Not to be confused with Windows.
WinDOS is an operating system built on MS-DOS 9.0, originally released in 2000. It is the successor to MS-DOS. (as support for MS-DOS ended in 2001) It has a hybrid kernel containing mostly DOS and some Windows NT code. It builds on MS-DOS with things such as a graphical Windows Preinstallation Environment-like interface, support for Windows NT applications, long filenames, 2 terabytes of storage, and multiple user accounts. It also contains basic applications from Windows including:
- Notepad (notepad.exe)
- WordPad (write.exe or wordpad.exe)
- Paint (mspaint.exe)
- Control Panel (control.exe and .cpl files, relies on File Explorer)
- File Explorer (explorer.exe, can also be used as a basic GUI)
- About (winver.exe)
- Setup (setup.iso)
- Minesweeper (mines.exe)
- WD Basic (a version of Visual Basic) (wdb.exe)
- Internet Explorer for WinDOS (iexplore.exe, removed in 11.0)
- Microsoft Edge for WinDOS (msedge.exe, added in 11.0 to replace IE)
- Simple FTP (a basic FTP client) (sftp.exe)
- Microsoft Antivirus (antivirus.exe)
At startup, it starts at Command Prompt. WinDOS still has a DOS (disk operating system) functionality, as it is small enough to fit on a floppy disk or CD. It is mainly popular among businesses and people who still have older computers from the 1980s and 1990s.
WinDOS is sold as the default operating system on some business-geared computers. It is also compatible with netbooks, low-end to mid-range laptops and even tablets, however not installed by default.
Problems[]
One of Microsoft's goals was to make WinDOS's Setup files small enough to fit on a modern floppy disk. However the Windows code and features adds a lot of file size. WinDOS 10.0's media is about a gigabyte in size. It's recommended you put it on an optical disk.
The higher quality graphics could not run on some older PCs, so they sometimes had to be limited to 16 colors. For this, extra bitmap and PNG files with an imperior palette were included in C:\Windows\System32\interface.dll (not in Windows).
Version history[]
| Version | Release date | Windows code from | Size of Setup media | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | March 15, 2000 | Windows ME build 4.90.2452.0 (not NT yet) | 60.05 MB | Based on MS-DOS 7.1 |
| 2.0 | November 5, 2001 | Windows XP build 5.1.2517.0 Professional | 250.6 MB | Based on MS-DOS 8.0, now supports high color |
| 3.0 | December 23, 2006 | Windows Vista build 6.0.5536.16385 Ultimate | 400.3 MB | Based on MS-DOS 8.0 |
| 4.0 | June 12, 2009 | Windows 7 build 6.1.7100.0 Ultimate | 632.55 MB | Based on MS-DOS 8.0 |
| 4.5 | April 3, 2011 | Windows 7 build 6.1.7601.17514 Enterprise | 700.9 MB | Based on MS-DOS 8.0 and Windows 7 Service Pack 1 |
| 4.51 | April 27, 2011 | Windows 7.1 build 6.11.7601.17514 Enterprise | 800.9 MB | Based on MS-DOS 8.0 and Windows 7.1 Service Pack 1 |
| 5.0 Beta | December 17, 2011 | Windows 8 build 6.2.8112.0 | 850.5 MB | Based on MS-DOS 8.0 and a Windows 8 Developer Preview build |
| 5.0 | November 6, 2012 | Windows 8 build 6.2.8888.16384 Pro | 855.6 MB | Based on MS-DOS 8.0 and Windows 8 Pre-RTM |
| 5.5 Beta | September 29, 2013 | Windows 8.1 build 6.3.9431.0 Pro | 900.0 MB | Based on MS-DOS 8.0 and Windows 8.1 Milestone Preview |
| 5.5 | November 10, 2013 | Windows 8.1 build 6.3.9477.0 Pro | 901.6 MB | Based on MS-DOS 8.0 and Windows 8.1 Pre-RTM |
| 10.0 Beta | January 2, 2015 | Windows 10 build 6.4.9860.0 Pro | 929.35 MB | Based on MS-DOS 8.0 and Windows 10 Technical Preview, originally going to be called version 6.0 |
| 10.0 | November 12, 2015 | Windows 10 build 10.0.10240.16384 Enterprise | 950.22 MB | Based on MS-DOS 8.0 and Windows 10 RTM |
| 11.0 Beta | August 26, 2021 | Windows 11 build 10.0.22004.1 Pro | 1.04 GB | Based on MS-DOS 9.0 and Windows 11 Insider Preview |
| 11.0 | September 12, 2021 | Windows 11 build 11.0.849200.1 Enterprise | 1.16 GB | Based on MS-DOS 9.0 and Windows 11 |
| 11.0 UltraDOS | October 2, 2022 | Windows 11 build 11.0.8500.1 Ultimate | 1.74 GB | Based on MS-DOS 9.0 and Windows 11 Ultimate |
| 12.0 Beta 1 | July 7, 2024 | Windows 12 build 24810.1000 and 24820.50 | 1.33 GB | Based on MS-DOS 9.0 and Windows 12 Microsoft Confidential Beta |
| 12.0 Beta 2 | September 8, 2024 | Windows 12 build 24820.75 Pro | 1.42 GB | Based on MS-DOS 9.0 and Windows 12 Insider Preview |
| 12.0 | December 14, 2024 (original release date October 7, 2024, postponed after then) | Windows 12 build 24820.200 Enterprise | 1.61 GB | Based on MS-DOS 9.0 and Windows 12 |
Features[]
- WinDOS can run both .com and .exe files.
- More apps can be downloaded from the Microsoft Store.
Gallery[]
