(Win95) 's successor to theirfor IBM PCs. It was knownas 'Chicago' during development. Its release was originallyscheduled for late 1994 but eventually happened on 11 Jul1995, followed by Service Release 1 on 1995-12-31 and OSR2(OEM Service Release 2) on 1996-08-24.In contrast to earlier versions, Windows 95 is a completeoperating system rather than arunning on top of.It provides support, threading and built-in networking (, and ). It includes7.0, but takes over completely after booting. The, while similar to previous Windowsversions, is significantly improved.Windows 95 has also been described as '32-bit extensions and agraphical shell for a 16-bit patch to an 8-bit operatingsystem originally coded for a 4-bit microprocessor, written bya 2-bit company that can't stand 1-bit of competition'.The successor to Windows 95 was. Windows 95The first 32-bit Windows operating system and a major upgrade to Windows 3.1.
Introduced in August 1995, it added a completely redesigned user interface featuring the Start menu and Taskbar. The Windows 3.1 interface (Program Manager and File Manager) was also included as an option. Windows 95 became popular very quickly.Major ImprovementsWindows 95 improved networking and added long file names and Plug and Play, the latter a welcome relief for users. Memory limitations, plaguing users in Windows 3.1, were greatly diminished. Windows 95 also included preemptive multitasking, which allowed programs to be timeshared together more effectively than in Windows 3.1.No More Booting DOS FirstWindows 95 was the first Windows that booted directly.
Previously, Windows 3.1 was loaded after the machine booted into DOS. In Windows 95, DOS was built in. See, and.Want to thank TFD for its existence?, add a link to this page, or visit.Link to this page: Windows 95.
Windows 95 (codenamed ) is a consumer-oriented developed by as part of its family of operating systems. The first operating system in the 9x family, it is the successor to, and was on August 15, 1995, and generally to retail on August 24, 1995. Windows 95 merged Microsoft's formerly separate and products, and featured significant improvements over its predecessor, most notably in the (GUI) and in its simplified ' features.
There were also major changes made to the core components of the operating system, such as moving from a mainly architecture to a architecture, at least when running only 32-bit protected mode applications.Accompanied by an extensive marketing campaign, Windows 95 introduced numerous functions and features that were featured in later Windows versions, such as the, the and the ways the user could navigate. – Three years after its introduction, Windows 95 was succeeded. Microsoft ended extended support for Windows 95 on December 31, 2001. Main article:The initial design and planning of Windows 95 can be traced back to around March 1992, just before the release of.
At this time, Windows for Workgroups 3.11 and were still in development and Microsoft's plan for the future was focused on. Cairo would be Microsoft's next-generation operating system based on Windows NT, featuring a new user interface and an object-based file system, but it was not planned to be shipped before 1994. However, Cairo would partially ship in late July 1996 in the form of, but without the object-based file system, which would later evolve into.Simultaneously with Windows 3.1's release, started shipping. Microsoft realized they were in need of an updated version of Windows that could support 32-bit applications and preemptive multitasking, but could still run on low-end hardware (Windows NT did not). So the development of Windows 'Chicago' was started and, as it was planned for a late 1993 release, became known as Windows 93 which was also known as Windows 4.0. Initially, the decision was made not to include a new user interface, as this was planned for Cairo, and only focus on making installation, configuration, and networking easier. Windows 93 would ship together with MS-DOS 7.0, offering a more integrated experience to the user and making it pointless for other companies to create DOS clones.
MS-DOS 7.0 was in development at that time under the code name 'Jaguar' and could optionally run on top of a Windows 3.1-based 32-bit protected-mode kernel called 'Cougar' in order to better compete with. The first version of Chicago's feature specification was finished on September 30, 1992. Cougar was to become Chicago's kernel.BetaPrior to Windows 95's official release, users in the and had an opportunity to participate in the Windows 95 Preview Program. For US$19.95/£19.95, users would receive several 3.5-inch floppy disks that would be used to install Windows 95 either as an upgrade from Windows 3.1x or as a fresh installation. Participants were also given a free preview of, the that Microsoft launched with Windows 95. During the preview period, Microsoft established various electronic distribution points for promotional and technical documentation on Chicago, including a detailed document for media reviewers describing the new system highlights. The preview versions expired in November 1995, after which the user would have to purchase their own copy of the final version of Windows 95.Architecture.
