Timeline for What is the best way to obtain old versions of MS-DOS and Windows?
Current License: CC BY-SA 4.0
15 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
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| S Jun 6, 2022 at 6:30 | history | suggested | Joseph Sible-Reinstate Monica | CC BY-SA 4.0 |
replace dead link with archived copy
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| Jun 6, 2022 at 6:17 | review | Suggested edits | |||
| S Jun 6, 2022 at 6:30 | |||||
| Jan 13, 2022 at 17:24 | history | edited | Stephen Kitt | CC BY-SA 4.0 |
Update for 2022.
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| Aug 4, 2017 at 21:10 | comment | added | rackandboneman | With OEM versions, it depends on locality whether an OEM EULA can or cannot forbid reselling/reusing it once the original hardware is decommissioned... Downgrade rights, btw, are also commonly included if you buy any OS license under a volume license program like "open license" (which you are IIRC applicable for if you initially buy at least 5 products - and luckily, most software resellers who have OL products will have some low priced, obsolete items in their catalog to fill the other 4 slots ;) | |
| Aug 2, 2017 at 15:59 | history | edited | Stephen Kitt | CC BY-SA 3.0 |
Merge comments.
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| Aug 2, 2017 at 15:30 | comment | added | user722 | @InterLinked If you subscribe to the correct version then you have a perpetual licence that continues after the subscription ends. You just don't get a licence to any new software released after that. The subscription also gives you "downgrade rights" and lets you use older versions of software that's included in your subscription, including older versions no longer available for download. You'd you need to obtain the media yourself somehow. As Euro Micelli noted the licence for the licence is only for development and testing using the operating systems included. | |
| Aug 2, 2017 at 15:30 | comment | added | Stephen Kitt | @PeterI I’ve updated my answer. I’d checked the Excel spreadsheet, but I no longer have an active subscription so I couldn’t check the real downloads list. The 16-bit software pack turns up on eBay sometimes (legal issues notwithstanding)... | |
| Aug 2, 2017 at 15:28 | history | edited | Stephen Kitt | CC BY-SA 3.0 |
PeterI confirms.
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| Aug 2, 2017 at 15:21 | comment | added | PeterI | @StephenKitt I did check the current list (I could have sworn there was at least one Win9x version available, but there isn't). Many moons ago (probably sometime around Y2K) when MSDN came on CDs there was a separate 16bit software pack you could order which had several of the older 16 bit windows disk sets on it. Wish I'd "stolen" the office copy. | |
| Aug 2, 2017 at 15:10 | comment | added | PeterI | The version I have doesn't have downloads for older windows versions, pretty sure a couple of years ago you got Windows 9x but these days it's just MS-DOS 6.0, MS-DOS 6.22 and Windows 3.x. | |
| Aug 2, 2017 at 12:06 | comment | added | Euro Micelli | Read the fine print very carefully. As far as I know, that gives you access to the installers, but does not give you a "production" license. You are only authorized to run the OS software for "development/testing purposes" (for example, maintain drivers for an ancient device that has to run under old versions of DOS or Windows). A "production" license is needed to actually "use" the OS for, you know, anything other than "testing something on it". That still requires a separate agreement from Microsoft. You'll have to talk to them. | |
| Aug 2, 2017 at 11:17 | vote | accept | InterLinked | ||
| Aug 2, 2017 at 11:16 | history | edited | Stephen Kitt | CC BY-SA 3.0 |
Mention the old name.
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| Aug 2, 2017 at 11:10 | comment | added | InterLinked | That's an odd thing to buy, but if it works I'd do it. Can I just subscribe for one billing cycle, download and install everything I need, and then cancel my subscription? | |
| Aug 2, 2017 at 11:09 | history | answered | Stephen Kitt | CC BY-SA 3.0 |