Windows 3.00 Test Drive

Windows 3.0 Test Drive is a special demo version of Windows 3.0, which was distributed for free with some issues of PC World in 1990. It was designed to showcase the new technology of Windows 3.0 and familiarize users with the new interface (Program Manager).

It consists of a stripped down, minimal install of Windows 3.0 and a PC World interactive sideshow. Solitaire is also included. There were separate versions for systems with EGA and VGA displays, as well as 5.25" 1.2MB and 3.5" 1.44MB floppy disk distributions. Only 5.25" EGA version is available online at the moment, though distributions by other magazines could also exist. This demo release is also used as a base for demo versions of some early versions of Microsoft Office apps from 1990 and 1991.

The included Windows files are modified to prevent running normal Windows 3.0 applications unless they have the string "DEMOAPP" in the EXE's application description header. By adding this string to normal Windows 3.0 applications, they can be run under this demo release.