Thinkpads Forum

Ahh ... anyone still got (using) OS/2 Warp?

I recall it was so cool, with 32bit and stuffs. Wonder if it is still alive. I know that it was powering a lot of ATMs (AutoTellerMachines, not the other ATM!) back in mid90s.

That was when I insisted on running either OS/2 Warp, Linux or DOS5.0 with a rigged Win3.1 running custom shell than to run Win95!!!

Alas, I've ran Win9x/NT/2k/XP on subsequent machines when I started working ...

It is still alive although fading. It is a long slow fade for sure. I think there are quite a few banks/financial institutions running OS/2 for processes. Many had not changed to anything newer as they were having no problems.

I know of a few restaurants near me who run OS/2 powered touch-screen registers for the wait staff.

I remember running AutoCad R-12 in a DOS shell under OS/2 Warp. It actually ran faster and was more stable than on real DOS. Something about having the ability to tweak the DOS shell and make it give Acad exactly what it needed. Those were the days. I ran that on a first generation Pentium at 60Mhz with 48MB RAM. Six slots for RAM and each with a *HUGE* 8MB each. I have been thinking of tracking down a copy of OS/2 for a dual boot or for a separate HD to tinker.

Cheers
Bob

Bob Collins wrote:I have been thinking of tracking down a copy of OS/2 for a dual boot or for a separate HD to tinker.

I have the following sitting on a shelf in the basement. No idea what they're worth.

OS/2 1.30.1 (pre-PM)
OS/2 2.0 (still in shrinkwrap)
OS/2 2.1 (no media)
OS/2 3.0 (with Bonus Pack)

Yeesh, that is some collection.

I would love a go at the Warp 3.0. I remember it was quite nice on the old Pentium, on my T22, if it would load and drive things, it would be a riot!

Do you want to sell it? If so, we can go off-list. Email me direct if you like at: pineypl AT bellouth DOT net

Thanks
Bob

... as primary OS on my T30 !!!

Original XPP has been squeezed down to 10GB and is secondarily used for the Thinkpad System Maintenance and
for some rare needed application currently not (or no more) available on OS/2 !!

Both of these OS's are each in a primary C: partition and startable with the OS/2 Bootmanager with
priority to OS/2 of course and !

Very nice install.

Just a quick question, how difficult was the dual boot setup? I ask, as I already dual boot Win2K Pro and FreeBSD 4.9. I am thinking of adding OS/2 Warp to the mix....

This should well prove to be a delight to install!

... with my installation like this

Unfortunately I am unable to tell you how you do add OS/2 to your existing ones !
I do have a similar problem with my 3rd OS: I want to add a Linux OS to my 2 existing ones !!

My current configuration looks like following:

I squeezed the XPP giant [primary C:] partition with PM 8.01 down to 10GB and
then with eCS 1.1 I prepared the rest like following

Added the OS/2 Bootmanager as next primary partition.
Then added a second primary C: partiton (HPFS) now containing OS/2 Warp MCP 4.52 !
The OS/2 BootManager is set to start automatically with Warp if no other choice is done !!
The rest of partitions are up to your design, needs and sizes !!!

Opposite to your intentions:
I would like to add my Linux derivate to this environment but I am not a system techie and,
very important, I cannot risk disturbing nor destroying the present configuration of my daily workhorse !!!

Please apologize that I do not have better news for you

I wish I still had OS/2 Warp.... lost disks a long time ago though. Was one of my favourite platforms though

snappy wrote:Ahh ... anyone still got (using) OS/2 Warp?

I recall it was so cool, with 32bit and stuffs. Wonder if it is still alive. I know that it was powering a lot of ATMs (AutoTellerMachines, not the other ATM!) back in mid90s.

That was when I insisted on running either OS/2 Warp, Linux or DOS5.0 with a rigged Win3.1 running custom shell than to run Win95!!!

Alas, I've ran Win9x/NT/2k/XP on subsequent machines when I started working ...

For all of you, who love(d) OS/2, you'd want to know that there is a website that sells(sold?) OS/2 under the name 'eComStation'; the site: www.mensys.nl as you can see, it's in the Netherlands.

I have Warp V. 4 (German), OS/2 2.0, and Lotus SmartSuite for OS/2 in my cupboard.

http://www.ecomstation.com
eComStation is an updated/improved version of IBM's OS/2 Warp ver 4. It is worth using. I have it on my desktop (ver 1.1) and it works great. It is even better than OS/2 Warp ver 4 (IMHO). I think it is worth upgrading to eCS from Warp.

PS I have Warp ver 3 on a Thinkpad 720C and Warp ver 4 on a Thinkpad 760EL. When I get a newer Thinkpad, I will try eComStation on it.

That's right, look at the date, I'm running OS/2, and I converted to OS/2 from Windows 2000 beta in September, 1999.

