Program needs direct access to hardware

[Guest]

I recently upgraded to XP home. I have discovered that a program I still want
to use that is written in DOS requires direct access to the hardware to work
properly. XP won't allow this. I have tried using the utility that emulates
older operating systems but it still won't work. It worked fine under Windows
98 SE. The program name is Futuremind and it requires direct access to the
hardware to work properly. I believe that I need to reinstall Window 98 SE to
be able to use this program. If anyone knows another way to use it with XP or
how I can reinstall 98 SE please let me know. 98 SE was removed with the
upgrade.

 

[Malke]

I recently upgraded to XP home. I have discovered that a program I
still want to use that is written in DOS requires direct access to the
hardware to work properly. XP won't allow this. I have tried using the
utility that emulates older operating systems but it still won't work.
It worked fine under Windows 98 SE. The program name is Futuremind and
it requires direct access to the hardware to work properly. I believe
that I need to reinstall Window 98 SE to be able to use this program.
If anyone knows another way to use it with XP or how I can reinstall
98 SE please let me know. 98 SE was removed with the upgrade.

You have two choices - a) keep a Win98 machine around to run your older
software; b) contact the maker of the software (if it still exists) to
see if they have an updated version that will work with XP. NT-based
systems will not allow programs to directly access the hardware so
there is no way to use your program in XP.

Malke

 

[JCE]

or the third choice :

c) Install "Microsoft Virtual PC" !! From there you can install Win98 or any
other OS ( except Linux ) without messing
up your partition or doing a dual-boot and you can run ANY Win98 or DOS
program you want.
like !

Works very well on my Notebook !!!

Hope this helps.

Tom

 

[Malke]

or the third choice :

c) Install "Microsoft Virtual PC" !! From there you can install Win98
or any other OS ( except Linux ) without messing
up your partition or doing a dual-boot and you can run ANY Win98 or
DOS program you want.
like !

Works very well on my Notebook !!!

That's interesting - since Virtual PC emulates a specific set of
hardware (not the hardware actually in your computer), will it also
pick up a dongle and/or allow a program to interact with the emulated
hardware? Have you done this? If so, maybe posting the steps you used
would help the OP even if it was for a different program.

Thanks,

Malke

 

[JCE]

Don't know about ALL the hardware it will pick up, but it surely recognizes
my Bluetooth USB and Irda dongle in Windows98 after I installed the Win98
drivers. It also works with all my network printers as well as my wireless
keyboard and mouse !

I think as long as you have the right drivers for the OP you run under
VirtualPC it will work.

Tom

 

[Malke]

Don't know about ALL the hardware it will pick up, but it surely
recognizes my Bluetooth USB and Irda dongle in Windows98 after I
installed the Win98 drivers. It also works with all my network
printers as well as my wireless keyboard and mouse !

I think as long as you have the right drivers for the OP you run under
VirtualPC it will work.

Awesome! I have Virtual PC on a testbed machine and like it a lot. I
didn't know it could handle a dongle which I presume means interacting
with the hardware. Since Virtual PC is available for a trial download,
that might really be a good solution for the OP. If it doesn't work, it
won't have cost him anything. Thanks a lot for the information, Tom.

Malke