any point of useing an older dos then 6.22?

[Compute]

Unless the program in question required EDLIN or something like that, you should be ok. Mmm EDLIN.

[phreakindee]

Only other reason I can think of is if you have a machine that has a special version of MS-DOS, like the Tandy 1000 machines. While it will run 6.22, there are certain features that are useful to a Tandy in their versions of DOS, like v3.2 with Tandy specific stuff.

[Flack]

Wow I forgot all about EDLIN. It looks like EDIT was introduced with MS-DOS 5.0 to replace EDLIN. GOD, that brings back old memories!

[Jorpho]

Unless the program in question required EDLIN or something like that, you should be ok. Mmm EDLIN.

The program Mr. Sniper was referring to was probably trying to use the old MS-DOS 5.0 "backup" and "restore" commands, for installation purposes.

But I'll admit that I'm kind of partial to MS DOS 5.0. I always thought DOSSHELL was kind of spiffy.

Well, it runs fine in DOS 6.x and even the Win9x command shell. Microsoft even provides the download somewhere.

Wow I forgot all about EDLIN. It looks like EDIT was introduced with MS-DOS 5.0 to replace EDLIN.

Yep, and QBasic too. (EDIT.COM requires QBASIC.EXE to run, y'see.)

[Ze_ro]

The only reason I can think of would be that certain OS commands or programs are not included in certain versions of DOS.

There were actually a lot of small things removed from MS-DOS 6.22, because it was felt that a lot of them were superfluous in a time when Windows was becoming the main focus for Microsoft. However, they did release a supplemental disk for 6.22 that added some of this back in (In fact, you can download it for free from Microsoft). The main one that most people mention is DOS Shell. However, I don't think anything that falls in this category has any effect on games.

I can't remember the exact reason, but I seem to recall there was some value to the mouse driver that was included with DOS 5 (lower memory use? I forget). Of course, this is meaningless now... anyone running a DOS machine these days should be using CuteMouse.

I do remember buying a game that refused to install on DOSBox because it kept asking for DOS commands that weren't supported by DOSBox - I had to get them off some DOS install disks.

Yeah, there are actually tons of DOS commands that DOSBox doesn't provide... A lot of them are quite pointless in an emulated computer (like format or chkdsk), but it wouldn't surprise me at all if the occasional game hit on one of them. Some of the built-in commands lack some of the features that Microsoft's versions have... though again, if it was important, they'd likely have included it.

Perhaps you needed CWSDPMI or DOS4GW? Having an HX Extender might also prove helpful, though if you're trying to run a program that needs that, DOSBox likely isn't the best way of doing it.

While we're on this train of thought... is there anyone out there who prefers to run DR-DOS, PC-DOS or FreeDOS instead of MS-DOS?

--Zero

[Tempest]

Wow this thread takes me back. I can remember spending hours pouring over DOS commands and learning the ins and outs. Even when Windows 95 was the standard I was still using DOSSHELL (which I always saw as DOSS-HELL for some reason) because it was quick, fast, and provided all the interface I needed. Good times. Now I want to get an old DOS computer and run 6.22 and Windows 3.1. I wonder if my modded PCjr can do that?

EDLIN... Dear god! The horrid memories, they're flooding back...

Tempest

[Ze_ro]

I used to rock DOS Shell all the time too... I couldn't understand what people saw in Windows, when DOS Shell was so fast and (usually) didn't interfere with games.

Funny thing is when I try to use it these days, I find it *really* hasn't aged well... for example, I keep thinking drag & drop will work, but that just selects files...

--Zero

[Kitsune Sniper]

Yeah, there are actually tons of DOS commands that DOSBox doesn't provide... A lot of them are quite pointless in an emulated computer (like format or chkdsk), but it wouldn't surprise me at all if the occasional game hit on one of them. Some of the built-in commands lack some of the features that Microsoft's versions have... though again, if it was important, they'd likely have included it.

Perhaps you needed CWSDPMI or DOS4GW? Having an HX Extender might also prove helpful, though if you're trying to run a program that needs that, DOSBox likely isn't the best way of doing it.

Super late reply!

No, I didn't need CWSDPMI / DOS4GW. The install program never spat out any errors related to those. They were actual DOS commands. I forget the actual commands. I think the DOSBox devs wouldn't add them because they weren't essential or something. Bleh.

[Jorpho]

No, I didn't need CWSDPMI / DOS4GW. The install program never spat out any errors related to those. They were actual DOS commands. I forget the actual commands. I think the DOSBox devs wouldn't add them because they weren't essential or something. Bleh.

Oh, wait, if it was DOSBox, then it might have just been good ol' XCOPY. There are totally ways to get around that:
http://vogons.zetafleet.com/viewtopic.php?t=14804