed to be backwards compatible with 16-bit applications and they needed to be able to run DOS programs while also providing a modern GUI. Early Windows is mutant DOS, an iteration/evolution/extension.

Here is one article that is actually hard to read. I once read a better one from slash dot but i cant find it. https://devblogs.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20071224-00/?p=24063

 

 

 

 

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