DOS applications

[Guest]

We have a DOS app written in an old version of Dataflex. We are currently running it with difficulty in an older version of Term server ( Win NT 4 ). We need to upgrade our server and would like to move forward to Windows 2000 / 2003. We have heard conflicting reports about the ability to run old DOS apps under the newer versions of MS term server. Specifically, that the first terminal session running the DOS app will peg the CPU utilization. Other reports vary from printing problems to who knows what. We're even hearing now that this app has a slow response problem with Pentium 4 and Xeon based servers. Is there anything we can do in WIndows term server 2000 to address any of these potential compatibility issues
Any help is appreciated

Bob McIntire

 

[Vera Noest [MVP]]

You can use the Application Compatibility flags, described here:

186499 - Terminal Server Registry Settings for Applications
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=186499

and if the applications pushes the CPU to 100%, you can try a 3th
party utility called TameDOS, from http://www.tamedos.com/

Already on NT 4.0 TSE, some DOS applications (but not all) use
100% of the CPU because of continuous keyboard polling. If your
application doesn't do that now, it might not give you this
specific problem on Windows 2000 or 2003 either (but no
guarantees!).
We have also encountered the problem with certain DOS applications
which simply don't run on modern hardware.

The bottomline: you'll have to do some extensive testing, with
both hardware and OS.

 

[Baz]

Bob,
pre VDF Dataflex, like 2.3b or 3.05c etc., will run OK on W2K TS.
But, like a *good* sys admin's setup, needs 3 boxes.
1. a PDC

2. running native df dat's and *.k's ?
Put the data folder AND the app's runtime files on this #2 W2K server with
it's opplocks suitably adjusted.

3. the TS server, with a profile for each user, where each TS user loads the
runtime using UNC.
Setup each TS user to goose up df only, not the TS desktop.
DON'T use an installer, do it manually !!

Don't be tempted by austerity and go for all on the one box, it will beggar
your SLA.
If using one of the C-kits, say for MS SQL - well, your second box will be
an SQL server, and the runtime files should then live in each user's profile
on the TS server.

Short on info re df version, and haven't been back to DOS for years, so
relying on (ghastly) memories.
Get onto news.dataaccess.com, lodge this topic in
Dac.public.newsgroups.dataflex-support.
Somebody has/is doing this, somewhere, right now. The Dac community
worldwide watches this news server . . .

hth,
Baz.