Some users had to install DOS, then Win3, then Win9x, just to get to (say) Win98SE.
It was a thing.
IBM sold an entire edition of OS/2 Warp that required you to already have Windows 3.1 installed in order to use Windows compatibility. It was called the "Red Spine" edition:
You should read the whole thread, then.
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39986341
Some users had to install DOS, then Win3, then Win9x, just to get to (say) Win98SE.
It was a thing.
IBM sold an entire edition of OS/2 Warp that required you to already have Windows 3.1 installed in order to use Windows compatibility. It was called the "Red Spine" edition:
https://www.os2museum.com/wp/os2-history/os2-warp/