虽然第一个Windows 操作系统(Windows operating)是在 1985 年发布的，但第一个真正打入主流的Windows 版本是(Windows release)Windows 95。您可能会立即认出的许多Windows功能，例如“(Windows)开始”菜单(Start menu)，都源自此版本。它还允许从DOOM到Sim City 2000进行密集的 3D 风格(Sim City 2000)PC 游戏(PC gaming)。
虽然像纸牌(Solitaire)这样的游戏仍然可以在Windows上玩，但如果不安装第三方软件，则无法再玩旧的Windows 95游戏。(Windows 95)Windows自 1990 年代以来一直在发展，对旧软件的支持充其量通常是零散的。如果您想在Windows 10上玩(Windows 10)Windows 95游戏，方法如下。
使用 Windows 兼容模式(Using Windows Compatibility Mode)
自Windows 2000以来，可以使用(Windows 2000)Windows 兼容模式(Windows compatibility mode)运行过时的软件，并且它仍然是 Windows 用户可以用来在较新的 Windows 10 PC 上运行较旧的Windows 95游戏的一项功能。(Windows 95)
但是，在开始之前，您应该考虑此方法背后的一些安全风险。较旧的软件（甚至游戏）可能带有安全漏洞，可能会使您的 PC 面临风险。如果您不确定，最好跳过本节并使用虚拟机，它将在完全沙盒环境中运行您的游戏。
- 要使用兼容模式(compatibility mode)，您需要打开过时的Windows 95游戏的(Windows 95)安装文件夹(installation folder)，右键单击游戏启动器可执行 ( EXE ) 文件，然后单击属性(Properties)。您可能还需要按照这些步骤首先运行游戏安装程序 - 如果(game installer first—if)是这种情况，请在安装媒体中找到安装程序EXE 文件(EXE file)并按照相同的说明进行操作。
- 在“属性(Properties)”窗口中，切换到“兼容性(Compatibility)”选项卡。您可以自己设置Windows 兼容性(Windows compatibility)选项，方法是按下以兼容模式运行此程序(Run this program in compatibility mode)复选框并从下拉菜单中选择Windows 95 。
您还可以单击以启用其他图形选项，包括减少颜色模式、以 640×680 分辨率运行(reduced color mode, run in 640×680 resolution, )以及禁用全屏优化。(disable fullscreen optimization. )虽然不太可能，但如果您的游戏需要管理员权限才能运行，请单击以启用以管理员身份运行此游戏复选框。(Run this game as an administrator )
- 如果您不确定需要哪些兼容性设置，Windows 10将帮助您确定它们。按兼容性选项卡中的运行兼容性(Compatibility )疑难解答(Run compatibility troubleshooter)选项。这将为旧软件启动 Windows 的内置故障排除工具(troubleshooting tool)。
- 这将启动程序兼容性疑难解答(Program Compatibility Troubleshooter)窗口。Windows将扫描可执行文件以尝试确定在(Windows)Windows 10上运行它的最佳方式。找到一组合适的兼容性设置后，请按尝试推荐的设置(Try recommended settings)按钮以应用它们。
- Windows 兼容性(Windows compatibility)疑难解答将确认在下一阶段应用了哪些设置。按测试程序(Test the program)按钮以测试应用了这些兼容性设置的游戏或游戏安装程序。(game or game installer)
- 如果游戏或游戏安装程序(game or game installer)正确启动，请单击下一步(Next)，然后在最后阶段单击是，保存此程序的这些设置(Yes, save these settings for this program)按钮。如果游戏(game didn)未启动，请单击否，使用其他设置重试(No, try again using different settings)或否，向 Microsoft 报告程序并在线检查解决方案(No, report the program to Microsoft and check online for a solution)。
- 如果您选择否，请使用其他设置重试(No, try again using different settings)，系统会要求您选择原因。单击(Click one)提供的复选框之一，然后选择Next。
如果 Windows 可以找到替代设置，它将尝试应用它们并允许您对其进行测试。但是，Windows 兼容(Windows compatibility) 模式并不(mode doesn)适用于所有旧软件——如果您的游戏无法(game doesn)启动(t launch)，您需要尝试其他方式才能在Windows 10上玩(Windows 10)Windows 95游戏。
在虚拟机中使用 Windows 95(Using Windows 95 in a Virtual Machine)
Windows 10 并不是玩旧游戏的最佳操作系统(operating system)。如果您无法使用它运行较旧的游戏，那么在虚拟机中安装较旧版本的Windows可能就是答案。
虚拟机是沙盒的，不应允许主机(host machine)和已安装的虚拟机之间进行任何交互（除非您允许）。只是(Just don)不允许Internet 或网络访问(internet or network access)旧版Windows虚拟机——这是一场安全噩梦(security nightmare)。
