Problem running DOS programs in XP

[Rickoff]

Why is it that a DOS program which ran just fine in all
previous Windows versions has trouble running under XP?
Has the DOS emulator in XP been stripped of some
functionality? If I reboot in true DOS mode then the
program works just fine, but I'd rather not do that if I
don't have to. I feel that Microsoft should provide
support for running DOS programs, as well as programs
designed for previous Windows versions, whenever a new
operating system is released. Does anyone have a solution
for better DOS file performance? Thanls for any
assistance you can provide.

 

[illingsk]

Try creating a PIF file by modifying the properties of
the bat file that runs the dos program. Recommend running
it in protected memory. Enable all checkboxes on the misc
tab. GL

 

[purplehaz]

XP is not built on dos, therefore dos programs may never run right, but many
do. There is limited support for running dos programs in xp. Dos is old
technology and is basically dead. It's time to modernize and update that old
outdated program. There comes a time in computing when backwards
compatibility only hampers the new technologies, so the at some point in
time backwards compatibility gets limited or taken out altogether. This is
just how computing is. You can't expect software that 10+years old to run
forever. Someday you have to upgrade, that's just life. You have to adapt to
technology changes.

 

[David Candy]

To install it a program on Dos you configure Dos for that program. XP is no different. But as you give no clues (secret program/secret error) why did you bother posting.

 

[Ken Blake]

In

Why is it that a DOS program which ran just fine in all
previous Windows versions has trouble running under XP?

Unlike Windows 9X, Windows XP is not built on DOS and doesn't
contain DOS. This is the main reason for its being the best and
most stable version of Windows ever.

But there's a price paid for that stability. Because it's not
built on DOS, it has limited support for DOS programs; DOS is
only emulated. Although many of them run fine, others don't.

Has the DOS emulator in XP been stripped of some
functionality? If I reboot in true DOS mode then the
program works just fine, but I'd rather not do that if I
don't have to. I feel that Microsoft should provide
support for running DOS programs, as well as programs
designed for previous Windows versions, whenever a new
operating system is released.

Each to his own opinion. Personally I couldn't disgree more.
There is always a tradeoff between moving ahead with improvements
and keeping compatibililty with the old; you can't normally have
both. I think Windows XP's increased stability is well worth the
cost of its being unable to run a few older programs.

 

[Poly]

Why is it that a DOS program which ran just fine in all
previous Windows versions has trouble running under XP?
Has the DOS emulator in XP been stripped of some
functionality? If I reboot in true DOS mode then the
program works just fine, but I'd rather not do that if I
don't have to. I feel that Microsoft should provide
support for running DOS programs, as well as programs
designed for previous Windows versions, whenever a new
operating system is released. Does anyone have a solution
for better DOS file performance? Thanls for any
assistance you can provide.

You will have to tell us which DOS programs you are running and what
configurations (PIFs) you are using. Generally, when trying to run a DOS
program in XP, you have to know the DOS configuration in some detail to get
it to run correctly.

That having been said, many DOS programs run reasonably well using the
default PIF.
--

Poly

Correct address before sending email.
All messages must have a verifiable return address.

Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.
- A. Einstein

 

[NobodyMan]

Why is it that a DOS program which ran just fine in all
previous Windows versions has trouble running under XP?
Has the DOS emulator in XP been stripped of some
functionality? If I reboot in true DOS mode then the
program works just fine, but I'd rather not do that if I
don't have to. I feel that Microsoft should provide
support for running DOS programs, as well as programs
designed for previous Windows versions, whenever a new
operating system is released. Does anyone have a solution
for better DOS file performance? Thanls for any
assistance you can provide.

I have engine parts from an old 65 Corvette that won't fit on a new 03
Corvette. I think when Chevy puts out the new model they should have
backwards compatable enginerring so I can use those parts on the new
car.

See the flaw in your logic?

