I've been reading up on ways to get old DOS games to function in Windows XP. I've got the DOS Box emulator, which works great for some of the old abandonware that I've downloaded, but there'* one game in particular that I can't get to install. Either the install program asks for "Disk 2" (all the files are on the hard drive), or I can't get a burned CD to work as an install disk, or the command prompt won't let the program access the hard drive. Very frustrating.

If anyone has experience with this stuff, post here or PM me and I'll fill you in on the details of what'* happening. Thanks!

Alright, let me ask a more specific question...

When I try to copy the game files to a CD in order to install the game from my D:\, I get a message that says there is "extra information attached to the files that might be lost if copying continues." If I tell it to copy anyway and finish burning the CD, it won't let me install the game from the CD. What'* going on, and why can't I burn these files to CD in their entirety?

copy protection?

Also, some of the older DOS programs distributed on floppys must access drives from a root directory. You might have to use the subst command, perhaps doing something like this:

subst B: D:\somedirectory


Careful with "abandonware." Unless the author expressly gives permission to use it, it'* not.

The issue shouldn't be copy protection... these files are from a game that is 12-13 years old. I actually own a copy of the game, but my original CD is in storage so I downloaded the files.

I'm not sure if that subst command would work... I'll give it a try, though!

If there are any other suggestions, keep 'em coming.

Dude, you were definitely right about the "subst" command... I got the game installed. Now I'm running into new problems... when I try the run the game'* executable, I get the message "EMS driver is not VCPI compliant." Does this mean anything to you, and how would I remedy the situation?

Thanks!

Set EMS=TRUE in dosbox.conf to EMS=FALSE

Ok, you're right again. The game installed and started up, but I have two issues:

1. There'* no sound. I chose the appropriate IRQ and DMA stuff, but no dice. Do I need to download VDMSound (or whatever it'* called)?

2. The game actually runs slow in DOSBox, and it seemed to freeze when I was loading a mission from the main menu (it'* a flying game). I let it sit for a minute, but nothing happened.

Any ideas? You're steering me straight so far, I just need the last little push to get this thing up and running! This is my favorite game of all time, and if I can play it again I'll be stoked!

I've never really ran DOSBOX before... I thought that VDMSound was only needed under windows NT/2000 and not XP. Thought that DOS sound was supported natively under WXP. But then again you are running in an emulated mode.

At this point you probably need to make sure that you have the "emulated" DOSbox (?) soundcard set up to match your "sound configuration."

As far as speed, perhaps there is a way to adjust the execution speed in DOSBox??

I'll go through the readme file again... I can make my way around DOS, but I'm not good at modifying files to make them run a certain way. Thanks for the help, though, and if you come up with anything else let me know.

Grrrr.... still having problems. Now the game won't even load anymore

I need a DOSBox pro to work some magic for me. Victory is so close I can almost taste it!