可以使用Virtualbox和 Microsoft 提供的文件(Virtualbox)设置 Windows XP 虚拟机，或者，如果您正在为(set up a Windows XP virtual machine)Windows 10上的Windows 95游戏寻找更逼真的游戏体验(gaming experience)，您可以在虚拟机中安装Windows 95并玩(machine and play)旧版使用最初支持的操作系统(operating system)的游戏。
为此，您需要一份原始Windows 95安装文件的副本。如果您的阁楼或地下室中有Windows 95 副本，请将其除尘(gathering dust)并从安装介质制作 ISO 文件。(make an ISO file)您还需要从 AllBootDisks 等来源获取Windows 95 启动磁盘文件。(Windows 95 boot disk file)
在您的虚拟机中安装Windows 95后，您需要安装您想玩的游戏，但在大多数情况下它们应该可以正常运行。如果您的 PC 无法运行虚拟机，则需要尝试替代方案。
使用 GOG 和 DOSBOX 玩游戏重新发布(Playing Game Rereleases Using GOG and DOSBOX)
虽然您可能会发现很难找到在 21 世纪出售的极其小众游戏的副本，但Windows 95时代的一些老游戏已经使用GOG等服务重新发布，这些服务专门为新游戏打包和提供复古游戏操作系统。
GOG是一个游戏市场，可让您购买较旧的游戏而无需诉诸盗版，其中来自看似狡猾的网站的可疑文件通常会带来令人讨厌的惊喜。对于一些基于 DOS 的旧游戏，GOG包括DOSBOX，一个在Windows 10上运行旧游戏的DOS 模拟器(DOS emulator)，以及游戏文件。
如果您手头有基于 DOS 的游戏的原始文件，那么您可以自己尝试DOSBOX，而无需再次购买该游戏。DOSBOX 是免费(DOSBOX is free)的，可在包括 Windows 10 在内的多个平台上下载。
DOSBOX，顾名思义，只适用于基于DOS的游戏。这个时代(era require) 的一些（但不是全部）游戏需要DOS才能运行——你需要研究你想要玩的游戏来检查是否是这种情况。
在 Windows 10 上玩 Windows 95 游戏(Playing Windows 95 Games on Windows 10)
虽然Windows 10并不是真正为玩旧版Windows 95游戏而设计的，但通过一些变通方法仍然可以实现。如果您想摆脱怀旧之情，请坚持使用Windows 10并使用兼容模式(compatibility mode)、虚拟机或DOSBOX 之(DOSBOX)类的解决方案来修复您的复古游戏。
如果您正在寻找更新的方式来打发时间，那么请抛开 1990 年代，开始使用Steam，您可以在Windows、macOS 和Linux上玩成千上万的 PC 游戏。
How to Play Windows 95 Games on Windows 10
While the first Windows operating sуstem wаs releаsed in 1985, the first Windows release tо really break into the mainstream was Windows 95. Mаny of the Windows features you might іnstаntly recognize, likе the Start menu, originated іn this release. It also allowed for intenѕive, 3D-style PC gaming, from DOOM to Sim Cіty 2000.
While games like Solitaire are still available to play on Windows, older Windows 95 games can no longer be played without installing third-party software. Windows has evolved since the 1990s, and support for older software is often patchy at best. If you want to play Windows 95 games on Windows 10, here’s how.
Using Windows Compatibility Mode
It’s been possible to run outdated software using Windows compatibility mode since Windows 2000, and it remains a feature that Windows users can use to run older Windows 95 games on newer, Windows 10 PCs.
Before you begin, however, you should consider some of the security risks behind this method. Older software (even games) can come with security flaws that could put your PC at risk. If you’re unsure, it’s probably best to skip this section and use a virtual machine, which will run your game in an entirely sandboxed environment.
