How to use VESA videomodes 800x600 and laters in DOS box inside Windows XP ? (my monitor says: "Out

[Alexander]

I have the following problem with VESA (SVGA) videmodes in Windows XP
(XP Professional, ServicePack 1, all hotfixes after SP1).

In DOS box in 16-bit DOS applications DO NOT WORK all videomodes
starting with 800x600 (starting with VESA mode 103h and higher). DOS
virtual machine is standard NTVDM.EXE. In what the problem consists?
After starting 16-bit DOS application, the application fire INT 10h
and switch videmode to VESA videmode 103h (for example) using standard
BIOS calls (INT 10h). NTVDM.EXE and keyboard input in DOS application
continue to work normally, but the monitor is switched to special mode
and gives out the message "Out of range", as though the videocard has
established wrong frequency refresh rate for monitor. Under DOS
debuggers (for example, Borland Turbo Debugger TD.EXE or AFD) it is
possible to see that INT 10h function (AX = 4F02h : VESA SuperVGA BIOS
- SET SuperVGA VIDEO MODE) returns operation status as "successful"
(AL = 4Fh and AH = 0). It means that the videomode (103h for example)
has been successfully established by BIOS.

However, videomode 640x480 (VESA mode 101h) works fine in same DOS box
in same 16-bit DOS applications under same Windows XP.

However, in "pure" DOS on this computer (on same hardware) all
videomodes works fine (so videocard BIOS quite well works with VESA
(SVGA) modes.).

However, in "pure" Windows XP (in 32-bit applications) all videomodes
works fine.

However, in DOS box under same NTVDM.EXE text videomodes (in DOS
console 16-bit applications) works fine.

However, the same DOS applications works fine in DOS box under some
other Windows XP computers (with some other hardware, certainly).

Thus, a source of this problem is DOS-subsystem in Windows XP. The
problem is not an hardware problem. Also it is precisely known that on
some other XP-computers these DOS-applications work in DOS-window.

My videocard is NVidia GeForce4 440MX, 64 MB RAM. I tried various
versions of Detonators (30.xx, 4x.xx, 53.03). I tried various options
of .PIF-files for customize launch of DOS application. I tried
windowed and full-screen DOS console boxes, and boxes with active
focus…
I tried various DOS TSR drivers for VESA modes troubleshooting and for
troubleshooting of refresh rates in DOS modes… About article 812681
("NTVDM 16-Bit Program Does Not Run If the Window Does Not Have
Focus") I known. Has helped nothing.

How to allow to Windows XP to use videomodes more than 640x480 in DOS
boxes ?

 

[Guest]

Dude, you might want to send this to Bill Gates. He could probably figure it out, lol...

 

[Jimmy S.]

Hi Alexander,

Try this utility. It might assist you in getting those resolutions you seek
in VESA mode: http://www.scitechsoft.com/products/ent/free_titles.html

--
Cheers, Windows XP MVP Shell / User
Jimmy S. http://mvp.support.microsoft.com


Game FAQs: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=FH;[LN];gms
Visit my Zone.com / Gaming Helpsite: http://nibblesnbits.tk or Call / Contact
MS Support at: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=sz;en-us;top
My advice is donated "AS IS" without warranty; nor do I confer any rights.
_________________________________________________________

| I have the following problem with VESA (SVGA) videmodes in Windows XP
| (XP Professional, ServicePack 1, all hotfixes after SP1).
|
| In DOS box in 16-bit DOS applications DO NOT WORK all videomodes
| starting with 800x600 (starting with VESA mode 103h and higher). DOS
| virtual machine is standard NTVDM.EXE. In what the problem consists?
| After starting 16-bit DOS application, the application fire INT 10h
| and switch videmode to VESA videmode 103h (for example) using standard
| BIOS calls (INT 10h). NTVDM.EXE and keyboard input in DOS application
| continue to work normally, but the monitor is switched to special mode
| and gives out the message "Out of range", as though the videocard has
| established wrong frequency refresh rate for monitor. Under DOS
| debuggers (for example, Borland Turbo Debugger TD.EXE or AFD) it is
| possible to see that INT 10h function (AX = 4F02h : VESA SuperVGA BIOS
| - SET SuperVGA VIDEO MODE) returns operation status as "successful"
| (AL = 4Fh and AH = 0). It means that the videomode (103h for example)
| has been successfully established by BIOS.
|
| However, videomode 640x480 (VESA mode 101h) works fine in same DOS box
| in same 16-bit DOS applications under same Windows XP.
|
| However, in "pure" DOS on this computer (on same hardware) all
| videomodes works fine (so videocard BIOS quite well works with VESA
| (SVGA) modes.).
|
| However, in "pure" Windows XP (in 32-bit applications) all videomodes
| works fine.
|
| However, in DOS box under same NTVDM.EXE text videomodes (in DOS
| console 16-bit applications) works fine.
|
| However, the same DOS applications works fine in DOS box under some
| other Windows XP computers (with some other hardware, certainly).
|
| Thus, a source of this problem is DOS-subsystem in Windows XP. The
| problem is not an hardware problem. Also it is precisely known that on
| some other XP-computers these DOS-applications work in DOS-window.
|
| My videocard is NVidia GeForce4 440MX, 64 MB RAM. I tried various
| versions of Detonators (30.xx, 4x.xx, 53.03). I tried various options
| of .PIF-files for customize launch of DOS application. I tried
| windowed and full-screen DOS console boxes, and boxes with active
| focus.
| I tried various DOS TSR drivers for VESA modes troubleshooting and for
| troubleshooting of refresh rates in DOS modes. About article 812681
| ("NTVDM 16-Bit Program Does Not Run If the Window Does Not Have
| Focus") I known. Has helped nothing.
|
| How to allow to Windows XP to use videomodes more than 640x480 in DOS
| boxes ?