Windows 3.0 build 52

1.52
	Build of Windows 3.0
OS family	16-bit Windows
Version number	3.0
Build number	52
Architecture	x86 16-bit
Compiled on	1989-12-13
About dialog

Windows 3.0 build 52 is a build of Windows 3.0. It was uploaded to a warez BBS in early 1990 (files included with the release seem to indicate that this happened around 14 February 1990) and was later lost, although the full build was re-uploaded onto the Internet Archive on 23 June 2024.^[1] The SDK for this build was found a few hours later. It is the earliest available build to include and use the new Program Manager and File Manager shells instead of the old MS-DOS Executive.

Bugs and quirks[edit | edit source]

Attempting to launch any third party software from the File Manager (WINFILE.EXE) will cause an unrecoverable application error, which if done twice, will close the File Manager and cause it to no longer open anymore unless Windows is restarted.
In occasional cases, closing some of its own bundled applications will cause the system to completely freeze and lock up, forcing the computer to be restarted to regain functionality to the computer.

Installation[edit | edit source]

It is normally not possible to upgrade to this build from build 33 due to it showing the compatibility warning from the aforementioned build before getting to the GUI part of setup, causing it to be stuck there. deleting KERNEL.EXE from the WINDOWS directory first will bypass this problem and allow upgrading from the previous build.
A swap file internal error may appear at the end of the setup, which corrupts the swap file itself, the user can then safely proceed after, but a warning complaining that the swap file is corrupt will be shown on every boot.

Calculator screenshot[edit | edit source]

An undated photograph of a pre-release build of Windows 3.0, possibly this build or one very close to it running Calculator version 3.00.13 (the same as in this build) was shown by Kraig Brockschmidt, the developer of the application on his website.^[2]

A video recording of supposed build 48, which clearly aimed to replicate the build shown in Brockschmidt's screenshot, was posted onto YouTube in June 2020;^[3] however, the build shown in the video has since been proven fake as Terminal has a version number of 3.20, the same as build 55, whereas build 52 has version 3.18.