Windows 95 was designed to be maximally compatible with existing and 16-bit Windows programs and while offering a more stable and better performing system. The Windows 95 architecture is an evolution of ' 386 enhanced mode. The lowest level of the operating system consists of a large number of (VxDs) running in 32-bit and one or more running in. The virtual device drivers are responsible for handling physical devices (such as video and network cards), emulating virtual devices used by the virtual machines or providing various system services.
The three most important virtual device drivers are:Virtual Machine Manager (VMM32.VXD) Responsible for memory management, loading and initializing virtual device drivers, creating new virtual machines. Configuration Manager (CONFIGMG) Responsible for implementing functionality; monitoring hardware configuration changes; detecting devices using bus enumerators; and allocating, and in a conflict-free fashion. Installable File System Manager (Input/Output Subsystem) Coordinates access to supported file systems. Windows 95 initially shipped with support for, the extension, (CDFS) and, with later releases supporting.Access requests to physical media are sent to Input/Output Supervisor, a component responsible for scheduling the requests. Each physical media has its own device driver: access to the disk is performed by a port driver, while access to a device is handled by a driver working atop the SCSI layer.
Port and miniport drivers perform I/O operations in 32-bit protected mode, bypassing MS-DOS and, giving a significant performance improvement. In case there is no native Windows driver for a certain storage device, or if a device is forced to run in compatibility mode, the Real Mode Mapper can access it through MS-DOS.32-bit Windows programs are assigned their own memory segments, which can be adjusted to any desired size.
Memory area outside the segment cannot be accessed by a program. If a program crashes, nothing else is harmed. Before this, programs used fixed non-exclusive 64 KB segments. While the 64 KB size was a serious handicap in DOS and Windows 3.x, lack of guarantee of exclusiveness was the cause of stability issues because programs sometimes overwrote each other's segments.
A crashing Windows 3.x program could knock out surrounding processes.The is implemented by three modules, each consisting of a 16-bit and a 32-bit component:Kernel Provides high level access to and, and access to the file system. Consists of KRNL386.EXE, and VWIN32.VXD.
User Responsible for managing and drawing the various components, such as,. Consists of USER.EXE. (GDI) Responsible for drawing graphics in a device-independent way. Consists of GDI.EXE and GDI32.DLL. Dependence on MS-DOSTo end-users, MS-DOS appears as an underlying component of Windows 95.
For example, it is possible to prevent the loading of the graphical user interface and boot the system into a real-mode MS-DOS environment. This was done by inserting command.com in the autoexec.bat file. This sparked debate amongst users and professionals regarding the extent to which Windows 95 is an operating system or merely a graphical shell running on top of MS-DOS.When the graphical user interface is started, the virtual machine manager takes over the filesystem-related and disk-related functionality.
MS-DOS itself is demoted to a compatibility layer for 16-bit device drivers. This contrasts with earlier versions of Windows which rely on MS-DOS to perform file and disk access (Windows for Workgroups 3.11 could also largely bypass MS-DOS when and were enabled). Keeping MS-DOS in memory allows Windows 95 to use DOS device drivers when suitable Windows drivers are unavailable. Windows 95 is capable of using all 16-bit Windows 3.x drivers.Unlike Windows 3.1x, DOS programs running in Windows 95 do not need DOS drivers for the mouse, CD-ROM and sound card; Windows drivers are used instead. Is still required to boot Windows 95. And other memory managers, however, are only used by legacy DOS programs. In addition, and settings (aside from HIMEM.SYS) have no effect on Windows programs.
