6 replies to this topic

[AeroXP]

Here's some screenies:

[Brito]

Hello, what is MIPS?

I've seen all the screenshots and I can deduct that this is a build based on Windows NT 3.5 from 1991~1992 but was the predecessor to the UI applied on Win95?

Sorry my ignorance, at the time I was simply too young and there was also no access to the internet.

[was_jaclaz]

MIPS is an architecture/type of hardware:
http://en.wikipedia....PS_Technologies

It's a RISC kind of platform.

I guess that AeroXP manageed to put his hands on one of those, maybe an old R4000, and succeeded in installing NT 3.5 and 4.0 to it.

The interesting part is the difference in booting "native" ARC instead of NTLDR.



jaclaz

[AeroXP]

Here are the instructions to install Windows NT 3.5/4 MIPS! (Assuming that HDD has already been made) (I recommend reading this http://technet.micro...y/cc750074.aspx article first)
1. Download QEMU Mipsel64 from http://hpoussineau.f...-mips64el-3.zip
2. Download and extract NTPROM.RAW from http://hpoussineau.f...-4000/setup.zip
3. Rename NTPROM.RAW to mipsel_bios.bin
4. Start QEMU with the options "qemu-system-mips64el.exe -M magnum -L . -hda {HDD} -cdrom {WINNT_MIPS_ISO}
5. If it boots, go to the setup option.
6. Select "Set Default Configuration".
7. Set Resolution that is appropriate.
8. Floppy Capacity is 3.5" 1.44MB, no second floppy
9. SCSI Bus number is 1.
10. Select Program to Run.
11. Type in "CD:\MIPS\ARCINST.EXE"
12. Make a partition
13. Make a small System Partition.
14. Use the rest of the disk for NT.
15. Reboot.
16. Select Program to Run.
17. Type in "CD:\MIPS\SETUPLDR"
It's pretty straightforward from there.

BTW, Nuno, I succeeded in running Windows NT 4.0 Workstation and 3.5 Workstation. 3.1 Workstation crashes right on startup with PHASE1_INITIALIZATION_FAILED or IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL.

Jaclaz, yes it does use native ARC.
Here are some environment variables:

CONSOLEIN=multi()key()keyboard()console()

CONSOLEOUT=multi()video()monitor()console()

FWSEARCHPATH=scsi()disk(0)rdisk()partition(1)

A:=multi()disk()fdisk()

COUNTDOWN=30

AUTOLOAD=YES

Here is the configuration for 1 option:

LOADIDENTIFIER=Windows NT Workstation Version 4.00

SYSTEMPARTITION=scsi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)

OSLOADER=scsi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\os\winnt40\osloader.exe

OSLOADPARTITION=scsi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)

OSLOADFILENAME=\WINNT

OSLOADOPTIONS=nodebug

[Brito]

Thank you Jaclaz and Aero for the explanations.

Following the links, I've eventually ended up reading a somewhat long interview from the author of MIPS, John Hennesy - http://silicongenesi...ts/hennessy.htm that is an interesting read to learn why I386 (Intel) became mainstream while MIPS didn't.

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AeroXP, the links you've posted aren't working.

[was_jaclaz]

@AeroXP

The links you posted were broken.

I tried fixing them.

Please check if they are the right ones.

jaclaz

[AeroXP]

They are. Thanks!