DOS and win xp

[Guest]

hi... I want to buy a notebook, doesn't matter if it's new or old. but I have
a program that is DOS based and I've heard many things about Win XP not
having a real DOS. I just want to know if I buy a computer with win xp, am I
going to be able to use that program or not???? Is it better for me to buy a
computer with win 98 instead?? I know 1 or 2 computers with win xp where
someone tried to install that program and it didn't work. don't know if it
was because they are dumb or if it was actually the win version that didn't
allow them to do it.

suggestions??

thank you very much for your help in advance!

 

[David Candy]

How would anyone know. What a stupid question.

 

[Mike Williams]

hi... I want to buy a notebook, doesn't matter if it's new or old. but I have
a program that is DOS based and I've heard many things about Win XP not
having a real DOS. I just want to know if I buy a computer with win xp, am I
going to be able to use that program or not???? Is it better for me to buy a
computer with win 98 instead?? I know 1 or 2 computers with win xp where
someone tried to install that program and it didn't work. don't know if it
was because they are dumb or if it was actually the win version that didn't
allow them to do it.

suggestions??

thank you very much for your help in advance!

Talking in generalities about a "program" is going to get you as far
here as talking to a doctor about a "pain" in "a part of the body".

 

[Tim Slattery]

hi... I want to buy a notebook, doesn't matter if it's new or old. but I have
a program that is DOS based and I've heard many things about Win XP not
having a real DOS. I just want to know if I buy a computer with win xp, am I
going to be able to use that program or not????

Maybe. If the DOS program tries to manipulate hardware directly (many
DOS programs wrote directly to the video hardware to speed things up),
it won't work. If it plays nicely, it will probably work. If it has
problems, using XP's compatibility mode may solve the problems.

 

[Plato]

hi... I want to buy a notebook, doesn't matter if it's new or old. but I have
a program that is DOS based and I've heard many things about Win XP not
having a real DOS. I just want to know if I buy a computer with win xp, am I

You heard correctly.

going to be able to use that program or not???? Is it better for me to buy a

Perhaps. Perhaps NOT.

 

[Guest]

thank you Tim for your answer. It's an insurance program. I'm not sure if it
will try to manipulate the hardware or not (though I don't think so), but
your answer was very helpful. thank you.

To David. sorry if it was a stupid question. I'm not a computer literate and
I though this groups were to help people not to make them feel as crap. I
apologise for my ignorance and I salute you for your knowledge.

 

[Bob I]

It's like buying used socks, you won't know if they fit until you try.

 

[Talahasee]

hi... I want to buy a notebook, doesn't matter if it's new or old. but I have
a program that is DOS based and I've heard many things about Win XP not
having a real DOS. I just want to know if I buy a computer with win xp, am I
going to be able to use that program or not???? Is it better for me to buy a
computer with win 98 instead?? I know 1 or 2 computers with win xp where
someone tried to install that program and it didn't work. don't know if it
was because they are dumb or if it was actually the win version that didn't
allow them to do it.

suggestions??

thank you very much for your help in advance!

Presuming you have copies of both 98 and XP, what you want
to do is get the best laptop you can afford, then partition
the hard drive. Let's say you have a 100 Gb hdd. Partition
so that drive C is ROUGHLY 70 Gb and drive D is ROUGHLY 25
Gb (not over 30 MAX). Partition and format both partitions
for DOS (Fat 32)

Then you want to install 98 FIRST on the D partition (the
small one).

Once you have 98 up and running on D, go back and install XP
on the C partition.

Once that is completed, when you boot, the XP OS will give
you a menu in which you will select the OS you want to use.

When you are in 98, you can install whatever programs you
wish to run under 98.

When you are in XP, you can install whatever programs you
wish to run under XP.


There's probably a page on Microsoft's page about this, but
I don't know it offhand.

However, when my son was doing some of his pre-science math
in high school, I found him a dozen or more math/science
programs that were only compatible with 98/95. I therefore
had to figure out how to run 95 s/w on an XP system, which
we both have.


Do not try to do a shortcut and install 98 and XP on the
same partition.

Also do not try to install XP on C, and THEN "safely"
install 98 on D.

