Whether you bought a new computer or updated you current machine to Windows 95, it does take a little "getting used to." I'll assume you're familiar with earlier DOS/Windows on this page...

What's different?

• In the standard Windows 95 setup/install, your system will no longer boot merely to a DOS prompt. It will automatically go into what is called the Windows 95 "GUI" or Graphical user Interface-basically the "desktop" where you point and click at everything. You can boot your Win95 up to boot to a DOS prompt by hitting the F8 key on startup when you see "Starting Windows 95..." then select "Command Prompt Only" from the resulting "Boot Menu." Other pages at this site contain the instructions on how to automate this process if you wish.
• Windows 95, upon shutdown MAY go back to a DOS prompt (If you rename the image files LOGOW.SYS and LOGOS.SYS in your Windows directory) like Win3.x does-BUT I strongly recommend that you do NOT try running any programs or rerunning Win95 after "shutdown." Win95 does not seem to return the system to a stable state after a shutdown. Reboot before you run anything else!
• If you do ever have to do an install, upgrade or change any of your hardware you will note that Win95 has extensive, automatic hardware detection. You may and up restarting it repeatedly to finish this process-that's normal!
• Windows 95 the ability to use "Long File Names" greater than 8.3 (filename.txt) we were stuck with in older versions of DOS. See the note below about running older hard drive utilities!!
• "Under the hood" Win95 comes bundled with essentially MSDOS "version 7." Some DOS programs that check the DOS version may report back that you have DOS7.0 installed. If you type VER, however, at a DOS prompt in Win95 it will report that it is "Windows 95 version 4.00.950, .950a, .950b or .1111."
• You can use the right mouse button far more in Win95 to do things like setting "Properties" etc. Explore, experiment!
• Windows 95 has a few extra steps required to "Shutdown." You should always go to Start/Shutdown/Shutdown computer and wait for the second screen that says it OK to turn off the computer-Then turn it off. Windows 95 keeps track of whether the "last shutdown" was successful! If it thinks it wasn't-it may go right into the "Safe Mode" the next time you boot it up! If that happens, let it go into Safe mode-then follow the proper shutdown procedures above, restart and all should be back to normal. See the notes above about what happens after a Win95 shutdown.
• The paper manual that comes with Windows 95 is a throwaway. Make sure you write down your serial number or CD key and toss it! Get a real Windows 95 book like Windows 95 Secrets by Brian Livingston.

True facts about running Windows 95:

• Cleaning up your hard drive: Only use the Win95 versions of SCANDISK, CHKDSK and DEFRAG on a Windows 95 system to clean up the hard drive! If you use older ones it will EAT your Win95 setup by consuming all files with"Long File Names!"
• The default Windows memory mangement, TCP/IP and other parameters are very conservative. See some of the other pages at this site to tweak it up.

Fallacies about running Windows 95:

• "The only way to run DOS applications in Windows 95 is via the "MSDOS Mode." Nope- see the Three Ways to run DOS apps in Win95.
•  "The batch file DOSSTART.BAT in your \WINDOWS directory runs anytime you run a DOS application in Win95." Nope-it only runs if you enter or restart in the special "MSDOS Mode." MSDOS Mode is a special mode for running DOS programs in Win95 that for some reason will not run correctly via a normal "DOS Box." Most users will never need to run any DOS programs in "MSDOS mode."

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