Running a DOS game in Windows XP

[wworld7]

ORIGINAL: rtrapasso

[:D] [:D]

i had something like 23 batch files to install correct configurations to run various programs...

YUP, YUP, YUP!!!
Flipper

[wdolson]

ORIGINAL: rtrapasso

The problem with installing DOS as a partition is that there are often (generally?) no device drivers for things like your DVD-drive, mouse, etc. This makes it difficult to even install a DOS game you have in some cases.

There are always compatability mode drivers. The standard CD driver will support CDs in a DVD drive. The generic MS mouse driver will work for most mice, though the buttons and wheel on newer mice probably won't work. The only tricky bit is the video. It's possible that you won't be able to get anything better than 640X480.

Nice thing about VirtualPC is that it emmulates a very common video card and sound card from the early 90s, so just install the drivers for those and you're good to go.

Bill

[AlexCobra]

Hi

There are always compatability mode drivers. The standard CD driver will support CDs in a DVD drive. The generic MS mouse driver will work for most mice, though the buttons and wheel on newer mice probably won't work. The only tricky bit is the video. It's possible that you won't be able to get anything better than 640X480.

Nice thing about VirtualPC is that it emmulates a very common video card and sound card from the early 90s, so just install the drivers for those and you're good to go.

Excuse me, can I ask a thing about VirtualPC? What about processor performance - the most annoying thing I can't handle with most of DOS-emulators, is that my Athlon is too fast for most early 90's games. I tried some progs that slows the processor, but it just don't work like it should do... I want no more then 100MHz, but can't get it. So, do VirtualPC allow to slow down processor frequency? Somehow:-)?

Alex.

[marky]

i couldnt even get VPC to work[&:][:(]

[Japanese_Spirit]

Marky,

Here is a quick instruction to loading up games on Dos Box.

The Japanese_Spirit's way:

1) Cough and Sigh, shake your head and begin.

2) First of all, create a folder called 'Games' in your general 'C' drive.

3) Put all your DOS games in that folder (Create a folder in 'Games' called 'So and so game', for example)

4) Find out what the main file is called to start the game.

5) Go into DG and type mount c c:\games then I think the name of the game file as CD so and so games.

6) Type in the main file's name once the name of your folder is on the DOS BOX command setup.

7) Enjoy your game!

I recommend myself popping over to www.abandonia.com to read up some tips (and get games that have been legally put up for download and accepted by the ESA, which is quite alot now)

On a side note, anyone remember Pacific General? Well, you can play that game by downloading the main game and a fan made XP compatibilty patch from some place called "The Armoury".

You can't run PG is Dos Box since it is a Windows game only.

I hope this helps!

P.S: I am only 19 years of age and remember playing all the DOS classics and fiddling around in DOS myself. Quite rare for someone my age.

I recall messing with in Windows 3.1, etc and pure DOS in that, I believe.

[Sardaukar]

I have fond memories about having DOS boot disk with 6 different configurations needed in different games... DosBox is quite good, but cannot handle everything...so may have an old rig just for playing old games.

[Japanese_Spirit]

ORIGINAL: Sardaukar

I have fond memories about having DOS boot disk with 6 different configurations needed in different games... DosBox is quite good, but cannot handle everything...so may have an old rig just for playing old games.

It is funny that you should mention the infamous "Boot Disks" but I, too, remember as a young boy, playing around with boot disks, trying to hope that it would run games and even in the end, start up Windows itself.

Ahhhhhhh, memories. [;)]

Also, games were pretty good back then, too. Only really M Games areworth playing nowadays. [:)]

[wdolson]

ORIGINAL: AlexCobra
Excuse me, can I ask a thing about VirtualPC? What about processor performance - the most annoying thing I can't handle with most of DOS-emulators, is that my Athlon is too fast for most early 90's games. I tried some progs that slows the processor, but it just don't work like it should do... I want no more then 100MHz, but can't get it. So, do VirtualPC allow to slow down processor frequency? Somehow:-)?