DOS games, which could not be executed on Windows 3.x, can run inside Windows 95 (games tended to lock up Windows 3.x or cause other problems). As with Windows 3.x, DOS programs that use or graphics modes run in windowed mode ( and programs can continue to run).On startup, the MS-DOS component in Windows 95 responds to a pressed F8 key by temporarily pausing the default boot process and presenting the DOS boot options menu, allowing the user to continue starting Windows normally, start Windows in or exit to the DOS prompt. As in previous versions of, there is no 32-bit support and DOS drivers must be loaded for mice and other hardware.As a consequence of being DOS-based, Windows 95 has to keep internal DOS data structures synchronized with those of Windows 95. When starting a program, even a native 32-bit Windows program, MS-DOS momentarily executes to create a data structure known as the.
It is even possible for MS-DOS to run out of while doing so, preventing the program from launching. Windows 3.x allocated fixed segments in conventional memory first. Since the segments were allocated as fixed, Windows could not move them, which would prevent any more programs from launching.Microsoft partially removed support for (an API hold-over of DOS 1.x and CP/M) in Windows 95 OSR2 ( Service Release 2). FCB functions can read volumes, but not write to them.User interface. Windows 95 introduced a redesigned based around a; the desktop was re-purposed to hold shortcuts to applications, files and folders, reminiscent of Mac OS.In the desktop was used to display icons of running applications. In Windows 95, the currently running applications were displayed as buttons on a across the bottom of the screen.
The taskbar also contained a notification area used to display icons for background applications, a volume control and the current time.The, invoked by clicking the 'Start' button on the taskbar, was introduced as an additional means of launching applications or opening documents. While maintaining the program groups used by its predecessor, it also displayed applications within cascading sub-menus.The previous program was replaced by.The user interface looked dramatically different from prior versions of Windows, but its design language did not have a special name like. Internally it was called 'the new shell' and later simply 'the shell'. The subproject within Microsoft to develop the new shell was internally known as 'Stimpy'.In 1994, Microsoft designers and Erik Gavriluk approached to compose music for the Windows 95 project.
The result was the six-second start-up music-sound of the Windows 95 operating system,.When released for Windows 95 and NT 4.0, came with an optional, which modified the shell to provide new features integrated with Internet Explorer, such as (which allowed Internet content to be displayed directly on the desktop) and additional updates to Windows Explorer.Some of the user interface elements introduced in Windows 95, such as the desktop, taskbar, Start menu and Windows Explorer file manager, remained fundamentally unchanged on future versions of Windows.Technical improvements. Windows 95 included support for 255-character mixed-case and multitasked protected-mode 32-bit applications. 16-bit processes were still co-operatively multitasked.Long file namesis necessary for the long file names feature introduced with Windows 95 through the use of the file system extension. It is available to both Windows programs and MS-DOS programs started from Windows (they have to be adapted slightly, since accessing long file names requires using larger and hence different ). Competing DOS-compatible operating systems released before Windows 95 cannot see these names.
Using older versions of DOS utilities to manipulate files means that the long names are not visible and are lost if files are moved or renamed, as well as by the copy (but not the original), if the file is copied. During a Windows 95 automatic upgrade of an older Windows 3.1 system, DOS and third-party disk utilities which can destroy long file names are identified and made unavailable. When Windows 95 is started in DOS mode, e.g. For running DOS programs, low-level access to disks is locked out.