I've got it on a bunch of machines, and also on a bunch of virtual hard drives inside of Virtual PC.

I earn a decent living supporting organizations that still have OS/2 running for some reason, and it's cheaper to have me fix or enhance the OS/2 stuff they have than to convert to Windows or Linux.

For this forum, the interesting computers are Thinkpad T21 and Thinkpad T30, but I've got others.

I exchange Word, Excel and PowerPoint files with Windows users by using OpenOffice 1.1.4, and sometimes Lotus SmartSuite for OS/2 Warp4.

I'm posting this on Mozilla 1.7.5, but I could have used Firefox 1.0.

Many of the corporate intranet workflow apps are now web-based, including Outlook.

For that once in a while when I actually need to run a Windows app, I use either Connectix VPC running Windows 2000, or a native OS/2 package to load and run 32-bit Windows apps called ODIN.

Driver support from IBM is fading, but a grass-roots driver writing network has sprung up, with a lot of help from the open-source guys, to let me run some fairly modern hardware. I think driver support is better now in early 2005 than it has been since 1996.

Just though you'd be amused to read what I'm doing.

Neil

[quote="snappy"]Ahh ... anyone still got (using) OS/2 Warp?

I recall it was so cool, with 32bit and stuffs. Wonder if it is still alive. I know that it was powering a lot of ATMs (AutoTellerMachines, not the other ATM!) back in mid90s.

That was when I insisted on running either OS/2 Warp, Linux or DOS5.0 with a rigged Win3.1 running custom shell than to run Win95!!!

Alas, I've ran Win9x/NT/2k/XP on subsequent machines when I started working ... [/quote

If anyone wants the latest release of OS/2 Warp v4.51 or v4.52 you can download it using any P2P software over the 'Net. Many OS/2 users offer it. Doesn't require any registration codes or key like Microsoft crap, it just installs and works. You can get everything you need in the way of drivers, applications, etc. via P2P or at this place called Hobbes at NMSU, all for free.

Believe it or not but IBM still updates OS/2 Warp and it is so good that I won't use anything else. NO VIRUS, NO WORMS, none of that crap and you get a great 32bit operating system. I watch and make DVD movies, with the OS/2 Kiev Movie and Music Player, convert wav files to mp3 using this free OS/2 program called z! by this cool guy named Dink, and I can do 99% that any Microsoft user can do. And I never have to use a Microsoft operating system. No open ports and builtin firewall. God I love OS/2 and it works on my T40 Thinkpad so good that I have it running 24/7.

You can still buy it from IBM if you want to but they send you the same thing that you can download via P2P. You get an Install CD and an OS CD. Took me maybe fifteen minutes to install it to a clean drive and I've never looked back!

If you do anything on the Internet then you want to do it with OS/2. Use WindowsXP for day to day stuff but do everything on the 'net with OS/2. You won't be sorry. So easy to use and so cool.

<soapbox>
Great, a pirate in the forum.

"Just use a P2P to get it."

Funny, when I was running OS/2 Warp, I liked it so much I personally bought copies for every machine I ran it on, because I thought it right to support IBM for writing such good code. Who knew I could have waited a few years and just DL it from some adware, trojan infested, system killing P2P thing.

If you want Warp, buy it from IBM.
</soapbox>

...

Bob Collins wrote:<soapbox>
Great, a pirate in the forum.

"Just use a P2P to get it."

Funny, when I was running OS/2 Warp, I liked it so much I personally bought copies for every machine I ran it on, because I thought it right to support IBM for writing such good code. Who knew I could have waited a few years and just DL it from some adware, trojan infested, system killing P2P thing.

If you want Warp, buy it from IBM.
</soapbox>

The clown that wrote that sounds like a troll from Usenet who is the self-proclaimed "os2guy", but most people think he's either nuts or paid to troll for microsoft. He spends all his time attacking people in the comp.os.os2 groups and driving people away. he claims to be a big IBM supporter but is always hawking stealing it.

Anyway the best way to get OS/2 now-a-days is eComStation, an OEM'd version from Serenity Systems- http://www.ecomstation.com

It has the latest OS/2 base (4.52 also known as MCP) as well as a vastly improved installer and some other things (like a new MMOS2, SMP support, a read-only NTFS driver, and a lot of cosmetic improvements).

I just installed the latest version (eCS 1.2) on a T42p and the install went great. Only things not working are the winmodem and the Intel wireless Mini-PCI card.

Mark

...

Batuta wrote:Hey Guest, we have yet to see who owns this forum.
My dear friend BM or our old nemesis TM

I also think that we should make this forum "member only" for postings.

Hey you know timmy eh? Yeah it's a shame the way a few people can wreck a good support group.

Making it members only may help to prevent the trolls from destroying it. This guy tried to pull his nonsense on the OS2User mail list, posting with a fake identity which I uncovered. He lies even when caught. He was placed on moderation there and was never heard from again.

