Thursday, December 9, 2010

How to install Windows 3.1 on Symbian

Did you know that you can have old Windows versions on your Symbian S60 smartphone? It's using the DosBOX emulator ported to Symbian in order to do that, so it's just like an application, no need to replace the operating system (I don't even think that's possible).

So here's how to do it:
First, download this: http://www.filefront.com/17626717/WIN31-Symbian.zip
I made it zip, so you can download it directly from the phone. Unpack it somewhere.

  1. There's everything you need to install in the folder "install". Install every app in the correct order. Also, set your date to Jully 2008 before installing 4 - SDL-1.2.13-s60-2.3.4_armv5, or you will get an expired certificate error. Also, set your date to August 2009 before installing 8 - dosbox.
  2. Copy all of the contents of  the folder "memory card" to your phones memory card.
That's it!


Also:

  • If your phone has a normal screen (eg. Nokia N95), copy Data\WIN3\Orientation\normal\dosbox.conf to e:\Data\ on your phone, where e:\ is your memory card.
  • If your phone has a landscape screen (eg. Nokia e63), copy Data\WIN3\Orientation\landscape\dosbox.conf to e:\Data\ on your phone, where e:\ is your memory card.
  • In order to change the resolution from 640x480 to 320x240 in Windows 3.1, you need to change the drivers. I made this simple:  copy Data\WIN3\SMALLRES\system.ini to e:\Dos\C\WINDOWS\ in order to set the resolution to 320x240. If you want to revert back to 640x480, just copy system.ini from Data\WIN3\normalres in the same folder. It's already set to 640x480 so you don't need to do any changes. Also, Calmira screws up in 320x240, so I don't recommend it.

Posted by Mirc_El at 1:25 PM

29 comments:

  1. hurricaneblastDecember 12, 2010 at 4:53 PM

    Hey, I've tried following the instructions, and when I come to install the fourth one, I still get the certificate error even when I set my date back to 2007. I was wondering what date did you set yours? Thanks! :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. hurricaneblastDecember 12, 2010 at 8:21 PM

    Oh, I got it. I changed 4 - SDL-1.2.13-s60-2.3.4_armv5 to July 2008 and the dosbox to august 2009. ^^

    ReplyDelete
  3. Mirc_ElDecember 13, 2010 at 12:02 AM

    @hurricaneblast
    Hey, thanks for notyfing me. I thought I set it to 2007 when I installed it, but I actually set it to 2008. I edited and corrected it :D

    ReplyDelete
  4. UnknownFebruary 9, 2011 at 4:52 AM

    Hey man,
    How do you change the screen size using the drivers? I can't find a way to edit them. Also, is there any way to fix the black bar that appears at the bottom of the screen while using SMALLRES?
    Thanks,
    Josh

    ReplyDelete
  5. Mirc_ElFebruary 13, 2011 at 3:38 PM

    @The Empires Archlord TM
    Hello, I included at the beginning of the video a way to change the screen size using the drivers. But I recommend using the default one. What phone do you have?
    Plus, there should be no bottom black bar, symbian should auto-resize the to whole screen. Can you include a picture?

    ReplyDelete
  6. TitApril 3, 2011 at 10:30 AM

    Hello,

    I still get an error although I set the date to July 2008. I use e71, is there an exact date to insert or just any in July 2008 and then August 2009(I didn't get there yet though)?

    Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Mirc_ElApril 3, 2011 at 1:23 PM

    @Tit: I'm not sure exactly, the thing is that you need to match the date of your phone to be in the interval of after the application creation date and before the app license expired. There's no exact date. Don't try individual dates like 1-2-3 July, instead try more spaced dates such as 3 of June and if it doesn't work then 16 August etc.

    ReplyDelete
  8. TitApril 4, 2011 at 2:08 PM

    Thank you for your help, I had some stupid option on my phone so no apps could install without certificates and so on... Now it's working and I'm trying to tweak the best .conf possible for my phone.

    Best regards!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Mirc_ElApril 4, 2011 at 3:13 PM

    Oh yea, I forgot about that. I'm glad you managed to get it working. Have fun using it!

