Results 1 to 12 of 12

Thread: Installing dos on a modern pc , no emulation

  1. #1
    Insert Coin (Level 0) nothingisttrue's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    missouri
    Posts
    124
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    0
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    0
    Thanked in
    0 Posts

    Default Installing dos on a modern pc , no emulation

    http://thpc.info/dual/win7/dualboot_...0_on_win7.html

    anybody tried this method for games?
    im curious if the cycle count would be all screwed up or if they would run correctly?

  2. #2
    Red (Level 21) Jorpho's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2002
    Location
    We're all mad here
    Posts
    13,554
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    2
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    1
    Thanked in
    1 Post

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by nothingisttrue View Post
    im curious if the cycle count would be all screwed up or if they would run correctly?
    That depends entirely on what you want to run. Certainly, some of the oldest games might be unplayable; some games that are not so old could feasibly cause processor overheating problems due to the number of delay loops they'd have to use.

    But really, the biggest problem would be that there are no DOS drivers available for the sound hardware in modern motherboards. Even if you got an old PCI SoundBlaster Live , the legacy ISA emulation in those cards relies on specific motherboard features that are no longer available.

    "So I'll play without SoundBlaster! I'll use PC Speaker sound effects!" you might say. However, most modern PCs apparently don't use the same PC speaker hardware as old PCs used to, instead employing simple piezoelectric buzzers that probably don't sound anything the same. (This is what I'm told, mind you: I've never heard the difference for myself.)

    By the way, DOS boots quite handily from a properly-formatted USB drive; it's even used accordingly in things like the Ultimate Boot CD and System Rescue CD.

    Really, why don't people just use DOSBox and save themselves the anguish?
    "There is much pleasure to be gained from useless knowledge." --Bertrand Russel (attributed)

  3. #3
    Peach (Level 3) dgdgagdae's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Plano, TX
    Posts
    682
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    0
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    0
    Thanked in
    0 Posts
    Xbox LIVE
    dgdgagdae

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by J'orfeaux View Post
    Really, why don't people just use DOSBox and save themselves the anguish?
    DOSBox is so well done, and so much easier to configure, I just don't see the draw of installing and running DOS these days.

  4. #4
    Crono (Level 14) Custom rank graphic

    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Florida
    Posts
    6,738
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    0
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    15
    Thanked in
    15 Posts

    Default

    Dosbox can be posted here right? I don't think they have roms. Just compatibility. I'll leave it edited out just in case.
    Last edited by kupomogli; 12-14-2011 at 11:00 PM.
    Everything in the above post is opinion unless stated otherwise.

  5. #5
    Insert Coin (Level 0) nothingisttrue's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    missouri
    Posts
    124
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    0
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    0
    Thanked in
    0 Posts

    Default

    http://members.quicknet.nl/blankendaalr/dbgl/
    im using this right now and its pretty cool.

  6. #6
    ServBot (Level 11) Edmond Dantes's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Posts
    3,868
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    2
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    32
    Thanked in
    31 Posts

    Default

    There isn't much point in installing an actual DOS OS on a modern computer. However I have a classic computer I keep around with Windows 98 installed for Windows games, as currently there is no reliable way to play most of them on a modern system, and I don't want to be limited to just the games that have lots of fans or official support.

  7. #7
    Red (Level 21) Jorpho's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2002
    Location
    We're all mad here
    Posts
    13,554
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    2
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    1
    Thanked in
    1 Post

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Edmond Dantes View Post
    However I have a classic computer I keep around with Windows 98 installed for Windows games, as currently there is no reliable way to play most of them on a modern system, and I don't want to be limited to just the games that have lots of fans or official support.
    ...Do you use this computer often? I ask because I too have a handy machine that can be booted into Windows 98, but it's been ages since I have done so and at times I question why I bother.

    While exceptions do exist, many of the things that are still worth playing are the ones that have lots of fans or official support. And there are so very many things to play.
    "There is much pleasure to be gained from useless knowledge." --Bertrand Russel (attributed)

  8. #8
    Peach (Level 3) dgdgagdae's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Plano, TX
    Posts
    682
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    0
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    0
    Thanked in
    0 Posts
    Xbox LIVE
    dgdgagdae

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by nothingisttrue View Post
    http://members.quicknet.nl/blankendaalr/dbgl/
    im using this right now and its pretty cool.
    I use d-fend reloaded as a frontend.

