Non-music Curios

A page for other "curios" unrelated to music.

Virtual PCs - Computer virtualization/emulation

Virtual PC is a cool Microsoft application that allows you to run a virtual computer on your desktop! It virtualizes a computer setup (processor type, RAM, etc.) to run an operating system. You can run basically any operating system that runs on a PC (not Mac) in this program, meaning you can run old programs not usable in modern Windows on the legacy OSes, as well as running alphas/betas like Chicago 58s, Whistler, etc. Click here to go to the Microsoft page to download Virtual PC 2007.

Here are some files:

ISO CD images (.iso format)

• • MS-DOS 7.01 CD ISO - ISO ".iso" format - ISO for the MS-DOS 7.01 CD. No product activation key needed. You can use this to install Windows 3.1--just install MS-DOS, then install Windows 3.1. This ISO was originally from VPCLoad. Download from Music Curios | Download from Windows Live SkyDrive | Download from MegaUpload | Download from the VHD vault | YouTube videos (not mine) | YouTube demonstration (not mine)

  • Windows 95C (OSR 2.5) ISO - ISO ".iso" format - ISO for installing Windows 95C--full install. Product key: 01000-OEM-0123456-01000.  Download from MegaUpload | Download from the Internet Archive: ISO / ZIP

  • Windows 98 ISO - ISO ".iso" format - ISO for installing Windows 98--full install. Product key: R3TQR-PQTKG-HBVQ9-YBFH3-CGCRT.  Download from 4shared | Download from MegaUpload

  • Windows 2000 ISO - ISO ".iso" format - ISO for installing Windows 2000. No product activation key needed. I have used this on several virtual machines and a real PC, and it works perfectly! I originally got the ISO from VPCLoad.  Download from 4shared | Download from MegaUpload | Download from the Internet Archive: ISO / ZIP | YouTube video (mine) showing installation procedure

  • Windows XP Pro SP3 - ISO ".iso" format - ISO for installing Windows XP Pro SP3. Pre-activated, doesn't need a key.  Download from MegaUpload

Virtual floppy disks (.vfd, .dsk, .img & .ima formats)

• • Windows 3.11 bootable floppy - IMA ".ima" format - An unusual, modded version of Windows 3.11 that you just attach to a virtual PC (VPC) and let it boot. It requires 12 MB of RAM and will crash if you use more that 256 MB. Features Tetris, FreeSki, and some newer icons (Windows 95 icons in place of some 3.11 icons). You can also extract the files with 7-Zip!  Download from Music Curios | Download from Windows Live SkyDrive | Download from MegaUpload | Download from the VHD vault | a YouTube video (not mine)

  • IBM OS/2 2.1 setup floppies - IMG ".img" format - The setup floppies for OS/2 verison 2.1, no multimedia. These disks were originally from the VPCLoad.  Download from Windows Live SkyDrive | Download from MegaUpload

Virtual hard drives (.vhd format)

• Windows Chicago Build 58s VHD - VHD ".vhd" format in a ZIP [.zip] archive - One of the earliest "Chicago" builds of Windows 95. This was an alpha release, and as such, is buggy. Since what was becoming the Windows Explorer interface was only around for several builds before this (this was the first to have all 3D dialogs), there are a lot of faults. When booting in Virtual PC, make sure Sound and Hardware Virtualization are both disabled. Otherwise, it will hang at boot. Also, stop the VMC when it starts booting for the first time to check if Hardware Virtualization is off. The setting sometimes changes. Download from Windows LiveSkyDrive | YouTube video (mine)

• Windows Chicago Build 73g VHD - VHD ".vhd" format with Virtual Machine Console (.vmc format) in a ZIP [.zip] archive - Chicago 73g was one of the early alpha builds of Windows 95. This build was an improvement over Chicago 58s. This virtual machine can be set to 256 Color, but don't set it to High Color, because it will not start again and will give you give a video card error. You can also set it to resolutions like 800x600 and 1024x768. This VM has sound, but no MIDI for some reason. To log in, type in "morris" (no quotes) or just click "Cancel".  Download from Windows Live SkyDrive | Download from MegaUpload | a YouTube video (not mine)

• Windows Chicago Build 189 VHD - VHD ".vhd" format in a ZIP [.zip] archive - A somewhat later (than Build 73g) build of Windows Chicago. More design elements are in their places, and the stability is improved. This VHD has sound and MIDI.  Download from Windows Live SkyDrive | Download from MegaUpload | YouTube video (mine) of "Passport.mid" playing in it

• Microsoft OS/2 1.3 - VHD ".vhd" format - The earliest versions of OS/2 (v. 1.0 - 1.3) were a joint product of IBM and Microsoft. This is the Microsoft version of OS/2 1.3. This VHD was originally from VPCLoad.  Download from Music Curios | Download from Windows Live SkyDrive | Download from MegaUpload | Download from the Internet Archive | a YouTube video (not mine)

  • IBM OS/2 Warp 3 - VHD ".vhd" format - A Virtual Hard Disk of OS/2 Warp 3. No the best or fastest, but it has wave sound. Mostly just a curio.  Download from MegaUpload

Kits and file collections (usually in a .zip or .7z archive)

• • The Bootable VPC Kit - ZIP [.zip] archive containing a Virtual Machine Console (.vmc format) with bootable disk images - A kit that has a VMC (no VHD), eComStation Demo CD ISO, DS Linux ISO, and the Modified Windows 3.11 IMA. Virtual PC will tell you that there is no VHD to boot from--that's okay, just click "OK" and mount one of the disk images provided. Additional information is provided in a text (.txt) file in the kit.  Download from MegaUpload

Other VPC sites:

VPCLoad - Probably the definitive Virtual PC site, with lots of virtual hard disks, ISO CD images, and more!

US VHD Vault Server - US-based server for VHD Vault

[2nd] US VHD Vault Server - The 2nd US-based server for VHD Vault (besides the main one and AndrewVHD's server)

AndrewVHD's Server - [3rd US server] Extensive server, usually on 24/7

Free VHDs - A site that has free VHDs and ISOs.

Endangered Software Archive - Not TechKnight's site, but its successor, with various old operating systems and applications. A couple files are corrupted or the links are dead, otherwise a good site.

VHD Hustle - A comprehensive site with pre-Windows 2000 versions only. Gives histories and tons of links to download from.

WinWorld - Site chock-full of downloads, from Windows to Mac OS to BeOS and more!

And check out the VPCLoad Forum!

Mini vMac

Mini vMac is another cool application that emulates a Macintosh Plus. It is maintained by Paul C. Pratt, and the Mini vMac website can be found here.

Here are some downloads:

• • Mini vMac 3.1.3 with Mac Plus ROM and System 7.5.5 - Executable app (.exe) with (.ROM) ROM and (.DSK) disks - Basically, all you need here to have fun with Mini vMac. You have Textris, Speech, MacDraw, and Mac OS 7.5.5, the highest version of Mac OS the Mac Plus can run.  Download from Music Curios | Download from Windows Live SkyDrive | Download from MegaUpload

  • Mini vMac 2005 [Mac II] with ROM and System 7.5.5 - Executable app (.exe) with (.ROM) ROM and (.DSK) disks - An alpha of Mini vMac that can emulate a Mac II--has color capability but no sound. MacDraw is included.  Download from Windows Live SkyDrive | Download from MegaUpload

Art/images

A friend ("9vollt") and I have a site for drawings and pictures: 9vollt & Mr. X Art

See these and others at the full poster gallery.

See more at the Music Curios & More Forum!