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McShell - a shell look-a-like to mac and win3.1


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#1 Brito

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Posted 10 December 2006 - 04:16 PM

I've been doing some digging on my CD archives and stumbled upon some interesting programs, McShell is a very interesting approach to a sort of mac shell, I definitively recommend taking a look on it just for fun..

gshell.PNG
mcshell.PNG

Full version:

Attached File  MCSHEL31.ZIP   1.31MB   1580 downloads


Trial version: Attached File  MCTRIAL.ZIP   883.01KB   1472 downloads



How to use the full version?

  • Unpack all files onto a folder
     
  • Run setup.exe and it will ask to install on a folder inside your root C: drive like "MCSHELL3"
     
  • Open DOS box and type "mount c c:\" to make your drive visible to dosbox - download link
     
  • type (one command per line)
    c:
    cd mcshell3
    gshell.exe


How to use the trial version?

 

  • Unpack all files into a folder on the root of the c:\ drive like c:\mctrial
     
  • Open DOS box and type "mount c c:\" to make your drive visible to dosbox - download link
     
  • type (one command per line)
    c:
    cd mctrial
    gshell.exe

This program was developed by Mike Manning under the name of McShell GS 95, you can find him on boot-land.net as member "McshellCreator".



Hope you like it! :P

 


Edited by Nuno Brito, 21 December 2012 - 09:32 AM.
Added McShell full (thanks Wonko and Mike)

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#2 was_jaclaz

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Posted 11 December 2006 - 10:37 AM

Yep, I remember that one. :P


There is also an early version here:
http://cd.textfiles....TEM/MCSHELL.ZIP

that is much smaller (didn't test it)

and a maybe slightly later version here:
http://archives.scov...tils/mcshel.zip

There is no "trace" on the net for Mike Manning, if not this:
http://www.freelists...4/msg00003.html
(that is the info in the vendinfo file of the latest file)


jaclaz

#3 Brito

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Posted 23 January 2007 - 03:45 PM

Mike Manning has made available the full version, thank you for keeping McShell alive!! :P

#4 was_jaclaz

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Posted 23 January 2007 - 04:39 PM

Yes, it is a nice program, I am happy that Mike joined us.

And even happier that he provided his nice app. :P

It brings me back to the time I bought (for about IT £ 4.600.000, i.e. something like Euro 2.400,00, which in 1993 were an awful lot of money) my Mac Powerbook with (hear, hear) System 7.1, 4 Mb memory and 40Mb hard disk! :P

However it was fast, user friendly, and did all I had to do. :P

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#5 murphy

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Posted 12 February 2007 - 11:40 AM

Thanks for this. and Hello i'm new to this nice board.

So i wanted to ask if he also can make availble the source for this cool program and the graphics he used. Would be really great to port such a great tool to some newer system like Windows XP :P

Cheers, murphy :P

#6 Guest_MWH_*

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Posted 23 May 2008 - 03:00 AM

Mike was kind enough to send a copy of McShellGS 97, several years ago.

It is indeed a remarkable shell. I use DOS quite a bit - I'm in China, now, and I don't enjoy using "Chinese Windows".

I've recently moved-up to 250GB hard drives - and, altho' *some* file-handlers don't work properly, under DOS, with such a large hard drive (I've got 48-bit Boot Sector translation software), McShellGS 97 works *just fine*.

I've wallpaper and patterns - and a few extra screen-savers - that work-well with McShell'. Should anyone want'em, contact me.

BTW ... Mike mentioned, when he gave this software to me, that the 3.1 version *just might not* be the latest/last. Does anyone know of a later version?

THANKS, MIKE, for McShellGS 97!!!

Mark.


#7 Brito

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Posted 23 May 2008 - 07:16 AM

Hi MWH,

I believe you should find the latest version here: http://mcshell.boot-...et/MCSHEL31.ZIP

Mike himself has uploaded it to that location.

----------

Glad to meet another McShell fan.

;)

#8 Guest_MWH_*

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Posted 23 May 2008 - 01:33 PM

Hi, and thanks for your forum'ed information regards "McShellGS".

When I moved-up to a 250GB hard drive - and this under DOS 7.10 (from Windows 98SE), I thought that my ONLY problem(s) would be those concerned with "moving into 48-bit-sized hard disks". And, well, sure, there are issues there - one has to have a BIOS, or Boot Sector software, such that one's data isn't harmed.

BUT I FOUND that my tried & true file manager - Norton Commander v4.0 - just didn't work. Neither did another half-dozen file managers. They'd not be able to read the sub<DIR>ectories. They'd return "sharing violation/format hard drive". Hummm ...

But McShellGS 97 hasn't that problem. With McShellGS 97, I'm able to use (thru' "associations") the same ancillary software that I'd used inside Norton Commander.

And that's good, yes?

McShellGS 97 is a wonderful-looking program, sure. But I'd not use it, were that "all that there was". Rather, THIS shell - this GUI - is powerful. I'm able to do that which I need to do - that which I'd done under/inside Norton Commander. And that's no small thing.

Now ... if only Mike'd upgrade McShellGS 97 ... AND "if only" Western Digital *quickly* manufactures/sells larger-than-250GB laptop hard drives ...

Thanks, all.

Mark.


#9 tikbalang

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Posted 25 September 2009 - 03:43 PM

mcshell v3.1 homepage (needs translation):
http://www.aurora.homelinux.net/dos

direct download:
ftp://aurora.homelinux.net/public/dos/ext...ll/MCSHEL31.ZIP

#10 was_jaclaz

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Posted 25 September 2009 - 04:31 PM

It's Hungarian, not that bad through Google Translate:
http://translate.goo...t...sl=hu&tl=en

:)

jaclaz

#11 tikbalang

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Posted 30 September 2009 - 06:25 AM

is there a backup of the original file uploaded by the author? the link i provided is a shareware copy. thanks.

#12 Brito

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Posted 30 September 2009 - 09:16 AM

The first topic contains two links.

One for shareware and another is the full version is signaled in red color.

Please look carefully.

:whistling:

#13 tikbalang

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Posted 30 September 2009 - 12:23 PM

only the trial version is downloadable. the full version leads to error 404.

http://mcshell.boot-...et/MCSHEL31.ZIP

#14 Wonko the Sane

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Posted 19 December 2012 - 05:44 PM

*
POPULAR

Since noone fixed the site, here is a copy (should be the "right" file, out of one of my backups, but has to be checked).

 

:cheers:

Wonko

Attached Files


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#15 Brito

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Posted 21 December 2012 - 09:33 AM

Thank you my friend, this was very helpful. I've added this file on the first post to prevent further confusion on new readers in the future.

 

:cheers:



#16 mac57mac57

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Posted 07 February 2022 - 11:36 PM

Hi All, McShell looks REALLY interesting, but I am confused. Is this a DOS shell that makes use VESA video modes to generate a graphical desktop, or is this a Windows program that can be used as an alternate shell to good 'ol Program Manager? I guess the quickest question is this: can I run Windows applications from within McShell? Thanks!



#17 mac57mac57

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Posted 07 February 2022 - 11:38 PM

oh... and one more thing. Is McShell freeware, or old shareware where we need to get a license key to run it full time? If so, have such keys been publicly released these days, as they have for much "abandonware"?



#18 Wonko the Sane

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Posted 08 February 2022 - 01:15 PM

It is BOTH.

gshell is the DOS shell, windows3 is the Windows 3.1/95 one (but it has some limitations in Windows), from the readme.now:

 

 

Required Equipment for McShell to Run:

Minimum 386 Processor. Will run on a 286 but not supported.
At least 2 meg free extended Memory.
MicroSoft Compatible Mouse version 6.1 & up
VGA Graphics card
Hard Drive with at least 2.5 meg free space.
DOS 5.0 & up
Sound Blaster compatible (optional)

...

 

 

************************ VERY IMPORTANT ***************************
* *
* If you have Microsoft Windows and wish to use McShell as your *
* Desktop: *
* Copy the file... windos3.exe to the Windows subdir. *
* Start windows and place windos3.exe into the startup *
* group. *
* *
* McShell also comes with a PIF file for windows. If you have *
* 8 meg of ram you can use it as is. If you only have 4 meg *
* I suggest that you either not use it or change the reguest *
* for ram from 4096 to 2048. *
* *
* NOTE: If you did not install in the default directory, you *
* will have to edit the PIF file and replace the appropriate *
* entries with the path where you installed mcshell. *
* *
* *
* Windows 95 users: *
* *
* McShell works as well if not better with Windows 95. The *
* information above applies to both Win3.1 and Win95. However, *
* you must open the "General" control panel in McShell and set *
* the Windows Shell option to "Win95". It is set to "Win3.1" *
* by default. For information on how to get to the control *
* panels you can get help from the Index in the Help menu. *
* *
* NOTE: Although McShell will work in Windows 95. You should *
* run it in standard IBM VGA 16 color mode for now. This is *
* due to the lack of SVGA support for DOS apps in the video *
* drivers that came with Windows95. The Windows95 video *
* can't restore an SVGA screen from a DOS session if you *
* switch to the Win95 Desktop and then back to McShell. Win95 *
* will simply terminate the DOS App. *
* *
* (RUN MCSHELL IN 16 COLOR MODE, FOR WINDOWS 95) Windows 95 *
* can continue to run in what ever videomode it was in to *
* start with. *
* *
*******************************************************************

 

The file in my previous post:

http://reboot.pro/in...ic=752&p=164619

or the one in the initial post:

http://reboot.pro/in...opic=752&p=6141

 

should be the "full" version that the Author Mike Manning released free for all to use.

 

 

:duff:

Wonko



#19 mac57mac57

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Posted 10 February 2022 - 04:55 PM

I installed and ran McShell (gshell.exe) under MS-DOS 6.22 on an original vintage Pentium 90 PC with 32MB of RAM and a VESA compatible S3 ViRGE video card.

 

What can I say? McShell is an amazing feat of software development! While running under MS-DOS, it provides a full GUI desktop that looks and behaves remarkably like System 6 on a 68K Mac. With the VESA driver loaded on my video card, I can run McShell at 1024x768 at 256 colors. A truly amazing graphical interface on a DOS machine!

