:ranting: Right now im getting really angry.

Why is it that a modern pc seems unable to run the most basic of progams.I have windows XP(unlucky me it seems LOL

Surely there has to be a simple solution to solve this issue.I have tried using dos box to no avail.Surely windows should be able to identify what is DOS and what is NOT.Seems like a should just bin my computer and by an old old old old pc with 3.1 operating system and hey no issues.

Come on then computer gurus, answer me this question? why do some dos programs run quite happily and others NOT but they are the same(or are they not??????)

eg EYE OF THE BEHOLDER SERIES (will NOT run)
but BETRAYAL OF KRONDOR WILL.

Also i downloaded Champions of Krynn and the game initialises then when you try to save character i get unexpected error unable to save??????????

HELP ME PLEEEEEEAAASSSEEEEE
NEIL

This is because Windows 2000 and XP are based on NT architecture, as opposed to DOS architecture.
Altough XP has a sort of built-in DOS emulation, it is hardly ever sufficient to run games.
That's why we use emulators - like DosBox or VdmSound - or build low-tech machines running in DOS (or, DOS/9x combo, which is a little more functional).
There are no two programs that "are the same", and when we're talking about DOS-based games this is especially important. While a few games will run happily in what substitute for DOS enviroment XP provides, most will need more complex emulation, with a select few refusing to operate in emulated enviroment at all (that's why some of us build low-class machines to play games).

The thing is:
New computers = for WinXP & modern games.
Low-tech machines = for DOS + Win98 and classic games.

Thanks for that but then why are games (some of which are posted on this site) which are said to be xp compatible not run when you try install them.????

I understand the principal of running modern games on modern pc what i dont understand is why the programmers didnt allow for older games to be played.Thus keeping the status quo.

Oh and dosbox is a nightmare to work on XP as well. :ranting: Dont you think that its about time someone came up with a solution to this issue.Modern pc owners LIKE playing old games as well.

Anybody out there with any suggestions im all ears. LOL

Are you quite sure? I find DOSBox extremely easy to use, actually, and I'm anything but computer-savy. Have you given it a try yet?

What if you simply try playing them???
Most of the games on the site (in fact almost all of them) are pre-instaled. In fact the instalation itself may cause them to stop working!

And about DOSBox - it's easy enough (and there are shortcuts to it as well, that make it even easier).

Read this:
http://www.abandonia.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=5783
and this:
http://www.abandonia.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=5684

One of the main issues is that in the DOS days software was allowed to 'talk' directly to hardware (such as your soundcard) by just using it's interrupt (which is also why this it was so important you didn't have any conflicts there). Windows uses something called a Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL) that allows software only virtual access to the hardware. This seriously prevents crashing, but also disallows DOS software to do what they want to do.
Another thing is memory. A lot of dos programs run in protected mode to access the memory above the first 640k (if i'm not mistaken). Modern OS'es have more advanced memory management then DOS had (or at least different MM) and won't allow programs to access the direct mode.

Yes. Thats why we invented Dosbox and VDMSound.

If a 13 year old like me can use it without asking for help, you can.

Modern PC can run without problems modern software. Old computers can run without problems old software.

Same programs are called a copy. 2 games are tottaly different programs.

That's what they call "business". You see, their only goal is to make money. I think they managed that part extremely well...

Why would Windows do your own work? It's already stupidly enough user friendly as it is, I would get sick just by looking at it if it would get even worse.

XP have absolutly nothing to do with that. And I hardly ever seen a program as good as DOSBox. It works exactly like I want it to; just like the old DOS days. In other words; DOSBox is the solution.

What make you think an older computer would do better to solve this? It would probably do the same thing in similar situation.

No. There was no simple solution in the DOS days, I see no reason why there would be an easier solution now to run the exactly same programs nowaday. In fact, this is exactly the worse problem we have to face VS newbies; there is no reason why you can't think for yourself how to make something work on a computer. Computers need reasoning and patience as well as knowledge and contacts to work well. If you can't do that, you should not be using a computer in the first place.

I can tell you why you get that error when saving in Champions of Krynn... very simple which everybody trying to run old dos games should remember.... Configuration files... check them and change them if needed. Try copying COK to root of C: so the path should be C:\COK THAT should fix your problem and also if you want to then play the sequel you also place that in the root so you can take your characters from COK and continue with them.
But nothing is simple and DOSBOX rules if you know how to use it... and if you don't well then you can always learn... and D-fend will do a lot for you without too much hassle too.

But... who actually would use a new 3ghz machine with 512 MB graphics card and 2 gigs of RAM to play some old cruddy game that remembers time before the coming of Windows?
That's their logic, at least. Can't say they don't have a point in that, either.

On the contrary, DosBox is quite an awesome program if you know how to use it. If you have any trouble with that one, then maybe try getting a frontend software, like DFend. Can't recommend any particular frontend, though, simply because I'm not using any.