In case the need arises to depend on disk utilities that do not recognize long file names, such as the MS-DOS 6.x's defrag utility, a program called LFNBACK for backup and restoration of long file names is provided on the CD-ROM, specifically in its ADMINAPPTOOLSLFNBACK directory.32-bitWindows 95 followed 3.11 with its lack of support for older, 16-bit processors, thus requiring an (or compatible). While the OS kernel is 32-bit, much code (especially for the user interface) remained 16-bit for performance reasons as well as development time constraints. This had a rather detrimental effect on system stability and led to frequent application crashes.The introduction of in Windows for Workgroups 3.11 meant that 16-bit real mode MS-DOS is not used for managing the files while Windows is running, and the earlier introduction of the means that the PC is often no longer used for managing hard disks.DOS can be used for running old-style for compatibility, but Microsoft discourages using them, as this prevents proper multitasking and impairs system stability. Allows a user to see which MS-DOS components are used by the system; optimal performance is achieved when they are bypassed.
The Windows uses MS-DOS style real-mode drivers in, which exists to allow a user to fix problems relating to loading native, protected-mode drivers.System requirements. Official system requirements were an DX CPU of any speed, 4 MB of system RAM and 50–55 MB of hard disk space depending on features selected. These minimal claims were made in order to maximize the available market of Windows 3.1 migrations. This configuration would rely heavily on and was only optimal for productive use on single-tasking dedicated workstations. It was possible to run Windows 95 on a 386 SX, but this led to even less acceptable performance due to its 16-bit external data bus. To achieve optimal performance, Microsoft recommended an or compatible CPU with at least 8 MB of RAM.Windows 95 may fail to boot on computers with more than approximately 480 MB of memory.
In such a case, reducing the file cache size or the size of video memory can help. The theoretical maximum according to Microsoft is 2 GB.Most copies of Windows 95 were on, but a floppy version could also be had for older machines. The retail floppy disk version of Windows 95 came on 13 formatted floppy disks, while OSR 2.1 doubled the floppy count to 26. Both versions exclude additional software that the CD-ROM version might have featured.
For Windows 95 was also available on floppy disks. DMF was a special 21-sector format that Microsoft used to store 1.68 MB on floppy disks rather than the usual 1.44 MB.Upgradeability. Windows 95 was superseded by and could still be directly upgraded by either Professional. Is the last version of to be compatible with Windows 95. Similarly, 7.1, released in May 2001, and 8.0a, released in February 2001, are the last versions of and available for Windows 95, respectively.Internet ExplorerWindows 95 originally shipped without, and the default network installation did not install TCP/IP, the network protocol used on the Internet. At the release date of Windows 95, Internet Explorer 1.0 was available, but only in the add-on pack for Windows 95, which was a separate product. Pack did not reach as many retail consumers as the operating system itself (it was mainly advertised for its non-Internet-related add-ons such as and better disk compression) but was usually included in sales, and at the time of Windows 95's release, the web was being browsed mainly with a variety of early web browsers such as and (promoted by products such as ).Windows 95 OEM Service Release 1 was the first release of Windows to include (version ) with the OS.
While there was no uninstaller, it could be deleted easily if desired. OEM Service Release 2 included. The installation of on Windows 95 (or the OSR2.5 version preinstalled on a computer) gave Windows 95 Active Desktop and browser integration into Windows Explorer, known as the. The CD version of the last release of Windows 95, OEM Service Release 2.5 (Version 4.00.950C), includes Internet Explorer 4, and installs it after Windows 95's initial setup and first boot are complete.While only the 4.x series of the browser contained the option to install the Windows Desktop Update features, the subsequent 5.x version had the option hidden. Editing the installer's configuration file located in a temporary folder would make the feature available in the installer.
Alternatively, the user could install IE4 with the desktop update before installing a newer version of Internet Explorer. The last version of Internet Explorer supported on Windows 95 is, which was released in 2000. Windows 95 shipped with Microsoft's own dial-up online service called.Release and promotion. The Windows 95 release included a commercial featuring ' 1981 single ' (a reference to the Start button).
It was widely reported that paid the Rolling Stones between US$8 and US$14 million for the use of the song in the Windows 95 advertising campaign. However, Microsoft said that this was just a rumor spread by the band to increase their market value, and the company actually paid a fraction of that amount. A 30-minute promotional video, labeled a 'cyber sitcom,' featuring and, was also released to showcase the features of Windows 95. Microsoft's US$300 million advertising campaign featured stories of people waiting in line outside stores to get a copy.In the UK, the largest computer chain received a large quantity of point-of-sale material; many branches opened at midnight to sell the first copies of the product.