The problem is he uses lots of throw away addresses and even a second ISP to perpetrate his nonsense, so I suppose he can forge lots of fake members. Just need to be wary of what is being said and by who.

Mark

...

Bob Collins wrote:I have been thinking of tracking down a copy of OS/2 for a dual boot or for a separate HD to tinker.

Cheers
Bob

Hi, Bob,

There is always Warp 3 and Warp 4 available for bid on eBay at:

www.ebay.com

though I have not seen Warp 4.5x. The final prices are usually very reasonable though the bidding for Warp 4 sometimes gets out of hand
($100+/copy).

Thanks Radar.

I did find a copy on Ebay a bit back. I got a deal I could not believe. Warp 4 in the box and Warp 3 Connect in the box AND still in the shrink wrap! $45.00 I thought it was a good deal. I am now tinkering to get another disk and install fresh to that. Will need to also locate a dock, or try a network install!

Later

Bob Collins wrote:Thanks Radar.

I did find a copy on Ebay a bit back. I got a deal I could not believe. Warp 4 in the box and Warp 3 Connect in the box AND still in the shrink wrap! $45.00 I thought it was a good deal. I am now tinkering to get another disk and install fresh to that. Will need to also locate a dock, or try a network install!

Later

Hi, Bob,

Shrink wrapped Warp 4 and Warp 3 Connect for $45? You must have caught them all sleeping!

By the way, if your going to try a network install, I just finished the latest page on my OS2WarpLinks web site entitled "OS/2 Warp Networks Sites !!" It is at:

http://www.os2warplinks.com/main/networks.htm

Lots of basic networking info and lots of extremely heavy duty IBM Redbooks links which are available as free downloads in both HTML and PDF format.

Best,

Yes, I sure did. I was looking for a week or so, and then I found a "Buy it now" auction for $45.00. I reread the auction listing about a dozen times and pulled the trigger. The seller responded immediately and shipped fast. A couple of days later, I received a rather large box with two Warp Boxes and some extras! Crazy cool.

Thanks for the pointer to your pages, I am sure to spend quite some time reviewing the network install. I have been way too busy lately to really get back into it, and in the mix I fired off on an old G4 titanium Powerbook, love the idea of the Mac GUI on top of the BSD back end.

Later

[quote="Bob Collins"]Yes, I sure did. I was looking for a week or so, and then I found a "Buy it now" auction for $45.00.

Good deal! IBM still has the "fixpacks" for Warp 4. Up to #15 are free. Don't let the term fixpack fool you, they were far more enhancements than fixes although there were a few fixes (not many were needed). Once you get into it and find out how much you've been missing all these years you might consider buying eCS 1.2 from
http://mensys.nl/indexuk.html
It costs US$159 as an upgrade from Warp 4 but, IMO, is well worth it. Pretty much everything worked right out of the box (including networking) on my T23. It is still undergoing active further development so don't believe the "OS/2 is dead" crap. I've been hearing that since I started using Warp4 in '97 and it just keeps getting better.

BTW, Warp 4 and eCS can install on a logical partition so you don't need another primary. The Boot Manager that comes with it works well and will let you keep your windoze. Since there are a few things I use that I haven't found OS/2 replacements for yet (working on it as time permits), I have W2000 on this machine as C: and eCS on D:

Ted

...

OS/2 going, going...wait not gone yet?

I consulted for several large banks. OS/2 was a mainstay for several years as the basis for several systems - including some ATMs. However - most banks are moving to XP and 2000 based ATMs.

So it's there for now - soon to be gone.

...

Batuta wrote:a31pguy:

However - most banks are moving to XP and 2000 based ATMs.

The day they start using WinXP "Virus-R-Us" edition on my ATM is the day I'll be switching ATMs

So it's there for now - soon to be gone.

If I would have gotten $100.-- for every time I heard or read that prediction before, then I wouldn't have to worry about private social security accounts no more.

No doubt. If you re-read the headlines - some of those ATM networks were hit by viruses like Nimba and code-red!

I can't mention any names (cough cough)

You know, as big a follower of Windows I am (yeah, go on with your lame cult and assimilation jokes, I've heard them all), I'd be in a new dimension of pissd off if I ever got a blue screen or page fault or a pop up ad for penis breast ballons or Golden Coral Dancers Gone Wild when withdrawing or depositing money.

OS/2 has been on ATM's everywhere for god knows how long and it seems to work. Maybe OS/2 still serves purpose in the niche market. Sort of like how Symbian took a good bit of the cell phone market I guess I could say.

Not only banks but very many restaurants use OS/2 based systems for touch screen order and billing systems for waiters and waitresses. I was near one of these when something happened and they had to reboot the system.

The OS/2 logo was prominent during boot, and all the users stood around watching as this was the first time any one of them had seen the system need a reboot! It made me happy to see OS/2 performing such duties.