- To use compatibility mode, you’ll need to open the installation folder for your outdated Windows 95 game, right-click the game launcher executable (EXE) file, and click Properties. You may also need to follow these steps to run the game installer first—if that’s the case, locate the installer EXE file in your installation media and follow the same instructions.
- In the Properties window, switch to the Compatibility tab. You can set the Windows compatibility options yourself by pressing the Run this program in compatibility mode checkbox and selecting Windows 95 from the drop-down menu.
You can also click to enable additional graphics options, including reduced color mode, run in 640×680 resolution, and disable fullscreen optimization. While unlikely, click to enable the Run this game as an administrator checkbox if your game requires administrative access to run it.
- If you’re unsure what compatibility settings you need, Windows 10 will help determine them for you. Press the Run compatibility troubleshooter option in the Compatibility tab. This will launch Windows’ built-in troubleshooting tool for older software.
- This will launch the Program Compatibility Troubleshooter window. Windows will scan the executable to try and determine the best way to run it on Windows 10. Once it finds a suitable set of compatibility settings, press the Try recommended settings button to apply them.
- The Windows compatibility troubleshooter will confirm what settings have been applied at the next stage. Press the Test the program button to test the game or game installer with these compatibility settings applied.
- If the game or game installer launched correctly, click Next, then click the Yes, save these settings for this program button at the final stage. If the game didn’t launch, click No, try again using different settings or No, report the program to Microsoft and check online for a solution instead.
- If you choose No, try again using different settings, you’ll be asked to select the reasons why. Click one of the provided checkboxes, then select Next.
If Windows can find alternative settings, it will attempt to apply them and allow you to test them. However, the Windows compatibility mode doesn’t work for every bit of older software out there—if your game doesn’t launch, you’ll need to try something else to play Windows 95 games on Windows 10.
Using Windows 95 in a Virtual Machine
Windows 10 isn’t the best operating system for playing older games. If you can’t run older games using it, then installing an older version of Windows in a virtual machine might be the answer.
Virtual machines are sandboxed and shouldn’t allow for any interaction between the host machine and the installed virtual machine (unless you allow it). Just don’t allow internet or network access to an older Windows virtual machine—it’s a security nightmare.
It’s possible to set up a Windows XP virtual machine using Virtualbox and Microsoft-provided files or, if you’re looking for a more realistic gaming experience for Windows 95 games on Windows 10, you could install Windows 95 in a virtual machine and play older games using the originally-supported operating system instead.
To do this, you’ll need a copy of the original Windows 95 installation files. If you have a copy of Windows 95 gathering dust in your attic or basement, dust it off and make an ISO file from the installation media. You’ll also need to grab a Windows 95 boot disk file from a source like AllBootDisks.
Once Windows 95 is installed in your virtual machine, you’ll need to install the games you want to play, but they should run without issue in most cases. If your PC can’t run a virtual machine, you’ll need to try alternatives.
Playing Game Rereleases Using GOG and DOSBOX
While you’ll probably find it difficult to find copies of extremely niche games for sale in the 21st century, some older games from the Windows 95 era have been re-released using services like GOG, which specialize in packaging and providing retro games for newer operating systems.
GOG is a gaming marketplace that allows you to buy older games without resorting to piracy, where suspicious files from dodgy-looking websites can often bring nasty surprises. For some older DOS-based games, GOG includes DOSBOX, a DOS emulator that runs older games on Windows 10, alongside the game files.
If you have the original files for a DOS-based game to hand, then you can give DOSBOX a try yourself without buying the game a second time. DOSBOX is free and available for download on multiple platforms, including Windows 10.
DOSBOX, as the name suggests, will only work with DOS-based games. Some (but not all) games from this era require DOS to work—you’ll need to research the game you’re looking to play to check if this is the case.
Playing Windows 95 Games on Windows 10
While Windows 10 isn’t really designed to play older Windows 95 games, it remains possible with a few workarounds. If you’re looking to scratch that nostalgia itch, stick with Windows 10 and use compatibility mode, a virtual machine or a solution like DOSBOX to get your retro gaming fix.
If you’re looking for slightly newer ways to pass the time, then leave the 1990s behind and get started with Steam instead, where thousands of PC games are available for you to play on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
