Xbox One running Windows 95 and Duke Nukem 3D

Someone is always trying to get some old OS or other bit of software to run on modern platforms for no other reason than nostalgia or because they wanted to. The most recent of this sort of feat is a YouTuber called vcfan who was able to get Windows 95 to run on an Xbox One game console. The game console is essentially a PC so it's not hard to believe this can happen, but there is a caveat.

The only way that you can get Windows 95 to run on the Xbox One is if your console is a developer edition. The Dev edition of the Xbox One can be loaded with custom apps built for the Universal Windows Platform (UWP) standard that work across Windows 10 devices. The dev console running the ancient Windows 95 software is also running Dosbox, a virtual DOS machine app that is itself able to run Windows 95 and other software.

The good news if this sort of hack tickles your fancy is that Microsoft has promised to allow public UWP access this summer. That will open the door for you to run old Microsoft operating systems and old PC games on your console when that happens. Assuming Microsoft leaves the system open enough for this sort of thing to happen, which it might not.

The video below shows the Xbox One booting Dos, Windows 95, and Duke Nukem 3D. That game certainly brings back some memories for PC gamers of the era. This may be the first time you have seen Windows 95 boot in over a decade. It's certainly not the fastest boot process, but I don't remember it being quick when PCs ran Windows 95. At least this time out you won't need an AOL disc to get online.

SOURCE: Eurogamer