Workplace Shell

ArcaOS: Breathing New Life into IBM's Legendary OS/2 on Today's PCs

Dec 4, 2025

Christopher Shaun Godwin

Author

In the late 1980s, IBM and Microsoft teamed up to birth OS/2, an operating system hailed as the future of personal computing. Even Bill Gates called it “the most important operating system—and possibly program—of all time.” Yet, Windows eclipsed it, relegating OS/2 to niche roles like ATMs and New York City’s subway MetroCard system (phasing out in 2024). Despite this, OS/2 endures in specialized corners, thanks to projects like ArcaOS—a fully licensed, modernized evolution of OS/2 designed for contemporary hardware.

Announced in 2015 as a successor to the stagnant eComStation (unchanged since 2011 and still available for $340), ArcaOS remains actively developed. Its latest release, 5.0.7 from late 2021, promises a 5.1 update soon. Priced at over $100 for personal use (or $200 for commercial), it’s not for casual users but ideal for running legacy OS/2 apps without vintage hardware or finicky virtualization.

Installation: From DVD to Bootable Drive

ArcaOS ships as a 1.3GB disk image, requiring a DVD or USB for installation—CDs won’t cut it. Tested on a Dell Latitude D610 (a mid-2000s laptop hostile to original OS/2 Warp installs), the process shines with modern hardware support.

Booting defaults to the Workplace Shell installer, OS/2’s iconic object-oriented desktop. Select large fonts for visibility, tweak input settings, and access a utility desktop for troubleshooting. Agree to the license, choose a “personality” like single-volume default, and manage partitions via DFSee-like tools. Opt for JFS (Journaled File System) over HPFS, set location defaults, and configure hardware meticulously:

Modern hardware mode (vintage for older PCs).
USB controllers.
Universal audio driver.
Network adapters (Broadcom Ethernet detected seamlessly).
VirtualBox guest additions (no VMware love).

Name your machine, set workgroup and username, review the summary, and proceed. Formatting erases data, but a startup chime greets success.

The Workplace Shell: Familiar Yet Enhanced

Boot into a desktop echoing classic OS/2: draggable icons, right-click menus, and multiple virtual desktops (non-draggable windows, unlike Xerox Rooms). Higher-resolution graphics drivers deliver true color, far beyond basic VGA.

Preinstalled gems include Firefox ESR 45.9.0 (2017 vintage) and Thunderbird—dated for web but perfect for legacy tasks. Games like IBM’s OS/2 Chess, Klondike Solitaire 3.0, and Mahjong Solitaire 2.2 provide downtime diversion.

Running Legacy Software: WordPerfect Triumph (Mostly)

ArcaOS excels at OS/2 apps. Installing WordPerfect 5.2 for OS/2 (a $495 relic from 1993) via floppy emulates ’90s workflows. USB floppies faltered, so an internal drive on a 2000s-era PC succeeded—after swapping seven disks (Disk 6 corrupted, skipping optional files).

Custom install grabs all components, CUA keyboard layout, and even an Epson FX-80 printer driver. Post-reboot, launch WP: type “Hello World,” save (Shift+F3, not Ctrl+S), copy-paste works. Quirks like color inversion on Enter or missing Ctrl+A persist, but core functionality thrives. Thesaurus, speller, and file manager integrate smoothly.

Modern Touches: Packages, Win-OS/2, and More

System Setup houses mouse/keyboard tweaks, registry editor, and a network-aware package manager. Browse repositories for FFmpeg, Adobe fonts, or VNC (client/server). Dependencies resolve automatically; progress bars slide playfully across desktops.

Command prompts summon Win-OS/2, OS/2’s vaunted Windows 3.1 subsystem—“a better DOS than DOS, a better Windows than Windows.” Run Program Manager windowed or fullscreen, tweak colors (Arizona scheme, anyone?), and execute 16-bit apps natively.

Who Needs ArcaOS?

Not everyday surfers—web support lags. It’s for enterprises or enthusiasts preserving OS/2 ecosystems on x86-64 hardware, sidestepping emulation hassles. Active development and IBM licensing ensure viability.

ArcaOS proves OS/2’s spirit lives, blending nostalgia with practicality. For OS/2 faithful, it’s a lifeline; for retro explorers, a portal to computing’s overlooked chapter.