Copies of were available for free, and Microsoft paid for 1.5 million issues (twice the daily circulation at the time).In the United States, the in New York City was lit to match the colors of the Windows logo. In Canada, a 328 ft (100 m) banner was hung from the top of the in.The release included a number of 'Fun Stuff' items on the CD, including music videos of 's 'Good Times' and 's ',' a trailer for the 1995 film and the computer gameSales were strong, with one million copies shipped worldwide in just four days. According to, by the end of 1998, Windows 95 was the most used desktop OS with 57.4% of the marketshare, with its successor coming in second at 17.2%. Windows 95 also still sold more non- copies to large customers in the month of May 1999, which analysts attributed to large companies opting to wait for the release of.
'OSR2' redirects here. For the gene, see.A number of Windows 95 editions have been released. Only the original release was sold as a shrink-wrapped product; later editions were provided only to computer for installation on new PCs. For this reason, these editions are known as OEM Service Releases ( OSR).Together with the introduction of Windows 95, Microsoft released the for Windows 95 pack, which contained a number of optional components for high-end multimedia PCs, including Internet Explorer, DriveSpace and additional themes.The first service pack was made available half a year after the original release and fixed a number of small bugs.The second service pack mainly introduced support for new hardware, most notably support for hard drives larger than 2 GB in the form of the file system.
This release was never made available to end-users directly and was only sold through OEMs with the purchase of a new PC.A full third service pack was never released, but two smaller updates to the second were released in the form of a USB Supplement (OSR 2.1) and the (OSR 2.5). Both were available as stand-alone updates and as updated disc images shipped by OEMs.
OSR 2.5 was notable for featuring a number of changes to the Windows Explorer, integrating it with Internet Explorer 4.0—this version of Internet Explorer looks very similar to the one featured in Windows 98.ReleaseCode nameRelease dateVersionSoftware componentsHardware supportSystem propertiesSystem filesTimestampsteeringWindows 95 (retail and OEM)ChicagoAugust 24, 199.-07-11 09:50:007.0N/A2N/ANoNoNoNoNoNoNoBugsBugsMicrosoft Plus! For Windows 95FrostingN/A4.-07-14 04:40:001.03Service Pack 1N/AFebruary 14, 19964.00.950a4.-12-31 09:50:002YesOEM Service Release 11996-02-02 09:51:00OEM Service Release 2DetroitAugust 24, 19964.00.950 B4.6-08-24 11:11:117.132.0aYesYesYesYesYesYes with updated USB supplementUSB Supplement to OSR2N/AAugust 27, 199 4.03.121 (with updated USB supplement)1997-04-10 12:14:00YesYesOEM Service Release 2.1OEM Service Release 2.5November 26, 19974.00.950 C4.7-11-26 12:16:005.0.
The version string displayed in the 'System properties' tab. Right-click on 'My Computer' and choose 'Properties'.
The version of updated system files. Note that most system files which have not been updated often retain their old version number. Version numbers are not consistently used: some system files may have older or newer build numbers or use a version numbering scheme separate from regular system files. Upgradable to 5.5. Upgradable to 8.0a. Some components have higher build numbers up to 955.
Original release of the USB Supplement to OSR2. Updated version of the USB Supplement to OSR2.
The Microsoft Knowledge Base reports 4.03.1214. The USB Supplement to OSR2 contains an updated VMM.VXD with support for the Pentium Pro and Pentium II. This file has version 4.03.1216 and has a timestamp of September 23, 1997 09:51:18. The Microsoft Knowledge Base reports 4.03.1214.
