Running DOS on Windows XP

[gwynn]

Using a DOS accounting program on Windows 98. I'm able to
boot the computer in DOS by holding down the Control Key
and then select the C:\. The computer boots in DOS without
loading Windows. The screen display is much better than
going to the C:\ through Windows98.

Is there a way under Windows XP to boot in DOS without
loading Windows first?

 

[Gordon]

Using a DOS accounting program on Windows 98. I'm able to
boot the computer in DOS by holding down the Control Key
and then select the C:\. The computer boots in DOS without
loading Windows. The screen display is much better than
going to the C:\ through Windows98.

Is there a way under Windows XP to boot in DOS without
loading Windows first?

No, because XP doesn't have DOS.

 

[Tumbleweed]

Using a DOS accounting program on Windows 98. I'm able to
boot the computer in DOS by holding down the Control Key
and then select the C:\. The computer boots in DOS without
loading Windows. The screen display is much better than
going to the C:\ through Windows98.

Is there a way under Windows XP to boot in DOS without
loading Windows first?

No. There isnt a way to boot in DOS *after* loading XP either. There are a
variety of ways you can emulate DOS, and they may or may not work for your
program. I suggest you google for something like "name_of_DOS_program
running under windows XP" or go to their web site assuming they have one (I
guess this is a defunct outfit?)

 

[MCR]

Using a DOS accounting program on Windows 98. I'm able to
boot the computer in DOS by holding down the Control Key
and then select the C:\. The computer boots in DOS without
loading Windows. The screen display is much better than
going to the C:\ through Windows98.

Is there a way under Windows XP to boot in DOS without
loading Windows first?

Failing the other suggestions try DOSBOX a DOS emulator, there is a
Windows installer on the download section.


http://dosbox.sourceforge.net/news.php?show_news=1

 

[R. C. White]

Hi, Gwynn.

Windows 98 was built on the MS-DOS foundation. WinXP is built on the NT
platform. It deals with hardware much differently. Therefore, some
MS-DOS/Win3x/9x/ME programs won't run on WinXP. The programs least likely
to make the transition are those that deal directly with the hardware - such
as the screen display in the program you want to use, maybe.

WinXP does include two different emulators (16-bit and 32-bit) that many
users have proclaimed "a better DOS than DOS". Every DOS program that I
have tried runs just fine in WinXP's "DOS" window, including my 13-year-old
WordPerfect Office Library Calendar.

If you open a "DOS" window in WinXP (click Command prompt, or click Start |
Run and type: cmd), can you run your program from there? If it doesn't run
without tweaking, there are several ways to adjust the "DOS" settings, such
as emulating extended memory, setting Files=, etc. These might be done by
setting environment variables, or by using WinXP's Compatibility Mode, or by
using the files Config.nt and Autoexec.nt to substitute for the MS-DOS
equivalents. I don't know much about these techniques because, as I said,
the DOS programs I've run have not needed them, but others here will know.

If you tell us the name and publisher of your program, there's a very good
chance that at least one of the thousands of readers world-wide will
recognize it and have some tips for you.

RC

 

[cquirke (MVP Win9x)]

Hi, Gwynn.

Windows 98 was built on the MS-DOS foundation.

Er, no; Win98 is built on the Win95 code base, which is quite
different to MS-DOS. However, they share a common startup, which can
branch off to load an updated DOS instead of Windows.

WinXP is built on the NT platform.

Yes, and that does not share a common startup. In fact, XP is really
NT 5.1, while Windows 2000 was 5.0, but you know marketoids.

It deals with hardware much differently. Therefore, some
MS-DOS/Win3x/9x/ME programs won't run on WinXP. The programs least likely
to make the transition are those that deal directly with the hardware - such
as the screen display in the program you want to use, maybe.

Yep. Both Win9x and NT emulate DOS within Windows, but whereas
Win9x's emulation allows a high degree of DOS-like behaviour, NT does
not, and the difference usually applies to games etc. that access
hardware directly as RC says.

WinXP does include two different emulators (16-bit and 32-bit) that many
users have proclaimed "a better DOS than DOS". Every DOS program that I
have tried runs just fine in WinXP's "DOS" window, including my 13-year-old
WordPerfect Office Library Calendar.

I wouldn't call the Command.com or Cmd.exe command-line interpreters
running on NT a "better DOS than DOS", though that description is
accurate for the DOS mode that came with Win9x, and possibly the
in-Windows emulation of Win9x as well.

If you open a "DOS" window in WinXP (click Command prompt, or click Start |
Run and type: cmd), can you run your program from there? If it doesn't run
without tweaking, there are several ways to adjust the "DOS" settings, such
as emulating extended memory, setting Files=, etc. These might be done by
setting environment variables, or by using WinXP's Compatibility Mode, or by
using the files Config.nt and Autoexec.nt to substitute for the MS-DOS
equivalents. I don't know much about these techniques because, as I said,
the DOS programs I've run have not needed them, but others here will know.

What is the DOS app you are trying to run?

If you tell us the name and publisher of your program, there's a very good
chance that at least one of the thousands of readers world-wide will
recognize it and have some tips for you.

Ah, I see RC was about to ask that too!

As long as C: is FATxx not NTFS, it is possible and IMO desirable to
install NT over a Win9x DOS mode, so that the option to boot either OS
is preserved. It is also possible, but somewhat more fiddly, to add a
Win9x DOS mode as an alternate bootable OS to NT after NT has been
installed. But in all cases, C: must be FATxx, and if the DOS mode
you are using is from Win95 older than SR2, it must be FAT16.

See http://cquirke.mvps.org/mutlos.htm and related pages for more on
dual booting, and http://cquirke.mvps.org/whatmos.htm on why you may
one day be very happy to have DOS mode as an alternate boot.

--------------- ----- ---- --- -- - - -

Dreams are stack dumps of the soul

 

[R. C. White]

Thanks, Chris.

As I often say, "I'm a CPA, fer gosh sakes, not a techie of any kind!" I
was hoping someone with a technical background would fill in the blanks in
my experience. ;<)

When we know which DOS program is involved, we may both be able to give some
more-specific advice.

RC

 

[Alex Nichol]

Using a DOS accounting program on Windows 98. I'm able to
boot the computer in DOS by holding down the Control Key
and then select the C:\. The computer boots in DOS without
loading Windows. The screen display is much better than
going to the C:\ through Windows98.

Is there a way under Windows XP to boot in DOS without
loading Windows first?

There is NO DOS in WinXP, at all. so you cannot boot to it. There is
emulation of the DOS environment in which you can (mostly) run well
behaved DOS programs, but if you need true real mode DOS you must boot
separately - eg a Win98 startup floppy, and any Hard disk operations
will need a FAT 32 partition as DOS does not know about NTFS