I just tried that with my last install a couple of months
ago.

Didn't work. I've since talked with half-a-dozen other
people who have tried it. And failed.

You have to install 98 FIRST on the D partition.

Hope that helps.


Good luck!


Tallahassee

 

[Talahasee]

How would anyone know. What a stupid question.

Actually, it's a valid question. I am one of a dozen people
I know who have had to partition their hard drives to
install XP on C and 98 on D.

There are some EXCELLENT higher Math tutorials that are in
98 compatible format that won't run on XP. Since my son is a
pre-science math major, he needed to be able to run the math
tutorials on 98.

However, MOST of his stuff is XP Pro, like mine, and he's
now casting wistful glances at Vista.


Tallahassee

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

hi... I want to buy a notebook, doesn't matter if it's new or old.
but I have a program that is DOS based and I've heard many things
about Win XP not having a real DOS.

That's correct.

I just want to know if I buy a
computer with win xp, am I going to be able to use that program or
not????

The answer, unfortunately, is "it depends." Despite their not being any real
DOS in Windows XP, it can run many, even most, older DOS programs just fine,
either natively or in compatibiilty mode. Whether it can run "that program"
or not depends on what the program is.

Is it better for me to buy a computer with win 98 instead?? > I
know 1 or 2 computers with win xp where someone tried to install that
program and it didn't work. don't know if it was because they are
dumb or if it was actually the win version that didn't allow them to
do it.

Nobody can tell you if you you don't tell us what program it is. Or even
better, ask the author/vendor of the program.

 

[Thrasher Remailer]

How would anyone know. What a stupid question.

It takes a dipstick like you to come up with an answer like
that. You're running a close second to kurttrail for uselessness.

 

[Guest]

thank you everyone for your answers.... The program is a program that my
father uses. He works for Citizens Insurance co. and it's a program that he
needs in order to manage the insurance policies or so... I'm not sure what it
does exactly but what I know is that it is very old.

again, thank you very much for your answers.

 

[David Candy]

It a stupid question. Let me paraphrase his question.

Question: Will an unknown program work on XP.

Answer: It is unknown

 

[David Candy]

There is no excuse for stupidity.

 

[David Candy]

Windows allow Dos program to write direct to video card. If windows detects a mode change to a mode not supported by the VDD it goes full screen allowing direct access. It virtualise access to well known hardware like Prn and Com ports, and Sound Blaster. To the program it is accessing the hardware. That is what VDD do. Note hardware mfg may supply VDD with their drivers.

 

[David Candy]

It doesn't require knowledge. It merely requires you to think.

 

[David Candy]

As many Dos programs will not work under 98 as XP. They are merely different programs. XP can run many Dos programs that 98 can't.

 

[David Candy]

And remember you have to configure Dos just like old Dos. Dos needs to be configured to each program. So you need to read the manual.

 

[All Things Mopar]

Today =?Utf-8?B?bHVsYQ==?= commented courteously on the
subject at hand

hi... I want to buy a notebook, doesn't matter if it's new
or old. but I have a program that is DOS based and I've
heard many things about Win XP not having a real DOS. I
just want to know if I buy a computer with win xp, am I
going to be able to use that program or not???? Is it
better for me to buy a computer with win 98 instead?? I
know 1 or 2 computers with win xp where someone tried to
install that program and it didn't work. don't know if it
was because they are dumb or if it was actually the win
version that didn't allow them to do it.

suggestions??

thank you very much for your help in advance!

A Win 98 computer is pretty hard to buy except at a garage sale.

'Tis true that there really is no "DOS" in XP, just a "DOS"
window that will allow you to run most commands, including quite
a few utilities that M$ provides but doesn't directly tell you
about. XP also has a compatibility mode for legacy apps. But,
the only way you'll really know if your old app(s) run or not is
to try them.

Besides XP itself, modern memory will overwhelm many older apps
and cause them to fail. Incidently, one big reason for DOS or
Win 3.1 apps not to run is that they try to access your hardware
directly, which das ist das verboten in XP, for good reason.

 

[George]

so why do you insist on showing the world that you are?

"David Candy" <.> wrote in message
There is no excuse for stupidity.