Do DOS programs install

[Mike S.]

Are DOS programs installed differently than Windows programs,
especially since XP doesn't have DOS? If so, what's the difference?
Which one is more likely to screw up your computer - DOS programs or
Windows programs?

 

[Shenan Stanley]

Are DOS programs installed differently than Windows programs,
especially since XP doesn't have DOS? If so, what's the difference?
Which one is more likely to screw up your computer - DOS programs or
Windows programs?

Yes - they install differently, if they install at all.

Badly written ones are more likely to screw up your computer... After poor
maintenance.

 

[Pennywise]

Are DOS programs installed differently than Windows programs,
especially since XP doesn't have DOS? If so, what's the difference?
Which one is more likely to screw up your computer - DOS programs or
Windows programs?

DOS program write to autoexec.bat and config.sys (If they write to any
file) now called autoexec.nt and config.nt in XP.

Windows programs can write anywhere.

If a DOS program screws up your computer it's much easier to fix than
a windows program.

If you want to run old DOS games http://www.abandonia.com/index2.php
use DOSBOX http://tinyurl.com/create.php

 

[Richard Urban]

Most DOS programs do not really install at all. All the install routine does
is unpack the files to a newly created folder. You then have to run the
program executable from within that folder. You can create a shortcut to the
executable on your desktop to run the program.

To remove a DOS program, just delete the program's folder. It will be gone.

Clean - simple - elegant, for it's day.

Do DOS programs work within Windows XP? You'll have to try each individual
program to find out.

--

Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
(For email, remove the obvious from my address)

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Are DOS programs installed differently than Windows programs,
especially since XP doesn't have DOS?

Yes, but it has nothing to do with XP's not having DOS.

If so, what's the difference?

Installing a Windows program normally involves bunch of things: copying the
executable file(s) and supporting files to a folder on your hard drive,
copying dll files to \windows\system32, creating entries in the registry,
creating shortcuts in various places, etc.

Installing a DOS program normally involves only a single thing: copying
program's files (often just a single executable file) to a folder on your
hard drive

Which one is more likely to screw up your computer - DOS programs or
Windows programs?

Neither. If a program screws up your computer, it's because it was either
poorly-written or written with malicious intent. Either of those can be true
with both DOS or Windows programs.