Tek-Tips is the largest IT community on the Internet today!
Members share and learn making Tek-Tips Forums the best source of peer-reviewed technical information on the Internet!
-
Congratulations strongm on being selected by the Tek-Tips community for having the most helpful posts in the forums last week. Way to Go!
Running Windows 98 DOS Programs under XP 3
- Thread starter PauserBR
- Start date
-
2
- #2
Are you talking actual dos programs or win98 programs generally.
For non-dos apps, XP has compatibility mode (look at properties for the executable or shortcut to it - should be compatibility tab) to allow you to run in 95/98/ME/NT/2k mode. This sometimes allows an app which won't run otherwise to run.
for dos programs, its different - as XP doesn't have dos, it has a command prompt. This provides a similar but different environment to dos. Some dos apps run, others don't. You can adjust some of the parameters for the command prompt environment (XP uses config.nt and autoexec.nt in \windows\system32 instead of config.sys & autoexec.bat. Both files default values contain text explaining some of what they do. Google for more).
However, one of posters here (Freestone) pointed us to another solution:-
I've tried this out with a dos pinball game I thought I'd lost - and it works fine.
HTH
For non-dos apps, XP has compatibility mode (look at properties for the executable or shortcut to it - should be compatibility tab) to allow you to run in 95/98/ME/NT/2k mode. This sometimes allows an app which won't run otherwise to run.
for dos programs, its different - as XP doesn't have dos, it has a command prompt. This provides a similar but different environment to dos. Some dos apps run, others don't. You can adjust some of the parameters for the command prompt environment (XP uses config.nt and autoexec.nt in \windows\system32 instead of config.sys & autoexec.bat. Both files default values contain text explaining some of what they do. Google for more).
However, one of posters here (Freestone) pointed us to another solution:-
I've tried this out with a dos pinball game I thought I'd lost - and it works fine.
HTH
- Thread starter
- #3
The main reason I do need Win98 is that I have some DOS programs that use Pharlap extensions. Those programs were developed a long time ago, are fully functional under Win98/DOS and the developer retired and is not interested to update them. Do you think "dosbox" can use Pharlap extensions?
I am considering the possibility of adding a PATA HD to install Win98, but I don´t think it's possible a dual boot with two separate HDs. I know I can choose the bootable HD in the setup, but that operation takes more time and will be used only if I can not find another solution.
Thank you for your interest and good hints!
I am considering the possibility of adding a PATA HD to install Win98, but I don´t think it's possible a dual boot with two separate HDs. I know I can choose the bootable HD in the setup, but that operation takes more time and will be used only if I can not find another solution.
Thank you for your interest and good hints!
-
1
- #4
Of course it possible to dual boot into to different hard drives. Just make sure they are both present when installing.
Heck I triple bot Win98, WinXp Pro, and Win2004 server in 3 different hard drives.
all i do is choose the operating system I want to boot, from the nice boot menu that the last Operating system installed, provides. In my case Win 2003 server.
However I think you might want to look into Microsoft's Free Virtual PC software. you can then run Win98 in the Virtual Pc, and run your Apps there. The benefit is you don't alter your XP installation.
----------------------------------
Ignorance is not necessarily Bliss, case in point:
Unknown has caused an Unknown Error on Unknown and must be shutdown to prevent damage to Unknown.
Heck I triple bot Win98, WinXp Pro, and Win2004 server in 3 different hard drives.
all i do is choose the operating system I want to boot, from the nice boot menu that the last Operating system installed, provides. In my case Win 2003 server.
However I think you might want to look into Microsoft's Free Virtual PC software. you can then run Win98 in the Virtual Pc, and run your Apps there. The benefit is you don't alter your XP installation.
----------------------------------
Ignorance is not necessarily Bliss, case in point:
Unknown has caused an Unknown Error on Unknown and must be shutdown to prevent damage to Unknown.
- Thread starter
- #5
Do you think I can install the Pharlap Extensions in that Free Virtual Pc Software? Believe it or not, those DOS programs I have were meant initially to run in 640 kbytes. They need the Pharlap extensions installed to see all the memory available in the system.
Virtual PC will create a representation of whatever you install. So if you install Win98. the virtual PX will function just like a normal Win98 PC. If you could install the extensions there you should have no problem installing the extensions in the Virtual PC.
----------------------------------
Ignorance is not necessarily Bliss, case in point:
Unknown has caused an Unknown Error on Unknown and must be shutdown to prevent damage to Unknown.
----------------------------------
Ignorance is not necessarily Bliss, case in point:
Unknown has caused an Unknown Error on Unknown and must be shutdown to prevent damage to Unknown.
- Thread starter
- #7
A friend of mine told me he tried to install those programs that need Pharlap extensions under Win98/VMWare. The Pharlap extensions installed correctly, but the program did not run properly. Anyway, considering the "free" in this Virtual PC, I'll test it during the weekend. I will also try DOSBOX, suggested by Wollux. Thank you for your help!
- Status
Similar threads
