Windows 9x Subsystem for Linux
by sohkamyung on 4/22/2026, 9:52:52 AM
https://social.hails.org/@hailey/116446826733136456
Comments
by: rahen
Before WSL, the best ways to run unmodified Linux binaries inside Windows were CoLinux and flinux.<p><a href="http://www.colinux.org/" rel="nofollow">http://www.colinux.org/</a><p><a href="https://github.com/wishstudio/flinux" rel="nofollow">https://github.com/wishstudio/flinux</a><p>flinux essentially had the architecture of WSL1, while CoLinux was more like WSL2 with a Linux kernel side-loaded.<p>Cygwin was technically the correct approach: native POSIX binaries on Windows rather than hacking in some foreign Linux plumbing. Since it was merely a lightweight DLL to link to (or a bunch of them), it also kept the cruft low without messing with ring 0.<p>However, it lacked the convenience of a CLI package manager back then, and I remember being hooked on CoLinux when I had to work on Windows.
4/22/2026, 10:17:55 AM
by: scoopr
So, is it like colinux[0], but for pre-NT windows? Neat!<p>Back when I was still using windows (probably XP era), I used to run colinux, it was kind of amazing, setting up something like LAMP stack on the linux side was a lot easier and then using windows editors for editing made for quite nice local dev env, I think! Could even try some of the X11 servers on windows and use a linux desktop on top of windows.<p>When I noticed I kept inching towards more and more unixy enviornment on the windows, I eventually switched to macOS.<p>Apart from the obvious hack-value, I can't quite imagine even pretend use-case, with some 486 era machine, you would be limited by memory quite quickly!<p>[0] <a href="http://colinux.org/" rel="nofollow">http://colinux.org/</a>
4/22/2026, 10:19:28 AM
by: ChrisRR
By microsoft's naming scheme this should be Linux Subsystem for Windows
4/22/2026, 11:30:41 AM
by: fouc
Modern linux kernel running cooperatively inside the Windows 9x kernel, sick!
4/22/2026, 10:05:24 AM
by: AshamedCaptain
I guess easier than <a href="https://github.com/haileys/doslinux" rel="nofollow">https://github.com/haileys/doslinux</a>
4/22/2026, 10:06:50 AM
by: keyle
I thought this was about running windows 9x within linux. Is there such thing without virtualisation?
4/22/2026, 11:04:24 AM
by: pwdisswordfishq
> "no hardware virtualisation"<p>> looks inside<p>> virtual 8086 mode
4/22/2026, 11:30:29 AM
by: ilkkao
Little late but would this have actually allowed running early Linux under Windows when Windows 95 came out in the 90s? I remember only dual booting being available at that time.
4/22/2026, 10:22:32 AM
by: defrost
<p><pre><code> I am going to run this in Windows 95 on a Sun PC card under Solaris 7. </code></pre> from the same commenter who effused<p><pre><code> jesus fucking christ this is an abomination of epic proportions that has no right to exist in a just universe and I love it so much</code></pre>
4/22/2026, 10:17:21 AM
by: vrganj
Okay what is it with WSL naming, this always confuses me. Shouldn't it be Linux subsystem for Windows?
4/22/2026, 10:08:54 AM
by: ErroneousBosh
If I can get this to work (haven't tried yet) it directly solves a problem I have right now this week right here in 2026, 30 years after Windows 95 was even a thing.<p>Yes, I have weird problems. I get to look after some very weird shit.
4/22/2026, 10:04:11 AM
by: varispeed
This could prompt me to finally assemble the Pentium desktop I have in storage in parts.
4/22/2026, 11:08:45 AM
by: aa-jv
Oddly enough, I could kind of use this right now. I have some software which used SCSI (Adaptec WNASPI32.dll) calls to administer a device over the SCSI bus .. would this Subsystem be usable for that, or does it still require I build a WNASP32.dll shim to do translation?
4/22/2026, 10:49:52 AM
by: raverbashing
That's cool<p>I mean it's like trying to balance a cybetruck into 4 skateboards and flunging it over a hill cool
4/22/2026, 10:57:01 AM