What options for Windows 95 for running Japanese programs?

[Tripredacus]

One of my next projects is to build a computer to run Japanese programs and games that runs Windows 95 but I am unsure as to how to do it exactly. Would using a US installation with a Japanese LIP-equivalent work or would it be better to use an actually Japanese installation?

Potential other considerations, since this is a computer to be used in the modern era, I will likely want to employ some mods to allow for the use of removable USB storage, although if that becomes too bothersome I have no problem with resorting to network shares.

[D.Draker]

Depends on the level of your Japanese. If you're fluent, go with a Japanese installation.

And I'm pretty sure I remember we had multi language Windows 95 installations at my military academy (I finished it earlier, in 1992, but had to study some additional languages in 1996-97, by that time they already had Win95), I know folks had studied Japanese there also, so shouldn't have to be a problem to run a multi LP installation, in theory. But probably those were some special military editions, I dunno.

[UCyborg]

Japanese version would be the only straightforward way. I'm not sure if there's any way to get US Win95 to display foreign characters. I didn't figure a way to teach it to display our čšž in programs. It doesn't do Unicode, straight Win9x programs use ANSI versions of API functions that take string parameters, the code page in the background ensures string is handled properly. These old Windows versions don't have translations in separate resource files, strings are in executable binaries, you even need updates that match the language if you want to update the OS properly without turning parts of it into other language.

This article also suggests the only way to run Japanese programs is to have a separate Japanese installation one way or another.

There's some limited official support for USB in a form of a supplement package for newer OSR versions and an unofficial compilation of related updates here. How will it play with Japanese version, though...

[D.Draker]

"The easiest way to install multiple language Windows operating systems is to have one "senior" Windows version and one "junior" Windows version. For example, English Windows 2000 and Chinese Windows 98, English Windows NT and Chinese Windows 95."

https://www.creative-wisdom.com/computer/windows/different_lang.shtml

 

[D.Draker]

Windows 95 has a single locale file, WindowsSystemLocale.nls, which holds all the locale information for every language.

https://scripts.sil.org/cms/scripts/page.php?site_id=nrsi&item_id=WindowsCodepages

[Tripredacus]

Perhaps an English Windows 2000 and a Japanese Windows 95 will work out in a dual boot.

I am currently sitting on using DOS on the computer... BUT with only the floppy drive working, I can't get any CD drive to work at the moment. USB supposedly will work but it does not work at BIOS level (no booting) and my next step is to see about getting it to work in DOS. If I can't get USB to work, then I will have to find a different board/computer to use. While I would prefer a newer system, currently the project is to use Japanese Windows 95 on a board with an ISA slot.

X thread here where I try to post my updates: https://twitter.com/Tripredacus/status/1744808661153644573

 

[jaclaz]

Hmmm.

Never heard of Plop, right?

https://www.plop.at/en/bootmanager/features.html

[Dixel]

Twitter is behind the login wall and other annoyances. Looks like the vast majority of MSFN members don't even have Twitter accounts.

Here's a free, simple to read alternative, no login and/or payment required.

https://nitter.net/Tripredacus/status/1744808661153644573

[Tripredacus]

It took a lot of tooling around with boards, video cards and chassis but I finally get to a place where I can install an OS. BUT it looks like I should be using a Japanese keyboard since the installer prompts to use it. I have one already but it is USB and probably won't work right on this old hardware. The BIOS has no options for USB and it won't boot using the USB ports.

On 1/11/2024 at 11:02 AM, jaclaz said:

Hmmm.

Never heard of Plop, right?

https://www.plop.at/en/bootmanager/features.html

I already had some issues with Grub being present regarding installation of various DOS versions. I've forgot more about these old OSes than I remembered, so I'd rather stay with the original designs and not use any of these newer implementations. Having dual boot is not a priority right now but I will do it just in case it works without a problem. I have enough computers that I can run a dedicated Windows 2000 system if I wanted to set one up.