# VM/386

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**VM/386** is a [multitasking](/source/Computer_multitasking) [Multi-user environment](/source/Multi-user_environment) or 'control program'[1] that took early advantage of the capabilities of [Intel](/source/Intel)'s [386](/source/Intel_80386) processor. By utilizing [Virtual 8086 mode](/source/Virtual_8086_mode), users were able to run their existing text-based and graphical DOS software in safely separate environments.[2][3][4] The system offered a high degree of control, with the ability to set memory limits, CPU usage and scheduling parameters, device assignments, and interrupt priorities through a virtual machine manager menu.[5] Unique [CONFIG.SYS](/source/CONFIG.SYS) and [AUTOEXEC.BAT](/source/AUTOEXEC.BAT) files could be configured for each application, and even different DOS versions.[6][3][4] In 1991 the vendor announced intentions to support [DPMI 1.0](/source/DPMI_1.0) in VM/386.[7]

## Overview

VM/386 had initially been developed by [Softguard Systems](/source/Softguard_Systems), a producer of copy-protection software, with plans to include features like non-DOS system support,[8] but financial constraints forced its sale to [Intelligent Graphics Corporation](/source/Intelligent_Graphics_Corporation) (IGC),[9] which launched the product in 1987.[10] It won a [PC Magazine](/source/PC_Magazine) award for technical excellence in 1988.[11][3][4] The company also introduced a multi-user version, which allowed a number of serial terminals and even graphical systems to be connected to a single 386 computer.[12] Current versions of the software have built on the multi-user support, and can handle tens of users in a networked environment with [Windows 3.11](/source/Windows_3.11) support, access controls, virtual memory and device sharing, among other features.[13]

A version of the software designed to cooperate with [Unix](/source/Unix) was bundled with [Everex Systems](/source/Everex_Systems) workstations.[14] The system now sees use mainly in vertical applications like point-of-sale systems, where its ability to run reliably on cheap, reliable hardware outweigh any gains from newer operating systems that are more complex and less reliable.[15]

Early competition included [DESQview 386](/source/DESQview_386), [Sunny Hill Software](/source/Sunny_Hill_Software)'s [Omniview](/source/Omniview), [StarPath Systems](/source/StarPath_Systems)' [Vmos/3](/source/Vmos/3),[3][4] and [Windows/386](/source/Windows/386) 2.01.[6] As the target market shifted away from single-user systems to multiple-user setups with many serial terminals it began to compete more directly with the likes of [Multiuser DOS](/source/Multiuser_DOS) and [PC-MOS/386](/source/PC-MOS/386).

## See also

- [Virtual DOS machine](/source/Virtual_DOS_machine)
- [Multiuser DOS Federation](/source/Multiuser_DOS_Federation)

## References

1. ["Release 1.0: IBM's Next Generation: From PC to System"](http://cdn.oreilly.com/radar/r1/04-87.pdf). Edventure Holdings Inc. 1987-04-06.

1. ["Of Interest"](http://drdobbs.com/article/print?articleId=184407967). *[Dr. Dobb's](/source/Dr._Dobb's)*. 1988-06-01.

1. Wurthmann, Gerold; Wopperer, Bernhard; Wiesböck, Johann (eds.) (1991). "VM/386: Der Ferrari-Motor für den Trabbi". *Vorträge und Begleittexte zum 2. Entwicklerforum der Design & Elektronik zum Thema: PC-Architektur, 17. September 1991, München* (book) (in German). 1 ed. Munich, Germany: [Markt & Technik Verlag Aktiengesellschaft](/source/Markt_%26_Technik_Verlag_Aktiengesellschaft). p. 205. (NB. The forum was organized by the German magazine Design & Elektronik and [Intel](/source/Intel).)

1. "VM/386: Der Ferrari-Motor für den Trabbi" (in German). *Design & Elektronik - die Spezialzeitschrift für Hard- und Softwareentwickler*. [Markt & Technik](/source/Markt_%26_Technik). March 1990.

1. ["VM/386: A Virtual Solution"](https://archive.org/details/byte-magazine-1988-07/page/n179/mode/2up). *[BYTE](/source/BYTE)*. July 1988. pp. 155–158. Retrieved 2020-08-24.

1. ["Multitasking"](https://books.google.com/books?id=QDoEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT74). *[InfoWorld](/source/InfoWorld)*. 1989-02-13.

1. Wurthmann, Gerold; Wopperer, Bernhard; Wiesböck, Johann (eds.) (1991). "Die DPMI-Spezifikation – Eine Einführung – Appendix B: DPMI Hosts" [An introduction to the DPMI specification – appendix B: DPMI hosts]. *Vorträge und Begleittexte zum 2. Entwicklerforum der Design & Elektronik zum Thema: PC-Architektur, 17. September 1991, München* (book) (in German). 1 ed. Munich, Germany: [Markt & Technik Verlag Aktiengesellschaft](/source/Markt_%26_Technik_Verlag_Aktiengesellschaft). pp. 223, 239. (NB. The forum was organized by the German magazine Design & Elektronik and [Intel](/source/Intel).)

1. ["Alternativen zu MS-DOS auf der Rollbahn: Alle sind schneller als Microsoft"](http://www.computerwoche.de/heftarchiv/1987/6/1158087/) (in German). *[Computerwoche](/source/Computerwoche)*. 6 February 1987.

1. ["Softguard unloads VM/386"](https://books.google.com/books?id=odu_QvPcSJIC&pg=PT32). *[Computerworld](/source/Computerworld)*. **XXI** (25): 33. 1987-06-22. Citing a drain on its resources Softguard Systems, Inc. recently announced that it has agreed to transfer the rights to its VM/386 virtual machine operating system project to Intelligent Graphics Corp., also in Santa Clara.

1. ["VM/386"](http://www.igcinc.com/vm386.htm). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20130606191052/http://www.igcinc.com/vm386.htm) 2013-06-06 at the Wayback Machine.

1. ["The 5th Annual Awards (1988): 386 Software Technology"](https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,1167648,00.asp). *[PC Magazine](/source/PC_Magazine)*

1. ["Finally: Multi-user DOS"](https://books.google.com/books?id=DjoEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT71) (ad). *[InfoWorld](/source/InfoWorld)*. 1989-03-27.

1. ["VM/386 Technical Specifications"](http://www.igcinc.com/vmspecs.htm). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20120324143620/http://www.igcinc.com/vmspecs.htm) 2012-03-24 at the Wayback Machine.

1. "Everex Systems Inc. announces DOS multitasker for UNIX workstations", 1989-10-23

1. ["MRE Consulting Group, Inc. - Solving Business Problems Since 1978"](http://www.mresys.com/case1.shtml)

## External links

- [VM/386 as the operating system in a nuclear waste processing facility](http://www.canberra.com/pdf/Literature/can0003.pdf)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [VM/386](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VM%2F386) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VM%2F386?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.