Windows 3.

0
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Windows 3.0

A version of the Microsoft Windows operating system

Screenshot of Windows 3.0

Developer Microsoft

Source model Closed source

Released to May 22, 1990; 28 years ago

manufacturing
 Latest release 3.00a with Multimedia Extensions / October 20,

1991; 26 years ago[2]

License Commercial software

Preceded by Windows 2.1x (1988)

Succeeded by Windows 3.1x (1992)

Support status

Unsupported as of December 31, 2001

Windows 3.0, a graphical environment, is the third major release of Microsoft Windows, and was
released on May 22, 1990. It became the first widely successful version of Windows and a rival
to Apple Macintosh and the Commodore Amiga on the graphical user interface (GUI) front. It was
followed by Windows 3.1.[3]
Windows 3.0 originated in 1989 when David Weise and Murray Sargent independently decided to
develop a protected mode Windows as an experiment. They cobbled together a rough prototype and
presented it to company executives, who were impressed enough to approve it as an official project.

Contents

 1Features
 2System requirements
o 2.1Memory modes
 3Updates
o 3.1Windows 3.0a
o 3.2Windows 3.0 with Multimedia Extensions
 4Marketing
 5Software support
 6See also
 7References
 8External links

Features[edit]
Windows 3.0 succeeded Windows 2.1x and included a significantly revamped user interface as well
as technical improvements to make better use of the memory management capabilities
of Intel's 80286 and 80386 processors. Text mode programswritten for MS-DOS can be run within a
window — a feature previously available in a more limited form with Windows/386 2.1 — making
the system usable as a crude multitasking base for legacy programs. However, this was of limited
use for the home market, where most games and entertainment programs continued to require raw
DOS access.[3]
The MS-DOS Executive file manager/program launcher was replaced with the icon-based Program
Manager and the list-based File Manager, splitting files and programs. The Control Panel, previously
available as a standard-looking applet, was re-modeled after the one in the classic Mac OS. It
centralized system settings, including control over the color scheme of the interface.[4]
A number of simple applications were included, such as the text editor Notepad and the word
processor Write (both inherited from earlier versions of Windows), a macro recorder (new; later
dropped), the paint program Paintbrush (inherited, but substantially improved), and a calculator (also
inherited). Also, the earlier Reversi game was complemented with the card game Microsoft
Solitaire.[4]
The Windows icons and graphics support a full 16 colors in EGA, MCGA and VGA mode while
Windows 2.x had only a very limited palette for colored menus and window boxes with in-application
graphics being monochrome. 256-color VGA and MCGA modes were supported for the first time.
Windows 3.0 includes a Protected/Enhanced mode which allows Windows applications to use more
memory in a more painless manner than their DOS counterparts could. It can run in any of Real,
Standard, or 386 Enhanced modes, and is compatible with any Intel processor from
the 8086/8088 up to 80286 and 80386.[5] Windows 3.0 tries to auto detect which mode to run in,
although it can be forced to run in a specific mode using the switches: /r (real
mode), /s ("standard" 286 protected mode) and /3 (386 enhanced protected mode)
respectively.[6] Since Windows 3.0 (and later Windows 3.1) runs in 16-bit 286 protected mode and
not 32-bit 386 protected mode, the default setup is to use the 64 KB segmented memory model.
However, on 32-bit CPUs, the programmer had access to larger memory pointers and so it was
possible to expand program segments to whatever size was desired (the maximum limit being
16 MB due to segment descriptors being 24-bit). Since Windows API functions were 16-bit at the
time, they could not use 32-bit pointers and thus it was necessary to place the portion of the program
code that performed OS calls in a 64 KB segment,[7] like in DOS, although 32-bit instructions may be
contained in the code.[8] (Ami Pro was the first Windows application to require a 386). Because of
this, Windows 3.0 can access only 16 MB total of RAM, even on 386 or higher CPUs which have a
theoretical capability of utilizing 4GB.
This was the first version to run Windows programs in protected mode, although the 386 enhanced
mode kernel was an enhanced version of the protected mode kernel for Windows/386.

System requirements[edit]
The official system requirements for Windows 3.0:

