Windows NT 3.51

A few useful links

  • MDGx Max Speeed WinDOwS ©Tricks
  • ...freaked.
  • BEAR WINDOWS - you can find here a generic VESA driver for NT 3.51/4, Windows 2000 and XP and also a Windows NT 3.51 SuperPack


  • NTShell

    NTShell was originally an attempt to port Calmira LFN to Win32 (Windows NT 3.51), but I ended up writing several parts from scratch, specilly the file manager (I never liked the way it is implemented in Calmira, I hate the fact that the Recycle Bin and My Computer are just windows instead of "virtual" folders) and the desktop (so now it is a ListView instead of a bunch of minimized windows). Also, I've added a number of improvements, taking advantage of the fact that in NT there isn't GDI and USER 16-bit heap limitations (more bitmaps and windows).

    I also discovered in the internet an amazing library called madHook, which allows me to hook API functions. Using it I hooked several NT "stubs" and implemented them to some extent, like the Tray functions (to implement Win9x/NT4 system tray behavior) and icon-related functions (to enable the use of 256-color/32-bit icons).

    To run NTShell you are going to need an updated COMCTL32.DLL and IMM32.DLL. You can get both here (in NT 3.51 section).

    NTShell features:

  • A Windows 9x/2000-like Desktop;
  • A Start Menu (taken from Calmira, but now uses two bitmas for icon cache so selected items look better);
  • A Taskbar which can have several toolbars and be locked, just like in XP;
  • A file manager, which features "virtual" folders like the Recycle Bin and My Computer;
  • A System Tray, which supports both the Calmira approach and the Windows 2000 one so applications like Winamp can minimize to tray (NOTE: NTShell understands tray commands introduced in 2000/XP, like balloon tips);
  • Support for icons with several image formats, loading small/large 4-bit/256-color/32-bit icons as needed;
  • Custom icons and tips for folders;
  • And much more...

    But be careful! Although NTShell works well and stable for me I do not guarantee anything.

    Avaliable dowloads:

  • NTShell 1.0.1.170 Binaries
  • My modified version of Toolbar 2000 (you can find the original here)
  • madHook (external site) (to build NTShell you are going to need to install madBasic, madCodeHook, madDisAsm and madRemote)
  • NTShell 1.0.1.170 Source files for Delphi 4 (you need Delphi 4 Professional or Enterprise because you'll need to recompile the VCL source files after replacing Forms.pas and Dialogs.pas with the ones I provide)

    Useful information

  • NTShell 1.0.1.170 Readme
  • NTShell Version History

    Screenshots:


  • Other Tools

  • TaskNT3: NT4-like Task Manager for Windows NT 3.51 (source+binaries)
  • MPlayer: MCI-based Media Player for Windows NT 3.51 (source+binaries)


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