Windows 9x Subsystem for Linux

#1

Post by sohkamyung » Wed, Apr 22, 2026, 9:52 AM UTC

Windows 9x Subsystem for Linux
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Re: Windows 9x Subsystem for Linux

#2

Post by ErroneousBosh » Wed, Apr 22, 2026, 10:04 AM UTC

If I can get this to work (haven't tried yet) it directly solves a problem I have right now this week right here in 2026, 30 years after Windows 95 was even a thing.

Yes, I have weird problems. I get to look after some very weird shit.

Re: Windows 9x Subsystem for Linux

#3

Post by fouc » Wed, Apr 22, 2026, 10:05 AM UTC

Modern linux kernel running cooperatively inside the Windows 9x kernel, sick!

Re: Windows 9x Subsystem for Linux

#4

Post by AshamedCaptain » Wed, Apr 22, 2026, 10:06 AM UTC

I guess easier than https://github.com/haileys/doslinux

Re: Windows 9x Subsystem for Linux

#5

Post by vrganj » Wed, Apr 22, 2026, 10:08 AM UTC

Okay what is it with WSL naming, this always confuses me. Shouldn't it be Linux subsystem for Windows?

Re: Windows 9x Subsystem for Linux

#6

Post by haileys » Wed, Apr 22, 2026, 10:10 AM UTC

AshamedCaptain wrote: post #4

I guess easier than https://github.com/haileys/doslinux

Well it did take me 6 years to follow that up!

Re: Windows 9x Subsystem for Linux

#7

Post by nkrisc » Wed, Apr 22, 2026, 10:11 AM UTC

vrganj wrote: post #5

Okay what is it with WSL naming, this always confuses me. Shouldn't it be Linux subsystem for Windows?

It’s a sub-system of Windows that is used for Linux.

It can work either way though.

Re: Windows 9x Subsystem for Linux

#8

Post by defrost » Wed, Apr 22, 2026, 10:15 AM UTC

ErroneousBosh wrote: post #2

If I can get this to work (haven't tried yet) it directly solves a problem I have right now this week right here in 2026, 30 years after Windows 95 was even a thing. Yes, I have weird problems. I get to look after some very weird shit.

Old still running 24/7 industrial processing circuit with oddball bespoke addons based on DOS / early windows ??

Still got those in this part of the world sharing space with state of the art autonomous 100+ tonne robo trucks.

Re: Windows 9x Subsystem for Linux

#9

Post by defrost » Wed, Apr 22, 2026, 10:17 AM UTC

  I am going to run this in Windows 95 on a Sun PC card under Solaris 7.

from the same commenter who effused

  jesus fucking christ this is an abomination of epic proportions that has no right to exist in a just universe and I love it so much

Re: Windows 9x Subsystem for Linux

#10

Post by rahen » Wed, Apr 22, 2026, 10:17 AM UTC

Before WSL, the best ways to run unmodified Linux binaries inside Windows were CoLinux and flinux.

http://www.colinux.org/

https://github.com/wishstudio/flinux

flinux essentially had the architecture of WSL1, while CoLinux was more like WSL2 with a Linux kernel side-loaded.

Cygwin was technically the correct approach: native POSIX binaries on Windows rather than hacking in some foreign Linux plumbing. Since it was merely a lightweight DLL to link to (or a bunch of them), it also kept the cruft low without messing with ring 0.

However, it lacked the convenience of a CLI package manager back then, and I remember being hooked on CoLinux when I had to work on Windows.