8.343 bytes

Service Hints & Tips

Document ID: DETR-3UFP7R

Crossbrand - The differences between OS/2, DOS and Windows

Applicable to: United States

An operating system is a master control program that runs the computer. It acts as a scheduler and "traffic cop" for both software and hardware. It is the first program loaded (copied) into the computer's memory after the computer is turned on. The central core, or kernel, of the operating system must reside in memory at all times. While resident in memory it manages jobs, tasks, data, and devices for the computer. Without it, you would have to spend hours typing in machine code (0's and 1's), just to complete one task.

DOS stands for Disk Operating System. It serves as an interface between the user and the computer like all operating systems, but it has limitations. It will only recognize 1 Mb of address space. 384Kb is reserved for system BIOS (Basic Input Output System) and 640Kb for DOS and applications. Applications that can address physical memory (extended or expanded memory) above 1Mb are subject to other DOS limitations. DOS provides no distinction between the operating system and the applications. Therefore, any program can modify any portion of memory. Furthermore, DOS is a single-tasking environment.

OS/2, like DOS, is an operating system. However, it is a multitasking environment. It is capable of running more than one task at a time. Unlike DOS, it does not have a 1Mb memory limit. It will distinguish between the operating system and applications. It will protect them from interfering with one another. This provides the user with greater data integrity. It has a graphical interface, like Windows, that gives the user point-and-click capability.

Microsoft Windows 3.x is not an operating system. It is an operating environment. It cannot perform the functions of an operating system. Rather, it enhances the use of DOS with a GUI (Graphical User Interface). Windows cannot alter DOS's single-tasking environment or provide greater data integrity.

Search Keywords

Hint Category

DOS/Windows 3.x, OS/2

Date Created

23-04-96

Last Updated

15-03-99

Revision Date

15-03-2000

Brand

IBM Aptiva

Product Family

Aptiva, DOS, Laptop L40, Notebook N33, Notebook N45, Notebook N51, OS/2, PC 300, PC 700, PS/1, PS/2, PS/Note, ThinkPad 300, ThinkPad 500, ThinkPad 700, ThinkPad 701, ValuePoint, Windows

Machine Type

2011, 2121, 2123, 2133, 2155, 2168, 2134, 2176, 2144

Model

C01; C34; M01; NEA; T35; U35; A62; A82; A94; B82; C42; C92; G42; M82; S92; 081; 087; 131; 137; K37; N31; N81; 11E; 13T; 14C; 16E; 17A; 18A; 18T; 19C; 21C; 23C; 28A; 46M; 51D; D50; G11; G13; G43; G46; G49; G50; G53; M40; M46; P11; P13; P43; P50; P53; R04; R05; R06; R09; R38; R42; R43; R44; R84; R86; R87; RO3; S11; S13; S43; S45; S47; S48; S50; S53; W11; W13; W42; W43; W45; W50; W53; 20E; 22T; 24C; 24M; 28V; 39E; 41T; 43C; 45V; 48E; 50T; 52C; 55V; 72E; 74T; 76C; 78C; 79C; 81A; 82E; 84T; 86C; 87C; CC1; D53; G14; G44; G52; G54; G72; G76; G78; G82; NM1; P14; P44; P57; P71; P74; P76; P78; P84; R14; R15; R16; R17; R18; R51; R52; R57; R58; R62; R63; R67; R71; R89; R93; R96; R97; S14; S44; S54; S70; S75; S76; S78; S80; W14; W44; W48; W54; W67; W76; W77; W78; Z33; 31E; 33T; 37C; 38C; 51E; 54T; 56C; 57C; 88V; BB1; G57; G87; OR1; OR3; OR4; OR5; P89; R28; R29; R31; R74; R78; R82; R98; S55; S85; SR1; US1; W52; W82; 6R6; 6R7; C21; C32; 6R9; C31; C54; C5D; F31; 6R8; 7R1; 7R2; 7R3; 7R4; 7R5; 7R6; 7R7; 7R8; 7R9; 7RO; 8R1; 8R2; 8R3; 8RO; C23; C33; C35; C53; C55; C57; C5H; C65; C66; C67; C69; C73; C75; C77; C79; C7H; F23; F35; F57; F69; F79; 5R5; M91; 2R5; 2R7; 2R8; M30; M35; M50; 2R6; 4R7; 4R8; M54; M58; 3R0; 3R8; M60; M70; 3R4; 3R6; 4R1; 4R9; M31; M51; M52; M63; 2R9; 3R1; 3R3; 3R5; 3R7; 3R9; 4R0; 4R2; 4R3; M41; M53; M55; M56; M57; M61; M62; M71; M72; 5R1; 6R3; A10; A12; A14; 5R2; 5R3; 5R6; 5R8; 5R9; 6R0; 6R4; 6R5; A15; A40; A44; A45; A50; A51; A52; A90; A92; 1R2; 66P; 67P; 86P; OR8; 1R1; 1R3; 1R5; 22P; 24P; 25P; 27P; 29P; 63P; 82P; 83P; OR6; OR7; OR9; 1R0; 26P; 62P; 2R0; P30; 2R3; S15

