The GP2X is a portable game console that runs Linux and was released in November last year. This is a console that encourages you to hack its open platform and has a dev wiki to document those projects. Mandleman has recently gotten Bochs, the x86 emulator, running on the platform. He then booted Windows 95 (Internet Archive) on top of that; It takes six and a half minutes. He’s also built emulators for the NES, NeoGeo pocket, and Wonderswan. Recently released Linux based devices like the GP2X and the Nokia 770 are interesting because they encourage development. I hope in the future we’ll see an open device that has the market penetration of the PSP.
[thanks togi]
This is all a bit theoretical, as the emulator has no mouse support, and key support for cursors, enter and space only.
most of the people on gp32x forum can’t get this emulator to actually boot a disk image sucessfully, as far as I’m aware there hasn’t been a single sucess story other than the author himself, even booting a prebuilt freedos image.
6 and 1/2 minutes… that’s faster than my P2 booting XP! I love it; and I’ve always wanted a GP2X since I saw one. Great Job.
Wow. Only difference now between my Pentium I 133MHz and a Modern-day handheld is that the handheld boots windows 95 faster.
But, if windows can be booted on this, then I’m sure a lof of windows 95 games may become popular again.
Wait so where running win95 instead of linux? why? I wouldnt even to say “hey look what i did”. thats like hey i put a moped motor in my surburban!
What’s the point of ditching linux for… windows 95? Think of what they could accomplish if they didn’t waste their time on stuff like this!
I thought it would be cool to get a GPX2 to use as a SFF linux box but i have yet to get one.
Appears that the GP2X site is down. That’ll teach them to use Microsucks SQL server.
i don’t believe the gp2x uses an x86 processor.. so the only way it will run win95 is in an emulator on top of linux (so if anything its like putting your moped in the back of your suburban). if you can get win95 running, straight DOS shouldn’t be too far behind. then you can get all your old dos games running on it.
the gp2x does NOT use an x86 processor. That’s what is making this such a development. Getting x86 windows 95 to run on a linux-based x86 emulator for a handheld system is a bit of an accomplishment.
Sure, it’s not better than linux, but the sheer oppurtunity of successful emulation should help a lot of development into porting.
You buy a linux console.. and run Windows on it? Only good for hack value.
Thanks for mentioning the 770 Eliot, I hadn’t heard about it and it looks like exactly the type of device I’ve been waiting for.
I can’t find a price on the GP2X. How much does one of these things cost? And where can you order it from?
@10
http://www.lik-sang.com/info.php?category=159&products_id=7728&
For informations on gp2x visit gp32x.com best place to get a gp2x is http://gp2x.co.uk/ or http://www.gp2x.de .
there is a complete list of distirbutors at http://wiki.gp2x.org/wiki/Where_to_Buy%3F
I think that a few people fail to see its just a “proof of concept” idea. Just to show it can be done. Of course no one would use it over Linux, and the truth is he’s not ditched linux because he’s usb bochs. I don’t plan to try this but with his other emulation work I believe its possible.
Cool hack.