 

[David Candy]

See the flaw in yours, Most dos programs will work if you take the same care to make them work as you would have in real Dos.

The fact that you and others keep repeating lies don't make the lies true. But while morons like the poster keep asking their stupid questions they won't get any help, except it seems from people like you who shouldn't bve offering.

NT is configured for BUSINESS use. NT Dos is configured for BUSINESS use. You need to do exactly the same as if configuring a program to run on real Dos. Corporate Dos installs always had limited memory available because it was used for stuff like network. NT's Dos is likely to run more Dos programs than real Dos in a corporate setting.because it gives more memory to programs than real Dos.

 

[NobodyMan]

See the flaw in yours, Most dos programs will work if you take the same care to make them work as you would have in real Dos.

The fact that you and others keep repeating lies don't make the lies true. But while morons like the poster keep asking their stupid questions they won't get any help, except it seems from people like you who shouldn't bve offering.

NT is configured for BUSINESS use. NT Dos is configured for BUSINESS use. You need to do exactly the same as if configuring a program to run on real Dos. Corporate Dos installs always had limited memory available because it was used for stuff like network. NT's Dos is likely to run more Dos programs than real Dos in a corporate setting.because it gives more memory to programs than real Dos.

Thank you for your rebuttal. The thrust of my argument answered his
post though; yours doesn't.

The OP complained that MS wasn't making a new OS compatable with stuff
running on an older OS. MS-DOS is OOOOOLD. It is no longer supported
by Microsoft. Hey, even Win95 isn't supporteb by Microsoft, and Win98
won't be far behind. It's not MS's job to ensure that every old
program out there will work with the new release of the OS. It's up
companies that write the stuff to make sure of that.

 

[David Candy]

They increased the functionality of the virtual machine for XP. But the point is, the guy's/gal's program probably works as the large majoiority of Dos programs do.

All the peop le in this thread are crapping on. The original poster is again wanting to solve his problem by discussing generalities. What a waste of space, and the replies are even worse - misleading.

Which shows that if you tell a lie long enough it will be believed.

Why is it that a DOS program which ran just fine in all
previous Windows versions has trouble running under XP?
How can this question be answered. No technical details at all. As the idiot is keeping the name secret we therefore can's see if it's known that this program works, known it doesn't work, or is unknown one way or another.

Has the DOS emulator in XP been stripped of some
functionality
No. It's been increased.

If I reboot in true DOS mode then the program works just fine, but I'd rather not do that if I
don't have to.
Probably his real dos is configured differently from XP's Dos.

I feel that Microsoft should provide
support for running DOS programs, as well as programs
designed for previous Windows versions, whenever a new
operating system is released
They do. All previous versions of windows, incl XP have special compatability modes, some just for one program, like Corel Draw. Many Dos programs that didn't work in 95, 98, ME do work on XP.

Does anyone have a solution
for better DOS file performance?
What does this mean, he can't run the program but wants better preformance?

You will find some long posts by me in the past discussing how to make Dos programs work.These are the same steps one would do on Dos with minor modifications.

To recap - What happened, what did the poster expect to happen, what are the steps the poster took (exactly so other's can take the same steps) and the exact text of any messages, what solutions were tried. Anything else that may be relevent.

Many companies have critical software that runs in Dos (ahh - I'm a programmer for one of these packages). No dos, no software, no business, company goes broke.
--

 

[Alex Nichol]

Why is it that a DOS program which ran just fine in all
previous Windows versions has trouble running under XP?
Has the DOS emulator in XP been stripped of some
functionality? If I reboot in true DOS mode then the
program works just fine, but I'd rather not do that if I
don't have to.

Win95 98 and to an extent ME were too tolerant of bad DOS programs that
tried to take over the hardware and handle it direct. This has been
absolutely prohibited in XP. There are adjustments that can provide
better conventional memory than is obtained by default, but direct
hardware access, and resident real mode items are prohibited. In the
interests of the general stability of the system doing its proper job