MSDOS PROGRAM IN WINDOWS 10 32BIT WILL NOT WORK

[moveit]

Earlier this year I moved to Windows 10 32bit advised by yourselves. I am getting to know the OS but have come across something that does not make sense.

Since XP I have always had a seperate disk with my data on it. On this disk is a MSDOS program 16bit which is a small data base called CardboxPlus. It goes back to 1989. I always have a shortcut to start it and have not had any problems until Windows 10. I loaded 10 32bit on a SSD and it picked up the data hard drive okay. It even worked with the shortcut. As my data HD was getting old I transferred all the data onto a new SSD. For no reason I can find, Cardbox would not work. I even followed a website advice of the Legacy being un-ticked and reinstated via the Command Prompt. This did not work either.

From XP to 10 I have always used the 32bit OS so I can use the old software. Can you help?

 

[spamjim]

Have you tried something like this?

https://www.groovypost.com/howto/enable-16-bit-application-support-windows-10/

 

[moveit]

That was the site I tried.

 

[mikrom]

To run the old DOS programs, you can try to use DosBox.

 

[mikrom]

Other option is to install on your Win10 VirtualBox and then install in it the old OS like Win XP or MS DOS and run your old program in it as you have done before.

 

[xwb]

Or just enable Hyper-V which is the MS equivalent of Virtualbox.

 

[strongm]

Just in case: Hyper-V feature is not available on W10 Home.

 

[moveit]

Before trying what you have suggested I have tried a couple of things which makes me wonder if I have not done something wrong with the new SSD data disk.

Plugged in a memory stick into the USB with the Cardbox on it and it works. Copied the folder onto the drive C and it works. I feel the new SSD data disk is either faulty or I have set it up and formatted it wrongly. I had just copied the folders from the old disk onto it. Other software on the SSD seems to work okay. I assume you can use a SSD just for data storeage? If I plug the old disk back it works okay.

 

[2ffat]

It may be the way the SSD is formatted and not at fault as all. The older hard disks and floppies were formatted using FAT. Then there was FAT32 and currently NTFS. Most USB sticks use FAT32 but SSDs may be using NTFS or a proprietary format that is translated into NTFS. Remember, SSDs are NOT like spinning hard drives so they work differently.

Your program may need FAT or FAT32 to work properly.


James P. Cottingham
I'm number 1,229!
I'm number 1,229!

 

[moveit]

The memory stick is FAT32 but both SSD C drive and the E data drive are NTFS. I do not understand why the software runs on the C drive but not the E data one. Cardbox folder on C works fine but not on E. Both folders have exactly the same details in them and the same shortcut. Am I right that you can use the SSD as the data disk just like the older ones?

 

[2ffat]

Then it may depend on the program. MS-DOS programs ran more closely to the hardware than Windows programs. That the beauty of Windows, it isolates the user/programmer from the hardware (more or less depending on which version of Windows).

As a matter of fact, the first MS-DOS programs I ever wrote were in 6502 assembly language. I don't know the particulars of CardboxPlus so it is pure guesswork on my part. It's possible that the program won't work on any drive higher than D:.


James P. Cottingham
I'm number 1,229!
I'm number 1,229!

 

[moveit]

I have tried changing the drive letter but it did not make any difference. As the program ran okay on the old disk and on the C drive, I cannot see it being a hardware problem except for the SSD itself. I am wondering if I should reformat the disk and copy the folder over again?

 

[2ffat]

I am wondering if I should reformat the disk and copy the folder over again?

Only you can answer that. How important is it to run this program on the SSD, is it worth the time and effort, how much have I already loaded on the SSD, etc.?

James P. Cottingham
I'm number 1,229!
I'm number 1,229!

 

[moveit]

Although not a large program I do have important data in the Cardbox. As my hard drive is getting old I just thought now would be a good time to use a new drive so got the SSD. I will try playing around tomorrow then decide about the reformatting. I just feel I am missing something simple.

 

[xwb]

Some programs have C: hardcoded. Some even have the full path hardcoded. Best try a VM.

If you do manage to read your data, you could try transferring the data to the 32/64 bit version

https://www.cardbox.com/.

The website tells you how to convert from V2 to V3 but no idea which version yours is.

 

[moveit]

I have version 4. I just cannot understand why it runs on the old hard drive but not the SSD. It must be something to do with the way they both work.

 

[technome]

Is the security correct, some older programs require "everyone" modify. Some require c:\temp directory with everyone modify. You may need to lower security which is inherited in the program directory. Some required a lower "user control" setting.



........................................

"Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5 tons."
Popular Mechanics, 1949

 

[moveit]

I have looked at the security etc. and have palyed around with settings but still no good. It is I think soemthing to do with SSDs do not act the same as the old hard drives. When I try to start the Cardbox I do get the Command Prompt screen which shows for about a second then goes. When the program used to work the Prompt screen came on then the Cardbox one took over. It may sound silly but could the SSD be too fast for the shortcut to work?

 

[Beilstwh]

There is another path. Upgrade to a version that windows supports. See the following link and according to the site, the software is free

https://www.cardbox.com/

Bill
Lead Application Developer
New York State, USA

 

[gbaughma]

All this to play Battle Chess.

Just my $.02

"What the captain doesn't realize is that we've secretly replaced his Dilithium Crystals with new Folger's Crystals."

--Greg