can I create a temperary DOS pc by using a dos boot diskette

[rambleon]

Hi,
I have an old DOS application I'd like to run
on my WIndows XP pc, needless to say it's giving me
a hard time.
I was wondering if I boot my pc from a DOS Boot diskette
wether I'd have a dos pc or if not what would be the
simplest way to run a DOS application on WIndows XP
Thanks for any help

Rambleon

 

[Sympology]

Use an emulator. The problem you may find your old 486sx programs runs great but about 3 million times the speed!

Stu..


Only the truly stupid believe they know everything.
Stu.. 2004

 

[edfair]

Yes, you can run DOS from a a boot floppy. But your program might not be available depending on the DOS version and the filesystem type where it is stored. And the system would have to be set for a: to be first in the boot order.

You could also create a boot CD that would allow the same thing.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[MarkoRamius]

Following on from StuReeves' post, you may like to give DOSbox a try. It's free and you can find it easily from Google.

 

[rambleon]

Would it be possible to boot the DOS system from a usb memory stick - if so how?

Rambleon

 

[Tightpants]

You might be able to format the memory stick using the /s switch to create a bootable drive. Then you could copy your program onto the memory stick assuming it doesn't need an installation routine to install.

Some motherboards do not allow booting from USB devices so the newer the machine, the better.

It's worth a try.

 

[rambleon]

Maybe a ramdisk would be better, I can set that up from DOS
and copy the application to there. Do you remember how to set a ramdisk up from DOS ?

Thanks

 

[J741]

Another way to do this would be to use a utility program like Partition Magic to split your hard drive into 2 partitions, one for Windows and one (small one) for DOS. Then use a boot menu utility (like BootMagic - included with PartitionMagic) to select which hard disk partition (and operating system) you want to boot.

- James.


My memory is not as good as it should be, and neither is my memory.

I have forgotten more than I can remember

 

[jimp56]

i still like the usb stick idea if the m/b can handle it. much easier than anything else as long as the app is happy.

 

[edfair]

Ramdisk is set up in config.sys

device-c:\dos\ramdrive.sys 8000 /e on my system

it works better if you have it on a bootable CD so you can have all the stuff you need on the ramdrive. Otherwise you have to load multiple floppies to get the minimal usable dos and the program.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[linney]

Did you ever try running your program in the Compatibility mode of Windows 95?

Type - Getting older programs to run on Windows XP - in the Help and Support program for the basics.

How to Use Windows Application Compatibility Mode.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/itpro/compatibility/apcompatmode.asp

 

[SimonDavies]

Failing that why not look at virtual pc programs like VMWare?? This will allow you not only to continue using your existing xp system but also run the dos session in a window, as far as your app is concerned it's running in dos and has no connection to the host os.

 

[xwb]

If it is a DOS application, why not run it under COMMAND instead of CMD.