  9. #9
    ServBot (Level 11) Edmond Dantes's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Posts
    3,868
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    2
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    32
    Thanked in
    31 Posts

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by J'orfeaux View Post
    ...Do you use this computer often? I ask because I too have a handy machine that can be booted into Windows 98, but it's been ages since I have done so and at times I question why I bother.
    It's in the same boat as most of my game consoles actually--if there's a game I really want to play, I'll pull it out and play it. Otherwise, I put it away.

    I've looked into solutions to making current computers backwards-compatible, but none have met my exacting standards.

  10. #10
    Pretzel (Level 4)
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Posts
    819
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    0
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    0
    Thanked in
    0 Posts

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by J'orfeaux View Post
    That depends entirely on what you want to run. Certainly, some of the oldest games might be unplayable; some games that are not so old could feasibly cause processor overheating problems due to the number of delay loops they'd have to use.

    But really, the biggest problem would be that there are no DOS drivers available for the sound hardware in modern motherboards. Even if you got an old PCI SoundBlaster Live , the legacy ISA emulation in those cards relies on specific motherboard features that are no longer available.

    "So I'll play without SoundBlaster! I'll use PC Speaker sound effects!" you might say. However, most modern PCs apparently don't use the same PC speaker hardware as old PCs used to, instead employing simple piezoelectric buzzers that probably don't sound anything the same. (This is what I'm told, mind you: I've never heard the difference for myself.)

    By the way, DOS boots quite handily from a properly-formatted USB drive; it's even used accordingly in things like the Ultimate Boot CD and System Rescue CD.

    Really, why don't people just use DOSBox and save themselves the anguish?
    That is assuming you get it to install and run at all. I had a laptop that would make most older OSes freeze. That was 5 years ago. you will need a 2 button mouse or a mouse with dos drivers unless you want it to spaz out, which isn't pretty. If you really want a decent dos machine I may be able to hook you up with some parts. I do suggest Virtual PC 2004 if you would like a software solution.

  11. #11
    Part of the #vbender crew Custom rank graphic
    Ze_ro's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Posts
    2,522
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    0
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    3
    Thanked in
    3 Posts
    Xbox LIVE
    Abstract Zero
    PSN
    Ze_roV
    Steam
    abstractzero

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by J'orfeaux View Post
    Really, why don't people just use DOSBox and save themselves the anguish?
    Agreed. Having dual boot is neat and all, but it seems like a lot of hassle, when DOSBox works so well as it is. Not to mention that you can easily switch between DOSBox and a browser window to read up on a game you're playing, or run an MP3 player in the background, or reply to an email or something.

    If you want to run DOS on real hardware, you're much better off just getting some old hardware that is known to work well with it... an earlier Pentium model with a Sound Blaster 16 and an older VGA card would work best. Drivers just get to be a major problem if your hardware is too new.

    Quote Originally Posted by Tokimemofan
    I had a laptop that would make most older OSes freeze. That was 5 years ago. you will need a 2 button mouse or a mouse with dos drivers unless you want it to spaz out, which isn't pretty.
    Laptops may seem like a convenient choice for something like this, but a lot of the built-in features (especially stuff like power management) can be very finicky if the OS it's running doesn't support them properly.

    As for mouse drivers, CuteMouse is the answer to all your troubles. It is by far the best DOS mouse driver out there.

    --Zero

  12. #12
    Pretzel (Level 4) Polygon's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Utah
    Posts
    865
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    0
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    0
    Thanked in
    0 Posts
    Xbox LIVE
    PolygonGTC
    PSN
    PolygonGTC
    Steam
    BlastMode7

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Edmond Dantes View Post
    There isn't much point in installing an actual DOS OS on a modern computer. However I have a classic computer I keep around with Windows 98 installed for Windows games, as currently there is no reliable way to play most of them on a modern system, and I don't want to be limited to just the games that have lots of fans or official support.
    This is what I do as well. I still have my first computer running Windows 3.11 and I just have it boot straight into DOS. I prefer playing my old DOS games on the original hardware. That way it sounds the same, looks the same, and there are never compatibility issues.

Similar Threads

  1. Installing Rocksmith to 360 HDD
    By FoxNtd in forum Modern Gaming
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 04-05-2015, 01:07 PM
  2. Replies: 22
    Last Post: 04-15-2012, 06:15 PM
  3. Atari Jaguar emulation? Panasonic 3DO emulation?
    By Anthony1 in forum Classic Gaming
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 09-26-2006, 02:26 PM
  4. OK, someone please help me. [installing FFXI]
    By Oobgarm in forum Classic Gaming
    Replies: 20
    Last Post: 11-09-2003, 07:49 AM

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •