old box with DOS 6.22

**Dark Millennium** · December 22nd, 2002, 11:05 AM

anyone have any suggestions on what to do with a 486 running DOS 6.22. I have one lying around somewhere and wondered what it could be used for. Also does anyone have any links as to how to get it on the network?

As you can tell my DOS skills are rusty to put it politely

**NooNoo** · December 22nd, 2002, 11:29 AM

NT4 on it
Linux on it
3.1 and network it - thats good fun!

Or leave it with Dos and write yerself a nice menu system to run all the old games.

**Dark Millennium** · December 22nd, 2002, 01:25 PM

NT4??!!!!

I have that runing on a P200 with 96 MB of RAM and its extremely slooowww.

Can't imagine what it would be on a 486!!!!

me moves off to see if he can find his old Red Hat 6.2 and 7.0 cds....

**geeksRus** · December 22nd, 2002, 03:01 PM

go to Coyote Linux and make a router that runs from a floppy.

**Outcoded** · December 22nd, 2002, 03:11 PM

Play Elite

**NooNoo** · December 22nd, 2002, 03:23 PM

Now there's a blast from the past... Had that game on BBC b... and I know that thing is still going!

**Zerotech** · December 22nd, 2002, 09:44 PM

You could install an earlier Linux distribution, or possibly install the Arachne browser and surf the web!

Arachne is a DOS-based browser that runs well on 486's (preferrably with an external modem).

You'll find it here: http://browser.arachne.cz/

**freddy** · December 23rd, 2002, 01:19 AM

the dos based browser sounds good , that link is dead , anyone got a better link?

FtF

**Zerotech** · December 23rd, 2002, 07:56 AM

Strange.... I just clicked on it and it worked.

**Zerotech** · December 24th, 2002, 11:14 AM

Just checked the arachne link again......it still works!

Another idea for your old DOS box: SmoothWall; it's a version of Linux that runs older systems as a software/hardware firewall.

You could check out NewDeal software, they have updated versions of the old GeoWorks suite (Windows 3.x - like software that runs on DOS for SOHO productivity).

Run a DOS-based utility or Win3.x + utility with a crappy old printer and a 14.4K or 28.8K modem to make your own bizarre fax machine.

Dig up some of the old DOS-based Learning Company games (Midnight Rescue, Treasure Cove, Treasure Mountain, etc) and make an inexpensive edutainment center for the little ones.
(Keeps 'em off your good system!

)

As you might imagine, I've spent a fair amount of time resurrecting other people's cast-offs into usable work and home equipment.

Hopefully one of these suggestions will keep an old soldier from being tossed on the junk pile.

**gazzak** · December 24th, 2002, 11:23 AM

I had a box the same as yours and I put Novell 4.11 on it so as to learn as much as I could about Novell systems and networks. I'm very glad I did too, as it has got me out of many customer situations where Novell is concerned.

**Dark Millennium** · December 30th, 2002, 11:57 AM

Thanks guys.

I now have plenty of options to try. As for going online though that isn't possible at the moment for this box but oh well....

Thanks again for all the suggestions