The USB Supplement to OSR2 contains an updated VMM.VXD with support for the Pentium Pro and Pentium II. This file has version 4.03.1216 and has a timestamp of September 23, 1997 09:51:18.Legacy. On December 31, 2001, Microsoft ended its support for Windows 95, making it an 'obsolete' product per the Microsoft Lifecycle Policy.Many features that have since become key components of the Microsoft Windows series, such as the and the, originated in Windows 95. Neil MacDonald, a analyst, said that Windows 95 'was a quantum leap in difference in technological capability and stability.' Ina Fried of said that 'by the time Windows 95 was finally ushered off the market in 2001, it had become a fixture on computer desktops around the world.'
Even though support for Windows 95 has ended, the software has occasionally remained in use on legacy systems for various purposes. In addition, some video game enthusiasts choose to use Windows 95 for their to play old DOS games, although some other versions of Windows such as Windows 98 can also be used for this purpose.See also. ^ Segal, David (August 24, 1995). (October 19, 1997).
Windows IT Pro. Archived from on June 3, 2017. Retrieved May 27, 2017. ^. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
^ Segal, David (August 24, 1995). The Washington Post. From the original on May 2, 2019. Retrieved May 9, 2019. Long, Tony (August 24, 2011). Retrieved April 21, 2012. Comes v.
Microsoft. Comes v.
Microsoft. Comes v. Microsoft. ^ , p.282.
Stephen Manes. Microsoft Support.
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Microsoft Docs. February 20, 2014. Retrieved May 9, 2019. ^ Schulman, Andrew (October 1994). Unauthorized Windows 95 - Developer's Resource Kit.:. Saunders, Alec (February 21, 1995). Retrieved April 30, 2013.
(March 23, 1998). Archived from on March 15, 2012. (December 24, 2008).
The Old New Thing. Retrieved March 24, 2011. (July 29, 2014). The Old New Thing. Retrieved August 8, 2018. (May 20, 2014).
The Old New Thing. Retrieved August 8, 2018. Rohrlich, Justin (May 25, 2010).
Microsoft Windows 95 Games
's Wall Street. Retrieved June 18, 2013., Chronicle Pop Music Critic (June 2, 1996). Retrieved June 19, 2012.
255-character mixed-case long filenames are only possible for files and/or folders with no sub-folders at the root folder of any drive. The Seattle Times. September 24, 1995. From the original on May 9, 2019. Retrieved May 9, 2019. Microsoft Support. December 17, 2000.
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Microsoft Windows 95 Video Guide
Archived from on November 10, 2004. Retrieved May 9, 2019. Microsoft Help and Support. December 17, 2000. Archived from on November 10, 2004. Retrieved May 9, 2019.
(August 14, 2003). The Old New Thing. Retrieved May 9, 2019. Microsoft Support. November 15, 2006. Archived from on May 20, 2007.
Retrieved May 9, 2019. Microsoft Support. Archived from on November 4, 2013. Sams, Brad (March 17, 2012). From the original on May 9, 2019.
Retrieved May 9, 2019. Microsoft detractors were quick to point out that the second verse of 'Start Me Up' begins 'you make a grown man cry' (a line which is repeated throughout). The phrase subsequently featured as a humorous reference in many critical expositions of Windows 95. Michael Gartenberg (August 22, 2006). Archived from on December 14, 2007.
Retrieved September 9, 2009. Internet Archive. October 5, 2011.
^ Fried, Ina (August 25, 2010). From the original on April 28, 2019. Retrieved April 28, 2019. YouTube. (December 26, 2005). Retrieved June 6, 2019. '1995: The Calm Before the Storm?'
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Retrieved July 23, 2013. Retrieved July 23, 2013.Third-party:.
Katz, Ian; Atkinson, Dan; Bannister, Nicholas (August 25, 1995). Segal, David (August 24, 1995). Retrieved July 23, 2013. Schulman, Andrew (1994).
(1995). Retrieved July 23, 2013. December 13, 2003.
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