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SoftWindows 3.0

Rating:	Your rating: None Average: 5 (2 votes)
Category:	Emulators
Year released:
Author:	Insignia Solutions
Publisher:

Download SoftWindowstm_3_CD.toast_.zip (23.88 MB)
For System 7.0 - 7.6 - Mac OS 9

Download SoftWindows_3.0_floppy_install.sit (12.88 MB)
For System 7.0 - 7.6 - Mac OS 9

Emulation
This app works with: SheepShaver,

Installation files of SoftWindows 3.0, an 80486 emulator with Windows 3.11 and DOS 6.22 for PowerPC Macintosh. The first download above is the CD-ROM version while the second download above is the floppy version. Upgradable to Windows 95.

Serial:
2600-5130-1550-6400

Differences Between SoftWindows 95 and SoftWindows 3.0:

SoftWindows 95 emulates a Pentium -- SoftWindows 3.0 emulates an 80486
SoftWindows 95 ships with Windows 95 -- SoftWindows 3.0 ships with Windows 3.11
SoftWindows 95 supports up to 16.7 million colors on screen -- SoftWindows 3.0 support 256 colors on screen
SoftWindows 95 is faster

Similarity:

Both programs will run Windows 3.11 software well and fast (this is why I included SoftWindows 95 in this section)

Strengths of SoftWindows 3.0:

Excellent 80486 emulation
Upgradable to Windows 95
User configured "Delta Cache" which allows for Dynamic Compilation of code
Very usable speed on a fast PowerPC (I have been unable to test the UNIX version)
Good graphics support (up to 8-bit for up to 256 colors)
Compatible with QuickTime for Windows (Movies play very smoothly)
Emulation of Stereo SoundBlaster hardware
Windows 3.11 Included

Weaknesses:

Dependent on a FAST processor
Consumes large amounts of RAM

Compatibility
Architecture: PPC

PowerPC only. Version 1.0.2 is an 68k application, but it is reported to be very slow.

Comments

by SHiNShU - 2010, April 19 - 11:58am

it says "softwindows 95 is included here" but its clearly not. i thought this site was for mac os 9 (or classic, same thing pretty much only not emulated) software, not that stupid os x crap that not all of us have (much less could ever buy and use). sorry i aint goin through all that hell with updatin firmware and riskin not bein able to install the damn os because my computer aint new enough (remember 2001 man...long before that dumb steve guy decided to ween people off os 9 and earlier and damn near force them to use his worthless excuse for an OS). so tired of seein dmg this and "requires os x 10.x to run" that. i liked the world where everything was .sit and .hqx and sometimes .bin. my philosophy is this: if stuffit cant open it, then its just as good as corrupted cuz i cant do nothin with it besides trash it. i cant download toast in order to use this because theres no damn os9 torrent programs out there (the nerve of people! grrrrrrr!) and i dont have a cd burner (i dont think this slot load drive will do anything besides read cds) so i couldnt burn it anyway. i was hopin for an actual program to install softwindows. yes, i tried a virtual pc link i found on this site and it wont work because it insists on 9.1 or higher (read below for why this is bad news)

btw, i downgraded 9.2.1 (the upgrade from apple) to my sofware restore cd of 9.0 (think somethin went "missin" on my computer) and now 9.1 wont reinstall! im so mad at the "this version of mac os 9.1 cant be installed over the cpu specific version of mac os installed on your newer computer". could someone point out how to solve this? i've been lookin all over google and i cant find nothin. all i got was bein buried alive under os x garbage that of course doesnt help. please let windows 98 or later be included in softwindows instead of win3.1

by eastone - 2010, February 7 - 5:07pm

Still I do not understand what kind of problems do You have. I uploaded this file once again and even now is working very well. I think that You should burn real CD and try install from CD.

by MacinTricks - 2010, February 6 - 5:46pm

Aha! If you do a "Custom Install", it won't give the alert.

by IIGS_User - 2010, February 6 - 5:41pm

this is not an identical copy of the installer CD. Why? The disk image is in Mac OS Extended (HFS Plus),

Just a mistake by the uploader. Uploaders must keep in mind to check the 'HFS Standard' box in the Toast window, when creating CD images.

by MacinTricks - 2010, February 6 - 5:23pm

I receive the same error as "macg3bwuser" with the "Insert Win Install 1" disk alert. Looking closely at the installer application, the parts folders are not in the correct order, with "Win Install 2" first. Also, by the look of the disk image's format, this is not an identical copy of the installer CD. Why? The disk image is in Mac OS Extended (HFS Plus), a file system that was not introduced until 1998, and two years after this installer's creation year (1996).

by Balrog - 2009, December 30 - 11:38pm

@sheepmyshaver123:

The "NoSuchKey" problem simply means that you have to wait a few days. Everything should be working now.

by eastone - 2009, December 30 - 10:15am

Ok, now is .sit file.

by Fortuna Wave - 2009, December 30 - 7:14am

Can you mirror the .dmg file because the download error of the "NoSuchKey" problem?

by eastone - 2009, December 29 - 8:27pm

I uploaded file again but this time is dmg type.It was testing before uploading and everything works on 100% .

by macg3bwuser - 2009, December 29 - 12:01pm

It's not working! It's asking for the "Win Install 2" disk, which there is a folder in the install source called "Win Install 2". Made disk images out of the folder, and a message comes up about the disk image not being a genuine Insignia disk. Why is it not working?

by eastone - 2009, August 29 - 12:47pm

Try unpack file again and replace disks into old folder.
I had the same problem and it works for me.

by IIGS_User - 2009, August 29 - 12:19pm

Must be a second CD included in the original package, probably not included here.
But I don't know.

by nuckynuck - 2009, August 29 - 8:24am

the installer always want me to insert disk: Win Install 1. But cant find it. Please help.

Im using a imac g3 266 MhZ with Mac OS 9.2.2

by MacWise - 2009, August 14 - 11:06am

This is thing is great not only for running Windows 3.x games like Metal Marines, but DOS games too like X-COM, Alien Legacy and the VGA version of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Sound emulation is rather crude and most DOS games will not recognize the emulated sound card, but since it's all monotone beeps playing without sound is actually a good thing. The emulator won't recognize your second mouse button and you must use the equal ("=") key on the numeric keypad, which can be cumbersome. Some games, like Crusader I and II and Beneath a Steel Sky, won't run at all. However, in most cases this is the best choice for playing PC games from the late 80s-early 90s that were never ported to the Mac, as well as all their modding utilities.