I haven't tried it with any games that are touchy about speed. I don't have that many that are speed dependent. I just checked the settings and there is a setting for CPU performance, but it doesn't specifically slow down the performance to emulate slower processors.

I did find that VirtualPC ran a lot slower when in windowed mode.

Bill

[wdolson]

ORIGINAL: marky

i couldnt even get VPC to work[&:][:(]

You need to have some idea how to set up a PC running DOS. The instructions do cover a lot of what you need to know. I found it easier to set up than DosBox. More compatible too.

Bill

[marky]

hmm. ill just have my geeek in law do it. he understands it, i tried but ended up wanting to pull my hair out [:D]

[Nikademus]

Guess there was a good reason to keep my DOS 5.0 manual after all..... [:D]

How about this......anyone know where one can get a good analog joystick and then how to hook it up to the PC? I have an Atari 2600 emulator on my machine but the games are mostly unplayable with the keyboard only.

and i'd really like to play classics like "The A-Team" or "Yar's Revenge" again. [:'(]

[rtrapasso]

ORIGINAL: Nikademus

Guess there was a good reason to keep my DOS 5.0 manual after all..... [:D]

How about this......anyone know where one can get a good analog joystick and then how to hook it up to the PC? I have an Atari 2600 emulator on my machine but the games are mostly unplayable with the keyboard only.

and i'd really like to play classics like "The A-Team" or "Yar's Revenge" again. [:'(]

[&:] isn't there a port where joysticks plug in? i used to use one not that long ago...

[Nikademus]

ORIGINAL: rtrapasso


[
[&:] isn't there a port where joysticks plug in? i used to use one not that long ago...

Not for an analog joystick. I can plug in my flightstick to the port on the sound card. Is there an adaptor one can purchase? Last time i checked (but this was several years ago) you had to cobble together something from scratch. I'm not that handy. I'd probably burn the condo down.

[rtrapasso]

ORIGINAL: Nikademus

ORIGINAL: rtrapasso


[
[&:] isn't there a port where joysticks plug in? i used to use one not that long ago...

Not for an analog joystick. I can plug in my flightstick to the port on the sound card. Is there an adaptor one can purchase? Last time i checked (but this was several years ago) you had to cobble together something from scratch. I'm not that handy. I'd probably burn the condo down.

Not sure what you mean... the joysticks i've had were mostly cheapies ($5.95 from catalogs) - they convert the motion of the joystick into some sort of electrical signal, but i doubt it was digitized... maybe the port i plugged it into (sound card?) digitized it, but there were hardly any parts in the actual joystick...

[Sardaukar]

Hmmm..the good old days of MS-DOS, EMS, XMS, Himem, QEMM, DR-DOS...countless hours to fiddle with config.sys and autoexec.bat... At least then computer did exactly what you told it to do... Nowadays Windows "thinks" it's smarter than you and does it's stuff instead of what you want to happen..at least in some situations.

[marky]

hmm, ill give it another try spirit, maybe itll work this time

[Dino]

ORIGINAL: Nikademus

ORIGINAL: rtrapasso


[
[&:] isn't there a port where joysticks plug in? i used to use one not that long ago...

Not for an analog joystick. I can plug in my flightstick to the port on the sound card. Is there an adaptor one can purchase? Last time i checked (but this was several years ago) you had to cobble together something from scratch. I'm not that handy. I'd probably burn the condo down.

Did you try googling for "USB to Game Port adapter"?

I found this one offered for $16.99

[Nikademus]

what about a classic atari joystick? I think thats what i meant now that i've collected my thoughts (without coffee)

[rtrapasso]

ORIGINAL: Nikademus

what about a classic atari joystick? I think thats what i meant now that i've collected my thoughts (without coffee)

Well, i've owned all kinds of computers, but never an Atari, nor a Coleco... [:'(]

[wdolson]

ORIGINAL: Nikademus

what about a classic atari joystick? I think thats what i meant now that i've collected my thoughts (without coffee)

Sounds like you need this:

http://games.slashdot.org/games/04/03/07/0510218.shtml

Bill