How-toWindowsWindows 95

Windows 95: how to install it from CD or floppy disks

Install Windows 95 from your own CD or floppy disks, with notes on versions, disk limits and safety, after checking hardware and backing up.

  • Updated
  • 30 min
  • Intermediate
Applies to
  • Windows 2000 and older

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Install Windows 95 on an old PC, or on an emulator that copies old PC hardware, using a disc set you already own. The steps suit hobbyists and anyone keeping an old machine alive for old software.

Windows 95 is long out of support

Microsoft ended extended support for Windows 95 on December 31, 2001. Microsoft says an unsupported version of Windows does not receive software updates and is at greater risk from viruses and malware. Keep a Windows 95 computer off the internet, and do not use it for banking or email.

Windows 95 at a glanceA timeline of 4 events in date order. The full text follows the picture.Windows 95 at a glance1995Windows 95 releasedRetail sales beganAugust 24, 19951996OSR2Adds FAT32 and wassold only with new PCs2000Mainstream supportendsDecember 312001Extended support endsDecember 31, afterwhich no updates
Dates are from Wikipedia's Windows 95 article.
Text version of this diagram
  • 1995: Windows 95 released. Retail sales began August 24, 1995
  • 1996: OSR2. Adds FAT32 and was sold only with new PCs
  • 2000: Mainstream support ends. December 31
  • 2001: Extended support ends. December 31, after which no updates

What you need

Use your own legally obtained disc set and Product ID (the number printed on the case or certificate). Do not download Windows 95 or startup disks from third-party sites, and do not use key generators. Setup does not check the key online and there is no activation.

Windows 95 hardware, from the published figures
PartOfficial minimumSensible target
Processor386DX486 or better
Memory4 MB8 MB or more
Disk space50 to 55 MB, depending on featuresPlenty more for programs

Too much memory can stop it booting

Windows 95 was written for small amounts of memory. Wikipedia reports that Windows 95 may fail to start on a processor faster than 2.1 GHz, or with more than about 480 MB of memory, and that reducing the file cache or video memory size can help. This only matters on unusually fast or large hardware. If it happens, try less memory.

Which disc set do you have?

  • Most copies are on a CD-ROM. A retail floppy version used 13 DMF (high-capacity) disks. OSR2.1 on floppies used 26, and OSR2.5 had no floppy version.
  • An upgrade copy expects an earlier version, such as Windows 3.1, already on the disk. A full copy installs on a blank disk.
  • OSR2 and later were sold only with new PCs. Only those can use FAT32, which allows partitions larger than 2 GB. The older FAT16 format has a standard limit of 2 GB per partition.
Installing Windows 95 in five stages5 numbered steps, one under the other. The full text follows the picture.Installing Windows 95 in fivestages1CheckConfirm the hardware meetsthe minimum above2Back upCopy files you want to keep toother media3Start SetupRun SETUP.EXE, or bootfrom a startup disk4Answer questionsAccept the license, enter theProduct ID, pick a folder5FinishLet it restart and detecthardware
Do the first two before anything else.
Text version of this diagram
  1. Check: Confirm the hardware meets the minimum above
  2. Back up: Copy files you want to keep to other media
  3. Start Setup: Run SETUP.EXE, or boot from a startup disk
  4. Answer questions: Accept the license, enter the Product ID, pick a folder
  5. Finish: Let it restart and detect hardware

Back up before you start

A clean install on a disk that already holds files erases them once the disk is formatted. Copy anything you want to keep to other media first. See how to back up your files. Do not continue until the copy is complete and you have checked that it opens.

Upgrade from Windows 3.1

Use this route when Windows 3.1 already runs and you own an upgrade or full disc. Your programs and settings carry over. Wikipedia notes that during an upgrade Setup identifies disk utilities that could damage long file names and makes them unavailable.

  1. Close every open program in Windows 3.1.
  2. Insert the Windows 95 CD. In Program Manager, select File, then Run.
  3. Type the CD drive letter followed by \SETUP.EXE, for example D:\SETUP.EXE, and select OK. Adjust the letter if your CD drive uses a different one.
  4. Follow the on-screen questions. Setup copies files, then restarts the computer.

Clean install on a blank or wiped disk

A clean install needs the computer to start from a floppy startup disk that can read your CD drive, or a bootable CD if your copy and BIOS support it. Use the startup disk that came with your PC or media.

  1. Insert the startup disk and switch the computer on. It should reach a DOS prompt.
  2. If the hard disk is brand new or you want to start over, it must be partitioned and formatted first with the DOS tools on the disk. The tool for partitioning is FDISK. OSR2 and later offer a large-disk (FAT32) choice; read each screen. Deleting a partition in FDISK or formatting erases it, so read the warning below first.
  3. Run the setup program from the CD drive. Type the drive letter, a colon, then SETUP.

Formatting erases the whole partition

Only format a partition you have backed up or that holds nothing you need. To format drive C from the DOS prompt, type the command below and read the warning before you press Y.

format c:

What Setup asks you

The exact screens vary between versions, so read each one. In general Setup asks you to agree to the license terms, enter the Product ID, choose a folder for Windows, and pick a setup type. The typical choice suits most people. It also detects Plug and Play devices (hardware that identifies itself) and offers to make a startup disk. Accept that offer, using a blank floppy, because it gives you a rescue disk later.

Check that it worked

  • Windows 95 starts to the desktop with a Start button.
  • Right-click My Computer, select Properties, then the Device Manager tab. Devices with a yellow mark or red cross need a driver. See Windows 95 programs, drivers and problems.
  • Restart once to confirm it starts cleanly without a floppy in the drive.

If something goes wrong

  • Setup stops or the PC freezes: restart and run Setup again. Check that the CD is clean and that memory is not above the amounts described earlier.
  • No CD drive is found in DOS: the startup disk needs the drive's DOS driver. Use the disk that came with your PC or drive.
  • Planning something more modern? ChromeOS Flex on an old PC is safer for everyday use.

Frequently asked questions

Can I get Windows 95 updates?

No. Microsoft ended support on December 31, 2001, and there is nothing to protect it against current threats.

Can I install it on a modern PC?

Not directly. Modern PCs lack the hardware it expects. Hobbyists run it in an emulator that copies old PC hardware, using their own disc set.

Does Windows 95 need activation?

No. You enter the Product ID once during Setup.

Should I move up to Windows 98?

If you own it, Windows 98 handles newer hardware. See installing Windows 98.

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Official resources used

Pages consulted while preparing this guide. Check them for the latest details.

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