Linux is a different concept than Windows, and while it is possible to run Linux as a virtual machine on Windows and vice versa, trying out older OS editions is a nostalgic experience. I started with Linux virtualization I run Windows 7 and 8 in my phases and Linux on many devices that now function as small-scale home servers. I have a faint memory of Windows OS editions prior to Windows XP and love to try such antique versions. Any Linux distribution has a GitHub project that can help you manage Windows 95.
I suspected it was a cheap imitation limited to a Windows 95-looking theme. It turned out to be surprisingly better, and while it won’t replace my daily drivers, it’s a nice way to re-implement software that was designed to wow users 30 years ago.
Reviving Windows 95
A mix of electronic and v86
Windows 95 dates back to an era when x64 hardware didn’t exist. So if you try to run it on new hardware that uses x64 or an Arm chip, it won’t work. The developer windows 95 software Windows 95 uses v86, an emulation tool, to boot the disk image electron packages it as software. JavaScript and other web languages make this possible.
Since Windows 95 only supports those systems, the v86 emulation tool simulates older hardware. So Windows 95 runs smoothly on it and doesn’t face any hardware incompatibility. It is also available for Windows and Arm, as Electron is cross-platform and runs on most operating systems and hardware.
I didn’t have to do much to get the tool working on my Linux PC. All it takes is a Debian package (64-bit) download and install and appear in the application launcher. Just choose Start Windows 95 option and the OS will boot with the default sound (you know this from your early school years).
Windows 95 is alive
At least on a simulated system
My first impression of the OS emulator it included yellow patterned wallpaper, a bunch of icons on the desktop, and fonts that were too hard to read. I immediately right-clicked on the desktop and selected the Properties option. Then I adjusted the font size to 150% to make it look readable and the tool prompted me to restart to apply the changes.
Unfortunately, the system is unable to reboot, and if you try to do so, it remains in an indeterminate state. I was forced to restart with the host software option and then the system booted with my options. Another interesting point is that when you first download it, it opens Internet Explorer by default with a special message from the developer.
Windows 95 was the first Windows to offer a Start menu. Taskbarand the common desktop workflow we use today. The OS experience is as responsive as you’d expect from an emulator. Mouse movement lags a bit and it ruins the experience for me. In addition, all elements work well, be it apps, desktop elements, taskbar or Start menu. The lack of animation effects makes every click seem instantaneous.
I tried basic programs like Paintfirstly because it reminded me of my computer classes in third and fourth grade when we used to draw random things there. The image also includes the old Microsoft Office suite, and I tried running Word, but it crashed horribly. Other Office programs were the same story and I gave up hope. However, the pre-installed games worked without issue. I had a few sessions of Pinball, Doom, and Minesweeper before going back to restart some programs. Control Panel and File Explorer worked well.
I tried to copy the file from the host (Ubuntu) to the emulated Windows 95. It was a 155MB ZIP file, and the dialog showed an estimated copy time of 399 minutes. It’s very surprising, but honestly, who would use it to copy files?
The emulator supports extended options like shared folders, floppy and disk mounting, just like you get in hypervisors like VMWare. So you can use the shared folder feature to add a folder entry from your host OS disk. I chose the Downloads folder as the shared folder and then I was able to add the game files from the Internet Archive to it.
You can’t extract folders because it doesn’t have an archive tool, so I suggest extracting the game or other tools on the host OS and then copy the folders to the shared drive. It becomes easier to access the files or installers inside them.
The native browser also runs at a very slow speed. It couldn’t open HTTPS websites due to technological limitations and I just watched the loading bar and errors at the bottom. There was an offer to use theoldnet website (there’s an HTTP version), but it didn’t load because it was undergoing some changes. Only the few websites I found from the HTTP GitHub page worked and loaded because they contained only static elements, which clearly revealed that the web browser was not its primary task.
My resource usage was around the 600MB mark to run the main OS and a few apps. So it uses a lot of memory for an OS that can run on a measly 4MB of RAM. However, v86 and Electron use more of it than the actual OS.
Windows 95 shaped the future
Windows 95 is a three-decade-old operating system, and emulating it is a wild experience. It behaves well in most cases, but the program may need to be restarted if it encounters errors. It amazes me that some desktop elements like the taskbar and Start menu are still a core part of Windows, which shows the vision that went into the design of the OS in its early years. It’s more of an upgrade than a full OS like you’re currently using, and may run some older apps and games, but don’t expect to surf the web.
