Windows 95 Runs on PlayStation 2 — But This Modded Console Can’t Handle Doom

Oh man, where to start with this whole adventure Jace went on? Imagine deciding one day, out of boredom or just pure curiosity—your guess is as good as mine—to try and get Windows 95 going on a PlayStation 2. Yep, we’re talking about the ancient Windows 95 and the quirky ol’ PS2, which are basically relics by now. Anyway—wait, no—so Jace from this Youtube thing called MetraByte tried it. They did a video about their antics. Spoiler: Windows 95 kinda worked, but Doom was like, “Nope!”

So, let’s rewind. Windows 95, that dinosaur from 1995, meets the PS2 from 2000. With those tech age differences, you’d think the PS2 could just flex and make it work, right? But nah, the universe loves shaking things up. Something about x86 code on Sony’s MIPS or other techy hurdles. Who knows, really? It’s all magic to me.

Anyway, Jace’s video sort of speed-runs through, well, hours of trying to make this happen. They had this modded PS2 rigged with all sorts of stuff—a game controller with a keyboard, USBs, some vintage tech witchcraft. I think there’s a special USB stick involved? Or was it a hard drive? Either way, it was like packing a suitcase for a trip… into madness.

Oh, right. They tried using DOSBox first. And, surprise, surprise, it stalled. Like a car in winter or me before coffee. After nearly 50 exhausting attempts—and who even counts beyond 10?—Jace flipped to something called Bochs. It’s slower but supposedly more accurate. Accurate at what, who knows?

So after a lot of “ouch my brain” moments, Jace finally saw the Windows 95 setup screen. Imagine the relief but also the eye-rolls realizing it took this long. Somewhere in this wild ride, Paint opened on the PS2 screen. But like, what’s a masterpiece without a mouse, am I right?

The whole Doom thing? Yeah, never happened. It was like trying to teach a cat to swim. But hey, the journey was wild, if a bit of a mess. And somehow, it all makes you appreciate those who fiddle around with such things just for the heck of it. You might even cry a bit inside watching it unfold, but you’re rooting for them, just because.