Windows 95 build 81

4.00.81
Build of Windows 95
Screenshot
OS familyWindows 9x
Version number4.00
Build number81
Architecturex86
Compiled on1994-01-19
Product key
Beta Site ID140743
Passwordd8f20fe0a
About dialog
Windows95-4.0.81-About.png
TCB.png TCBGallery.png BA.png

Windows 95 build 81 is an internal Milestone 5 build of Windows 95.

While the build itself is real, some copies found online are said to have a modified boot screen saying "January 1994". The unmodified copy still has the "November 1993" boot screen, identical to builds 73f and 73g.

New features and changes[edit | edit source]

  • Setup has been slightly updated, and the "Please wait while Setup initiates" message is moved to the center of the screen.
  • This build introduces support for the Sound Blaster 16, although it does not work correctly until build 180.

Shell features[edit | edit source]

  • This build is the earliest available build to have a single Start button and menu enabled by default (though builds 73f and 73g also have it, it is disabled by default and there is no UI to enable it).
  • This build now has the ubiquitous close button on the right side of window titlebars, instead of using the style from Windows 3.1. The button in the top-left corner has now been replaced with the application's icon, which functions the same as its predecessor. This feature remains until nowadays.
  • Tray Properties is now renamed to "Taskbar Properties" and has the ability to re-minimize windows.
  • Selected options now have shadow effect on the text instead of bold.
  • Some icons have been updated, such as the CD-ROM icon and the Control Panel icon.
  • The option to view as Detail/Folder view on the Explorer has been removed from the upper toolbar.
  • Shutdown Windows renamed all references of "Windows" to "Chicago".

Application features[edit | edit source]

  • Dr. Watson has been removed and no longer starts up on boot.
  • This build includes the System Monitor, which serves to monitor CPU activity and replaces the WinMeter application later on.

Control Panel features[edit | edit source]

  • The Color applet has been merged with the Display applet (which was renamed from Desktop) as the Appearance tab.
  • The Advanced System applet has also been merged with the System applet as the Device Manager tab.
  • There is now a new "New Device" applet to allow the user to easily install hardware onto the system.

Bugs and quirks[edit | edit source]

  • Various video cards (such as S3 86c928, Tseng w32, and XGA) cannot use 800x600 at true color or 1024x768 with 65536 colors and Windows will complain about insufficient video memory even if the video card has 2MB of video memory or more. ATI Mach32 is not affected. This bug also exists in builds 89e, 90c and 99, too.

File differences[edit | edit source]

The following files have been introduced or removed compared to build 73g:

Added files
Name Description Version
bios.386
cecfg.exe
cendis.exe
chklist.ms
cirrus.386
deltemp.com
mf3216.dll
msdom.ini
netflx.386
netflx.bin
netflx.dos
nwnet32.dll
oemsetup.inf
pccard.dll
pcm_cs.dos
pe3ndis.exe
perf.386
s3.386
setup.hlp
setup4.dll Windows Setup Functions 4.00.81
setupfix.exe Windows for Workgroups Internal Setup Fixups 3.11.025
setupx.xxx Windows Setup Functions 4.00.81
sound.dll Windows Sound Driver core component 4.00.81
sysdm.cpl
sysmon.exe
ubnei.386
ubnei.dos
ubnei.sym
ubneps.dos
ubxhlp.dos
vdd.386
vubxd.386
Removed files
Name Description Version
cga40woa.fon Non-Windows application font for 386 enhanced mode (USA code page 437) 3.10
cga80woa.fon Non-Windows application font for 386 enhanced mode (USA code page 437) 3.10
dos386.ps2
drwatson.exe Windows Fault detection utility 4.00.73a
ega40woa.fon Non-Windows application font for 386 enhanced mode (USA code page 437) 3.10
ega80woa.fon Non-Windows application font for 386 enhanced mode (USA code page 437) 3.10
getwpx.dll
localmon.dll Local Monitor DLL 4.00.73a
localspl.dll Local Spooler DLL 4.00.73a
mantal90.drv Mannesman Tally MT-90 driver 4.00.73a
mantalbj.drv
mt99.drv
pccard.cpl
pnpui.dll
power.drv Advanced Power Management driver 3.10
power.hlp
pwrusr.cpl
rules.inf
sl.dll SL Enhanced Options library 3.10
sl.hlp
sound.drv Windows Sound Driver core component 4.00.73a
testps.txt
vpowerd.386
winoldap.mod Non-Windows application component for standard mode 3.10
winprint.dll Windows Print DLL 4.00.73a

Gallery[edit | edit source]