 8086/8088 processor or better

 384 KB of free conventional memory (real mode), 1 MB (Standard
Mode), or 2 MB (Enhanced Mode)[9]
 Hard disk with 6-7 MB of free space
 CGA, EGA, MCGA, VGA, Hercules, 8514/A or XGA graphics and
an appropriate and compatible monitor
 MS-DOS version 3.1 or higher[1]
Also, a Microsoft-compatible mouse is recommended.[10]
Windows 3.0 cannot run in full color on most 8086/88 machines, as the built-in 640×350 (16 color)
EGA and 640×480 (16 color) VGA drivers contained Intel 80186 instructions. MCGA 320×200 (256
color) and 640×480 (2 color) drivers did not contain these instructions. This could be worked around
by installing the Windows 2.x EGA/VGA drivers (which support color menus and frames, but not in-
program graphics), replacing the CPU with an NEC V20/V30 (8086/88 pin-compatible chips with an
80186 instruction set), or by using a modified VGA driver that supports the 8086/88 (originally written
in 2013).[11] Microsoft had dropped support for the Tandy 1000 line by 1990, so a Tandy graphics
driver was not provided for Windows 3.0, but the Windows 2.x Tandy driver could be copied into the
target system and used.
Memory modes[edit]
Windows 3.0 was the only version of Windows that could be run in three different memory modes:

 Real mode, intended for older computers with a CPU below Intel
80286, and corresponding to its real mode;
 Standard mode, intended for computers with an 80286 processor,
and corresponding to its protected mode;
 386 Enhanced mode, intended for newer computers with an Intel
80386 processor or above, and corresponding to its protected mode
and virtual 8086 mode.[12]
Real mode primarily existed as a way to run Windows 2.x applications. It was removed in Windows
3.1x. Almost all applications designed for Windows 3.0 had to be run in standard or 386 enhanced
modes. (Microsoft Word 1.x and Excel 2.x would work in real mode as they were actually designed
for Windows 2.x). However, it was necessary to load Windows 3.0 in real mode to run
SWAPFILE.EXE, which allowed users to change virtual memory settings. Officially, Microsoft stated
that an 8Mhz turbo 8086 was the minimum CPU needed to run Windows 3.0. It could be run on
4.77 MHz 8088 machines, but performance was so slow as to render the OS almost unusable. Up to
4 MB of EMS memory is supported in real mode.
Standard mode was used most often as its requirements were more in-line with an average PC of
that era — an 80286 processor with at least 1 MB of memory. Since some PCs (notably Compaqs)
did not place extended memory at the 1MB line and instead left a hole between the end of
conventional memory and the start of XMS, Windows could not work on them except in real mode.
Standard mode was still widely used on 386 PCs as many only had 1-2 MB of memory and used the
386SX chip (a cut-down version with a 16-bit data bus), so they could not run Enhanced mode well.
386 Enhanced mode was a 32-bit virtual machine that ran a copy of 16-bit Standard mode, and
multiple copies of MS-DOS in virtual 8086 mode.[13] In 286 mode, the CPU temporarily switches back
into real mode when a DOS application is run, thus they cannot be windowed or switched into the
background, and all Windows processes are suspended while the DOS application is in use. 386
enhanced mode by comparison uses virtual 8086 mode to allow multiple DOS programs to run (each
DOS session takes 1MB of memory) along with being windowed and allowing multitasking to
continue. Virtual memory support allows the user to employ the hard disk as a temporary storage
space if applications use more memory than exists in the system.
Normally, Windows will start in the highest operating mode the computer can use, but the user may
force it into lower modes by typing WIN /R or WIN /S at the DOS command prompt. If the user
selects an operating mode that cannot be used due to lack of RAM or CPU support, Windows
merely boots into the next lowest one.

Updates[edit]
Windows 3.0a[edit]
In December 1990, Microsoft released Windows 3.0a. This version contained an improved ability to
move pieces of data greater than 64KB (the original release could only manipulate one segment of
RAM at a time). It also improved stability by reducing Unrecoverable Application Errors (UAEs)
associated with networking, printing, and low-memory conditions.[14] This version appears as
"Windows 3.00a" in Help/About Windows system dialogs.
Windows 3.0 with Multimedia Extensions[edit]
See also: Multimedia PC
Based on Windows 3.0a, Windows 3.0 with Multimedia Extensions 1.0 was released in October
1991 to support sound cards like the Creative Labs Sound Blaster Pro, as well as CD-ROM drives,
which were then becoming increasingly available. This edition was released to Original Equipment
Manufacturers (OEMs), mainly CD-ROM drive and sound card manufacturers, and some PCs came
preloaded with it. This edition added basic multimedia support for audio input and output, along with
new applications: Media Player, CD audio player, more advanced Help format, screen savers, and a
new clock. These new features were integrated into Windows 3.1x. Microsoft developed
the Windows Sound System sound card specification to complement these extensions. The new
features were not accessible in Windows 3.0 Real Mode.[15]
The MME API was the first universal and standardized Windows audio API. Wave sound events
played in Windows (up to Windows XP) and MIDI I/O use MME. The devices listed in
the Multimedia/Sounds and Audio control panel applet represent the MME API of the sound
carddriver.
MME lacks channel mixing, so only one audio stream can be rendered at a time. MME supports
sharing the audio device for playback between multiple applications starting with Windows 2000, up
to two channels of recording, 16-bit audio bit depth and sampling rates of up to 44.1 kHz with all the
audio being mixed and sampled to 44.1 kHz.

Marketing[edit]
Windows 3.0 was the first version to be pre-installed on hard drives by PC-compatible
manufacturers. Zenith Data Systems had previously shipped all of its computers with Windows 1.0
or later 2.x on diskettes, but committed early in the development of Windows 3.0 to shipping it pre-
installed. Indeed, the Zenith division had pushed Microsoft hard to develop the graphical user
interface because of Zenith's direct competition with Apple in the educational market. However,
Zenith PCs had to run a proprietary OEM version of Windows, because they used hard disks with
1024 byte sectors instead of the normal 512 bytes, and could not use the standard SWAPFILE.EXE
Windows 3.0 was not available as a run-time version, as was the case with its predecessors. A
limited-use version of Windows 2.x was often bundled with other applications (e.g., Ami Pro) due to
the low market penetration of Windows.
Standard retail and OEM distributions of Windows 3.0 were on high density 1.2 MB and 1.44 MB
floppy disks. A 720 KB version was also offered, and a 360 KB edition could be ordered from
Microsoft. Fully installed, Windows 3.0 used 5 MB of hard disk space.

Software support[edit]
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Windows 3.0 was the first Windows version to see widespread use, although DOS still remained
dominant (especially for games) and freeware and shareware applications for Windows considerably
outnumbered commercial ones. It also significantly spurred sales of new PCs with larger RAM
capacities as many older machines lacked the speed or memory to handle a demanding OS like
Windows properly, and some could not run it in protected mode due to outdated BIOSes or lack of
proper implementation. Since very few applications used protected mode prior to Windows 3.0, PC
manufacturers sometimes did not bother including functional support for it in either the hardware,
BIOS, or both.
Windows 3.0 had a software update that was never released, increasing the speed of the floppy disk
drive. By the time it was ready to be launched, a new version of Windows was released.
All editions of Windows 3.0 became unsupported after December 31, 2001.

See also[edit]

 Microsoft portal

 GEOS (16-bit operating system)

 Mac OS

References[edit]
1. ^ Jump up to:a b "Windows Version History". Support. Microsoft. July
19, 2005. Retrieved January 21, 2017.
2. Jump up^ [1]
3. ^ Jump up to:a b "Microsoft Windows 3.0". Old Computer Museum. Old
Computer Museum. Retrieved August 20, 2013.
4. ^ Jump up to:a b "Windows 3.0". ToastyTech. ToastyTech.
Retrieved August 20,2013.
5. Jump up^ "For the Nitpickers: Enhanced-mode Windows 3.0 didn't
exactly run a copy of standard-mode Windows inside virtual
machine". MSDN. Old New Thing. February 8, 2013. Archived from
the original on February 12, 2013. Retrieved August 20, 2013.
6. Jump up^ "Windows 3.x help and information". Computer Hope.
Computer Hope. Retrieved August 20, 2013.
7. Jump up^ "Segment and Handle Limits and Protected Mode
Windows". Microsoft File Transfer Protocol. November 6, 1999.
Retrieved August 20, 2013.
8. Jump up^ "386 Definition from PC Magazine Encyclopedia". PC Mag.
PC Mag. Retrieved August 20, 2013.
9. Jump up^ "Windows 3.0 Modes and Memory
Requirements". Support. Microsoft. July 7, 2005. Archived from the
original on January 12, 2009.
10. Jump up^ "The Riddle of the Right Mouse Button". GUIdebook. PC
Magazine. January 14, 1992. Retrieved August 20, 2013.
11. Jump up^ Montecarlo4tony. "Windows 3.0 VGA color driver for
8088/XT". Vintage Computer Forums. Retrieved October 23, 2014.
12. Jump up^ "Windows 3.0". Human Computer Interaction Lab of the
University of Maryland. Human Computer Interaction Lab of the
University of Maryland. Retrieved August 20, 2013.
13. Jump up^ Chen, Raymond (May 17, 2010). "If Windows 3.11 required
a 32-bit processor, why was it called a 16-bit operating
system?". Archivedfrom the original on June 5, 2010.
Retrieved January 21, 2017.
14. Jump up^ Daly, James (April 29, 1991). "Windows 3.0A tackles UAE
bug". Computerworld. 25 (17): 41. Retrieved October 23, 2014.
15. Jump up^ "Windows 3.0 with Multimedia Extensions". Toasty Tech.
Toasty Tech. Retrieved August 20, 2013.
 External links[edit]
 GUIdebook: Windows 3.0 Gallery — A site dedicated to preserving
and showcasing Graphical User Interfaces
 Windows 3.1 Rocks Mailing List — Support, links and freeware
downloads for users of Windows 3.x.
 Windows 3.0 Modes and Memory Requirements

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