TypeModel

2011C01; 2011C34; 2011M01; 2011NEA; 2011T35; 2011U35; 2121A62; 2121A82; 2121A94; 2121B82; 2121C42; 2121C92; 2121G42; 2121M82; 2121S92; 2123081; 2123087; 2123131; 2123137; 2123K37; 2123N31; 2123N81; 213311E; 213313T; 213314C; 213316E; 213317A; 213318A; 213318T; 213319C; 213321C; 213323C; 213328A; 213346M; 213351D; 2133D50; 2133G11; 2133G13; 2133G43; 2133G46; 2133G49; 2133G50; 2133G53; 2133M40; 2133M46; 2133P11; 2133P13; 2133P43; 2133P50; 2133P53; 2133R04; 2133R05; 2133R06; 2133R09; 2133R38; 2133R42; 2133R43; 2133R44; 2133R84; 2133R86; 2133R87; 2133RO3; 2133S11; 2133S13; 2133S43; 2133S45; 2133S47; 2133S48; 2133S50; 2133S53; 2133W11; 2133W13; 2133W42; 2133W43; 2133W45; 2133W50; 2133W53; 215520E; 215522T; 215524C; 215524M; 215528V; 215539E; 215541T; 215543C; 215545V; 215548E; 215550T; 215552C; 215555V; 215572E; 215574T; 215576C; 215578C; 215579C; 215581A; 215582E; 215584T; 215586C; 215587C; 2155CC1; 2155D53; 2155G14; 2155G44; 2155G52; 2155G54; 2155G72; 2155G76; 2155G78; 2155G82; 2155NM1; 2155P14; 2155P44; 2155P57; 2155P71; 2155P74; 2155P76; 2155P78; 2155P84; 2155R14; 2155R15; 2155R16; 2155R17; 2155R18; 2155R51; 2155R52; 2155R57; 2155R58; 2155R62; 2155R63; 2155R67; 2155R71; 2155R89; 2155R93; 2155R96; 2155R97; 2155S14; 2155S44; 2155S50; 2155S54; 2155S70; 2155S75; 2155S76; 2155S78; 2155S80; 2155W14; 2155W44; 2155W48; 2155W54; 2155W67; 2155W76; 2155W77; 2155W78; 2155Z33; 216828V; 216831E; 216833T; 216837C; 216838C; 216851E; 216854T; 216856C; 216857C; 216888V; 2168BB1; 2168G57; 2168G87; 2168OR1; 2168OR3; 2168OR4; 2168OR5; 2168P89; 2168R28; 2168R29; 2168R31; 2168R74; 2168R78; 2168R82; 2168R98; 2168S55; 2168S85; 2168SR1; 2168US1; 2168W52; 2168W82; 21346R6; 21346R7; 2134C21; 2134C32; 21766R9; 2176C31; 2176C54; 2176C5D; 2176F31; 21766R8; 21767R1; 21767R2; 21767R3; 21767R4; 21767R5; 21767R6; 21767R7; 21767R8; 21767R9; 21767RO; 21768R1; 21768R2; 21768R3; 21768RO; 2176C23; 2176C33; 2176C35; 2176C53; 2176C55; 2176C57; 2176C5H; 2176C65; 2176C66; 2176C67; 2176C69; 2176C73; 2176C75; 2176C77; 2176C79; 2176C7H; 2176F23; 2176F35; 2176F57; 2176F69; 2176F79; 21685R5; 2168M91; 21442R5; 21442R7; 21442R8; 2144M30; 2144M35; 2144M50; 21682R6; 21684R7; 21684R8; 2168M40; 2168M54; 2168M58; 21683R0; 21683R8; 2168M60; 2168M70; 21443R4; 21443R6; 21444R1; 21444R9; 2144M31; 2144M51; 2144M52; 2144M63; 21682R9; 21683R1; 21683R3; 21683R5; 21683R7; 21683R9; 21684R0; 21684R2; 21684R3; 2168M41; 2168M53; 2168M55; 2168M56; 2168M57; 2168M61; 2168M62; 2168M71; 2168M72; 21445R1; 21446R3; 2144A10; 2144A12; 2144A14; 21685R2; 21685R3; 21685R6; 21685R8; 21685R9; 21686R0; 21686R4; 21686R5; 2168A15; 2168A40; 2168A44; 2168A45; 2168A50; 2168A51; 2168A52; 2168A90; 2168A92; 2168A94; 21681R2; 216866P; 216867P; 216886P; 2168OR8; 21441R1; 21441R3; 21441R5; 214422P; 214424P; 214425P; 214427P; 214429P; 214463P; 214467P; 214482P; 214483P; 2144OR6; 2144OR7; 2144OR9; 21681R0; 21681R1; 216826P; 216862P; 21442R0; 2144P30; 21442R3; 2144S15

Retain Tip (if applicable)

Reverse Doclinks
and Admin Purposes