A retro-computer enthusiast managed to run Windows XP on a computer with an Intel i486 processor. Now, for many, the release times of both seem reminiscent of the past, but in reality, ten years have passed between the release of the processor and the OS - they are incompatible, or have been so until now. The author presented an ISO image of a modified Windows XP SP3 (German).
Windows XP was introduced in 2001. It lasted quite a long time and was popular among PC users even after support ended in 2014. The Intel i486 processor was released in 1989 and was the fastest Intel processor until the release of the Pentium in 1993. Thus, the eras of the processor and the OS do not overlap.
The minimum system requirements for Windows XP also do not allow it to be installed on an i486 from the OS. It is specified that the OS requires at least a Pentium (586) or compatible chip running at 233 MHz or higher, 64 MB of RAM, and at least 1.5 GB of storage. The i486 processor has a frequency of 133 MHz, although some models could be successfully overclocked. In addition, systems on i486 typically had less memory.
Enthusiast Dietmar used disassembly and debugging tools to view operation codes. Having this detailed information, he replaced the operation codes that disabled the CPU with those that the i486 understood. After making these changes and correcting other incompatibilities, he succeeded. The computer works, but the system information is displayed somewhat inadequately, as seen in the screenshot.
Source: Tom's Hardware
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