"True" MS-DOS and Win XP

[Andrew]

I would just like to know if anyone can answer this
question I've been dealing with.

My new computer runs Windows XP and my old computer ran
Win 98. Certain of the programs that ran in DOS mode on
the Win 98 computer no longer function on the Win XP one.
The support page for one of the programs mentioned that
the program was designed to run under "true" MS-DOS,
something that Win XP apparently lacks. I wanted to know
if it's possible to obtain and install (without
compromising the rest of the system) some form of MS-DOS
that would allow me to run the DOS-mode programs.

Anyone that can help me, it would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks for reading this!

-Andrew

 

[E McCann]

XP, like all NT-family OSes, has no DOS. It does have a command prompt, but
that's something different.

Search past posts in the ms.public.windowsxp.games or microsoft.public.games
newsgroups for solutions (such as DOSBox.)

 

[S.Sengupta]

Hi,
There is no "dos" inside of XP,
there is a command prompt window (START>ALL PROGRAMS>ACCESSORIES menu)
which will enable you to run character-based programs.
regards,
ssg MS-MVP
pronetworks.org

 

[Tom Lake]

I wanted to know

if it's possible to obtain and install (without
compromising the rest of the system) some form of MS-DOS
that would allow me to run the DOS-mode programs.

I use DOSBox under XP Pro to run just about all DOS programs. It's freeware
and is available here:

http://dosbox.sourceforge.net/information.php

Tom Lake

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

In

My new computer runs Windows XP and my old computer ran
Win 98. Certain of the programs that ran in DOS mode on
the Win 98 computer no longer function on the Win XP one.
The support page for one of the programs mentioned that
the program was designed to run under "true" MS-DOS,
something that Win XP apparently lacks.

That's correct. Not only Windows XP, but all members of Windows
NT family lack true MS-DOS. Although you may see this as a
disadvantage, be aware that much of XP's greater stability over
98 is because it's not built on DOS.

I wanted to know
if it's possible to obtain and install (without
compromising the rest of the system) some form of MS-DOS
that would allow me to run the DOS-mode programs.

No. Unless these programs run under XP's DOS emulation, your only
alternatives are the following:

1. Boot from a diskette and run the programs (however if your
hard drive is NTFS, they wont be able to access it unless you
have a third-party program that provides this support, such as
NTFSDOS).

2. Dual boot to DOS or Windows 98 (same NTFS problem as above).

3. Uninstall Windows XP and install Windows 98 instead.

4. Get newer Windows versions of these programs.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

There is no way to reboot a WinXP PC into Real Mode DOS unless
you've set up a dual-boot system. The WinNT family of 32-bit
graphical operating systems, of which WinXP is the latest generation,
has never used or included MS-DOS. The closest they have is the
Command Prompt window.

WinXP, like its predecessors WinNT & Win2K, is a pure 32-bit GUI
OS, and does not include or "ride upon" any version of DOS, as did
Win3.x & Win9x/Me. WinXP does include a command-line emulator for
those times when GUI applets are unnecessary/redundant, but it cannot
be started in "DOS mode."


Bruce Chambers

--
Help us help you:




You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. -- RAH

 

[Brian Coats]

That program does not work verry well. It needs improvement.

 

[R. McCarty]

Use Microsoft's "Virtual PC" software. With it you can create
virtual PC's within XP that can run any number of Operating
Systems. Microsoft offers the software for a free 45-day trial.
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...8c-3e10-4c54-bcd5-adc1e780715f&DisplayLang=en
You just need the original install disks for whatever O/S you
want to run in a Virtual PC.

I actually loaded all my old O/S's into VPC's. It's fun to load
up say Windows for Workgroups and revisit OS's that we used
just a few years ago.

 

[Jim Carlock]

DOS is DOS.

The only thing lacking in the DOS that comes with XP is
that there true hardware calls go through another layer and
tend to break XP. Which DOS program are you refering
to?

Windows still rides upon DOS Interrupts and many of those
DOS Interrupts, ie Int 21 calls still work in the same fashion
that they used to. If you indicated what the name of the
program is that you are having problems with or what it does
specifically someone might be able to provide better
comments about your specific program. Most folks here
seem to jump on the band wagon that DOS does not exist.

That is a fallicy because unless the program is doing direct
hardware manipulation, the program should run okay.

DOS is alive and well and to prove it:

debug test.com

create a text document called: test.asm, copy and paste the
following into it.


n test.com
rcx
11b
a 100
mov ah, 9
mov dx, 109
int 21
int 20
db 'This is a test.$',0A,0D
w
q


'--> You will need to make sure there is a blank line after the q

A copy of the text document is available here:
http://www.microcosmotalk.com/tech/asm/test.asm

Next you'll need to open a DOS prompt and go to the folder
where the file was downloaded.

Then type the following in at the DOS prompt.

debug < test.asm

This will create a file called test.com. Type:

test

at the DOS prompt and you'll notice you've created your
first Assembly Language program.

It is 100% DOS and nothing but DOS. It doesn't do any
direct hardware calls, but DOS is alive and well. Most
NT utility program are DOS programs. To deny the fact
that DOS lives is a mistake.

Examples of DOS utilities:

xcopy32.mod
tracert
ping
ntdsutil
dir
copy
help
type

Hope this helps.

--
Jim Carlock
http://www.microcosmotalk.com/
Post replies to the newsgroup.


I would just like to know if anyone can answer this
question I've been dealing with.

My new computer runs Windows XP and my old computer ran
Win 98. Certain of the programs that ran in DOS mode on
the Win 98 computer no longer function on the Win XP one.
The support page for one of the programs mentioned that
the program was designed to run under "true" MS-DOS,
something that Win XP apparently lacks. I wanted to know
if it's possible to obtain and install (without
compromising the rest of the system) some form of MS-DOS
that would allow me to run the DOS-mode programs.

Anyone that can help me, it would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks for reading this!

-Andrew

 

[Tom Lake]

That program does not work verry well. It needs improvement.

It runs everything I have (250+ games) smoothly. Most of them won't run in
XP at all without DOSBox or if they do run, they're missing sound or run
erratically.

Tom Lake