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Some help with an IBM aptiva 386 running win 3.1

M

Mac collector

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Hello I think this is where I should post this but I am not sure, so if it is in the wrong place please accept my apologies.

OK so I just got a IBM Aptiva 2144-22P that has a 386 running Windows 3.1 w 8MB of RAM. I want to remove some programs and don't really know how to. I am more familiar with newer versions of windows (AKA 95) and Mac OS. Not so familiar with 3.1. Never used it actually. I can reinstall if necessary as I have the disks that came with the computer as well as the backup floppies. I am trying to avoid that as I don't know if I will have the drivers for the 2 ISA cards that are in it ( One is a Sound blaster 16 and the other is a modem card) Can anyone tell me what to do? I have read online you have to delete the directory and the INI or autoexe file of the program in the Windows folder or something to that nature. I just want to clarify that before I do it in case I mess it up somehow. Thanks in advanced for all of the help :D
 
Simple Windows 3.1 programs will install into a directory only and create one or more screen icons. In that case, deletion of the directory/icons will do the job.

At the other end of the spectrum, complex programs place references to parts of themselves in the Windows system files (e.g. SYSTEM.INI, WIN.INI). In that case, deleting only the directory/icons can result in Windows complaining either when it starts, or at some other time.

Software authors usually realised that people might want to uninstall a program down the track, and created an uninstall program (for which there may be no screen icon). Sometimes (e.g. Microsoft Office), an uninstall was done by running the installation program. It would detect that the program was installed and then give the user the option of uninstalling the program.
 
It's been a while, and feel free to correct me if I'm wrong. It's been a while. Yip you can delete the programs directories and *ini files. You may well find entries added to the win.ini and system.ini files as well. Also there can be entries in the autoexe.bat and config.sys files. Most of the time though win3.x programs don't touch these two. At least make backups of these 4 files first before you do anything else. Take your time and be carefull what you delete. Depending on where the programs installation routine, some programs let you choose where to install them -ie it may not be in the Windows directory. Some do have removal routines, usually in the its Program Manager group also but may well leave entries not unlike modern Windows programs when you run them. What are you deleting?

It's good that you have reinstallation media just in case it turns to custard. Also device drivers for older kit are generally readily available if you know were to look.
 
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Yeah, one thing MS did get right later was the standardization of install/uninstall. Pretty much what these guys said is the way it is; most Win 3.1 programs aren't too embedded in the OS (with exceptions), and those that are complex enough to do that probably also have uninstallers.

Also, a driver for a SoundBlaster 16 should totally not be hard to come by. :)
 
Thanks guys! I took some programs off and I might just do a fresh install anyway like I usually do with my Macs. I have been playing with it non stop as it is my first DOS machine which is cool! Thanks again for the help :)
 
Yeah, don't worry about the drivers at all. Unless there is a programs on it you really need or want and can't replace always start w/ a Format C: /s /v and then go from there! Even to this day if I make major HAW change in a windows system I format and re-install.... It is amazing how much crap you pickup along the way!
 
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Some things for you to check out:
-Calmira (third party shell replacement, makes it similar to Win95 [more familiar/usable] or even XP, heh)
-Win32s (limited 32-bit compatibility)
 
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