    ReplyDelete
  10. princeNovember 8, 2011 at 11:46 AM

    I still get an error although I set the date to July 2008. I use e63, is there an exact date to insert or just any in July 2008 and then August 2009(I didn't get there yet though)?

    ReplyDelete
  11. princeNovember 9, 2011 at 3:55 AM

    Please suggest how to installed on e63 not able to installed,showing error when follow the step 4 and when installe dosbox showing error even set said date(july-2008, Augest-2009).Please help

    ReplyDelete
  12. princeNovember 11, 2011 at 10:25 AM

    I have done it

    Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  13. Babar AwanDecember 15, 2011 at 11:54 PM

    hi i cannot install it i have downloaded it to my phone installed every app more than 8 and then i cant figure out what to do next

    but if u make a video on it only installing it would help me

    ReplyDelete
  14. Babar AwanDecember 16, 2011 at 5:25 AM

    p lzz help me

    ReplyDelete
  15. Mirc_ElJanuary 7, 2012 at 6:43 PM

    @asadawan Hello, what part you don't understand?
    I am sorry but I didn't have time to check this because of college. I will do a video about how to install it when I have time. :)

    ReplyDelete
  16. Mirc_ElJanuary 7, 2012 at 6:44 PM

    @Prince I am glad you managed to do it. If you have any further questions don't hesitate to ask. Happy windowsing! haha

    ReplyDelete
  17. StarauntuMarch 5, 2012 at 6:49 PM

    8- Dosbox not installing. It says Update error

    ReplyDelete
  18. unais 66September 11, 2012 at 2:18 PM

    hey brought I've managed to install the app but its only showing me a command prompt no windows boot up or anything and I'm stuck with that can you help me

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mirc_ElSeptember 12, 2012 at 1:54 AM

      Have you copied everything from \WIN31-Symbian.zip\memory card\ exactly as it is to your phone's memory card? It should boot automatically.

      Delete
    2. himanshuJune 17, 2013 at 11:39 PM

      drea sir,
      My curson is not moving plz help me.. Nd i dont know how to move it..

      Delete
  19. alexOctober 27, 2012 at 4:40 AM

    vlad, cum pot rezolva bara aia neagra? am un e63

    ReplyDelete
  20. JosephNovember 14, 2012 at 10:14 AM

    does it work in n79?

    ReplyDelete
  21. elbicicleteroJanuary 28, 2013 at 1:50 AM

    It's a very good tutorial. I could install dosbox and windows 3.1 but the mouse and keyboard don't work. I think, the problem is in premapper.txt. My keyboard have ñ key. How can make my premapper.txt correctly?
    And the download link is broken.

    ReplyDelete
  22. UnknownApril 12, 2013 at 6:37 PM

    i have installed everything but there come a black screen when i launch it with some kind of texts i dont know what to do next

    ReplyDelete
  23. UnknownNovember 30, 2013 at 10:18 AM

    I've managed to install the app but its only showing me a command prompt no windows boot up or anything and I'm stuck with that can you help me.
    Even after copying everything from \WIN31-Symbian.zip\memory card\ Please help....Urgent

    My Name is Shoaib, I m using Nokia E63, Please email me the solution with procedure described step by step, My Email ID is msqjobs@gmail.com or msqjobs1@gmail.com.

    ReplyDelete
  24. UnknownDecember 30, 2015 at 9:17 PM

    What is that frnd? I had d0ne al the the instalati0n nd als0 c0pied the files to ph0ne mem0ry.. N0w what t0 do next? Plz give me hints

    ReplyDelete
  25. UnknownDecember 21, 2016 at 7:05 AM

    where are the files bro?

    ReplyDelete
  26. UnknownMay 12, 2019 at 4:33 AM

    Are bhai dosbox open hote hi file dera kay kare

    ReplyDelete
  27. Ian canalJune 16, 2024 at 5:54 AM

    Is it anyone still read this tutorial in this year? While all the factory create a new smartphone?

    ReplyDelete

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