They're not original installation disks, but rather Apricot's factory recovery disks, which contain backed up files from a default factory install. It partitions and formats your drive, then unpacks the system files back onto your drive, effectively turning any PC into a XEN-i. The system is preconfigured for CGA, EGA and Hercules display adapters, of which Hercules is used by default (see below how to change this).
Here's how to configure 86box for XEN-i:
1. Machine: Award 286 clone, Memory: 1024kB
2. Video: any of the Hercules cards
3. Mouse: Logitech 3-button mouse (we actually want the standard Microsoft serial mouse, but due to a bug in 86box, we have to choose the one after that)
4. Ports: enable serial port 1 (COM1)
5. Other peripherals: choose MFM IBM PC/AT Fixed disk adapter as the HD controller
6. Hard disks: create a new 10MB (CHS = 306, 4, 17) image and set the bus to MFM/RLL
7. Removable devices: set the first floppy drive to 3.5" 720k
8. Save the settings, the machine will reboot
During BIOS post, you'll recieve a CMOS error, press CTRL+ALT+ESC to enter BIOS settings and configure the following:
1. Diskette 1: 720k
2. Disk 1: type 1 (make sure CHS is 306, 4, 17)
3. Video: mono (due to Hercules being the default adapter)
4. Press F10 and then F5 to save the settings to CMOS, machine will reboot
Now insert the first disk, let it boot. Press Y once asked to partition the drive with FDISK. The machine will reboot again, from now on follow the instructions on-screen. Once you're done, remove the floppy disk image from drive A: and restart to boot from hard drive. Once you get to the DOS prompt, simply type WIN to enter Windows. You should now see Windows 1.03 in all its Hercules-powered glory and even the mouse works. If you want to switch to CGA or EGA, run INSTALL.EXE in root of C: drive from DOS and follow the instructions. Make sure you also change the display adapter in 86box settings and in the BIOS!
I haven't tested the XEN-i 386 release this way yet, but it seems to be pretty much the same procedure. I'll post an update once I come around to trying it. A little bit of a heads-up: as I was trying to make this work I ran into some issues with the hard disk not being bootable after installation (this was fixed by creating a new image from 86box), as well as mouse not working in some cases (closing and restarting 86box seems to help). If you run into any issues, I can also upload a working 86box package. It's also worth mentioning that the disk backup also includes GEM 1.2, Apricot's Backup and Disk Management utilities for Windows 1.0, some sample photos and text files.
