A tech enthusiast, seeking a challenge, tackled a unique project: running Windows 95 on the homebrew port of DOSBox for the Nintendo 3DS. Using the enhanced “New” 3DS, which offers extra RAM and processing power, YouTuber MetraByte embarked on this intriguing endeavor. He managed to load the DOSBox port and, eventually, Windows 95 onto the device. However, patience was crucial, as booting up Windows 95 required leaving the handheld overnight. Surprisingly, the OS installation only took about five minutes, but mouse support, via touch through DOSBox, lagged behind, only becoming functional after Windows 95 was up and running on the 3DS.
Curious minds can check out MetraByte’s video titled “Installing Windows 95 on a 3ds and Trying to Make Music with it” on YouTube, offering a visual journey of his undertaking.
Now, the bright side: Windows 95 does manage to operate on the New Nintendo 3DS. This isn’t too shocking when you consider that Windows 95 was designed to run on a mere 4MB of RAM, albeit for x86 systems and outside emulated environments. In contrast, the 256MB of RAM on the New 3DS seems generous for software from that period, especially before gigabytes of RAM became standard. However, DOSBox faces a significant hurdle, needing to handle both system memory and x86 emulation on the New 3DS’s Arm-based hardware, a task that starkly diminishes performance.
In essence, while you can technically run Windows 95 on a New Nintendo 3DS, it’s not a practical choice. The setup is laborious and frustrating, and even when operational, Windows 95 barely functions. MetraByte noted that not even basic MIDI audio playback worked, and attempts to run his music software of choice led to a dreaded blue screen. Despite these setbacks, the OS did seem to perform minimally besides these issues, suggesting that perhaps the simplest software might still function.
For those exploring DOSBox on the New 3DS, installing Windows might not be the best use of your time. Instead, it’s better to dive into classic DOS games, likely to perform well on the powerful New 3DS without the added burden of running Windows 95.
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