 

I find myself missing a command prompt window (a C:\> prompt within a McShell window vs. dropping back to the underlying full screen command.com) but I do have to remind myself that there was no command line for Macs - EVERYTHING was done via the GUI. Ditto for McShell I guess. 

 

I have one question if there is anyone out there that might know. The McShell installer runs full screen with a beautiful green square background pattern. That same pattern does not seem to be available in the set of desktop patterns McShell's "Desktop Setup" command presents. Does anyone know if that pattern can be accessed in any way? Else I can create one with a BMP image editor. Thanks!



#20 Blackcrack

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Posted 11 February 2022 - 10:28 AM

https://dosbox-x.com

 

this is an enhanced Dosbox wit more/better possibility's

 

my config-file the dosbox-x.conf, put easy in the dosbox-x folder and make a "c" folder to have a potable C:\ in the dosbox-x folder,

therewith have you the possible to put files directly in the "c" C: of the dosbox-x .

 

./dosbox-x/

./dosbox-x/c

 

i have attach a zip file, extract all in the dosbox-x folder

 

the actual Releases:

https://github.com/j...sbox-x/releases

 

for German or other  special character, take the vsbuld => SDL2

there should works the special character like äöüß and so on ..

 

 

many fun and all the best :)

Blacky

 

Attached Files



#21 mac57mac57

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Posted 11 February 2022 - 06:52 PM

Hi All, I have played around with McShell some more and the more I use it, the more I like it.

 

I tried to get it to run from within WFWG today but that was a dismal failure. The instructions for how to do it are not very clear, or perhaps just not very complete, and the PIF file that is said to be included with McShell... isn't. I could not find a PIF file and I have downloaded several older versions looking for it, but with no luck. I tried creating one, but clearly I am not hitting on the right combination of PIF settings and do not get anything useful.

 

Does anyone have the PIF file for McShell? Could you point me at it please? Alternately, does anyone have a more complete set of instructions for getting it to run under Win31/WFWG3.11?

 

BTW, @Blackcrack, thanks for the pointer to DOSBox-X. Looks really interesting. I have downloaded it and will have a go at it later.

 

 

Thanks!



#22 Blackcrack

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Posted 12 February 2022 - 09:01 AM

hmm, there is also something :Attached File  MCShellGS97-3.1+odt.zip   1.36MB   172 downloads



#23 Wonko the Sane

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Posted 12 February 2022 - 09:46 AM

There is a gshell.pif in the (earlier/trial) version here:

https://archives.sco...tils/mcshel.zip

 

inside the MCTRIAL.DAT (that opens just fine in 7-zip)m even if it points to a different directory, it could be a base to edit.

 

:duff:

Wonko



#24 Blackcrack

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Posted 12 February 2022 - 10:20 AM

^^ updated the odt - Document and add the Original icon on the Header ..
Wonko, thy for the suggestion, taked ]the ico and edit with IcoFX, convert in 256x256,
saved as bmp, edit with gimp mascing and copy, put in the libreoffice-doc
saved, replaced the odt in the zipfile => del in the post, reupload the new one..

and pif is just a lnk file in the Win31/311

gshell.pif.png

 

 

The orginal Ico,bmp
Attached File  McShell-ico-bmp.zip   1.45KB   159 downloads
 
best



#25 mac57mac57

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Posted 12 February 2022 - 07:09 PM

Thanks all, and once again specific thanks to you Wonko. That PIF file got me further, and led me to some conclusions that I suspect are true and are not included in the documentation for McShell3.

 

Firstly, I am guessing that under Windows, McShell is not intended to run in a window, but rather only intended to run full screen. While in full screen mode, it also appears that for my video card (S3 ViRGE) at least, the only resolution it will run at is 640x480. It doesn't present any other options, even though I can run it at 1024x768 under DOS, courtesy of my S3 VESA driver. 

 

Secondly, when it is run in a Window, there is no mouse control. It starts up and positions a mouse pointer in the middle of its window, but it can't capture and make use of the Windows' mouse point when it is within the McShell window. Hence, none of the menu's work, and no mouse actions are available. McShell IS running and active. It responds to keyboard commands, but that is a very limited way to use it. 

 

Finally, whether full screen or windowed, while running under Windows, McShell does not populate any drive icons on its desktop, which makes it all but crippled in terms of what it was meant to do. This has happened from time to time under DOS as well, and I have found through trial and error that I can usually coax McShell into presenting the drive icons again by changing the video resolution. This doesn't always work, but it has from time to time. Once when this happened however, nothing would induce it to show drive icons again and had to delete McShell and reinstall to get them back.

 

As a general question, does anyone know how to force McShell to present its drive icons? You really cannot do a whole lot with it without them!

 

As another question, can anyone confirm/reject my conclusion that McShell does not run under Windows in a window, but only full screen?

 

If the answer to the above is that it WILL run in a window, does anyone know how to get it to make use of the Windows mouse pointer?

 

As always, thanks!






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