Windows 3.1 and 32-bit

[CandCPlusPlus]

This is related to my post about ARM64 and 32-bit. This was an interesting read about the history of Windows. I didn't realize Windows 3.1x could be somewhat 32-bit depending on the configuration. Of course, Windows 3.x and Windows 9x were a mess. Windows 9x was a mixture of 16-bit and 32-bit.

https://devblogs.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20100517-00/?p=14013

[TimoVJL]

The Win32s compatibility list

It was useful with Windows NT 4.0 and MS Visual C++ 4.0 with MS Visual C++ 1.5 package

[CandCPlusPlus]

When in Enhanced mode, the kernel of Windows 3.1 was 32-bit even though a normal blank install of Windows 3.1 could only run 16-bit software. However, Win32s can be used for running specifically designed 32-bit software on Windows 3.1. I remember that on Windows for Workgroups 3.11 there are even options for 32-bit file access and 32-bit disk access.

I did read that it was written as 16-bit Windows 3.1 vs 32-bit Windows 95 in the mid-1990s but that wasn't true at all.

[TimoVJL]

In Win32s 1.30 there is Freecell game and it still works.
It was useful for long time ago with WFW 3.11, when i started programming for NT4 and some tool programs also worked in it.

[John Z]

Microsoft MSWorks released in 1987 through 2009 still runs today in Win 11 23H2, yes I do....
File version 4.0.3.442  7/20/1995


John Z