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[jack07]

Let me get this clear.

I understand that DosBox is made for playing Dos games and is far more flexible and compatible than old operating systems for that matter. But it doesn't offer an option to save the game, which can be done with Virtual Machines. We all know that.

Now, I simply want to figure out the best and most appropriate way to play and save the games under Virtual machine. If you can provide some helpful advice please do, but I don't see the point in arguing, teasing or contradicting to everything that is not DosBox.

So, lets take a look at the possible solutions:
Emulating Windows XP seems too biger deal just for playing a small (1MB) game. OK, that's why I tried to use MS-DOS, as arete suggested. Unfortunately, there is a problem with resizing the window. But maybe some of you knows for a better solution (maybe even other OS or VM) that will get the job done. So let's hear it.

[The Fifth Horseman]

VMWare, QEmu, Bochs?

[dosraider]

Originally Posted by jack07

Now, I simply want to figure out the best and most appropriate way to play and save the games under Virtual machine. If you can provide some helpful advice please do, but I don't see the point in arguing, teasing or contradicting to everything that is not DosBox.

Let's call a duck a duck, shall we?
What you really want is a cheat machine that runs as easily as dosbox with resizeable window but also you need a 'save state'.

Solution:
If you have a nice compy with enough muscle:
-> Install VPC -(you've already done that)-
-> Run XP in VPC -(you've already done that)-
-> Install dosbox in VPC/XP

-> you get resizeable window and save state.

BTW, it's not a joke, it works.

Of course as said: you will need enough compy muscle, but on a modern system with enough RAM it works.

[hunvagy]

Originally Posted by jack07

Now, I simply want to figure out the best and most appropriate way to play and save the games under Virtual machine. If you can provide some helpful advice please do, but I don't see the point in arguing, teasing or contradicting to everything that is not DosBox.

First off tghe most appropriate way is to play it like it was intended to play. As in use the in game save function, use the password system, or just try and get trough it in one session, if neither are available.

Second, nobody is teasing. Just pointing out the difficulties of using real MS-DOS as opposed to DOSBox, which does a lot of things for you. No need to load mouse drivers, CD-ROM drivers, add SET BLASTER lines to your config.sys, noo need to decide if you need XMS, EMS, both or none of the above. No need to shove everything up to the UMB to have enough conventional memory to run things. And it also supports VESA modes for SVGA and all older machines and graphic modes. If you use the VPC, you have to do most of it yourself, AND find yourself with the problems of no resizing, not working, not running, not running smoothly etc. Plus you need fair knowledge of all the things I mentioned, and not just "copy CD to HDD" and expect it to run flawlessly. And you know what, all this hassle just to have save states is overkill, and UTTERLY USELESS. It may be fun to do, if you are the masochistic kind, but I for the record are happy we have DOSBox and the easy solutions it offers. I did spend enough time tinkering around with real DOS, and I fscked up my configuration quite a few times, and had my fare share of WTFs. So yes, I still fail to see the point at all this, just to be lazy and make snapshots in game.

[jack07]

Originally Posted by dosraider

you will need enough compy muscle

Yeah I thought of this solution and I'll probably go with it.

How much RAM should I determine for the Virtual machine running Windows XP and Dosbox? Also, how many MB of disc space would such Virtual machine require?

I intend to use this VM on more than one computer, that's why I want to find out appropriate settings. And I also want to include the info in the guide (in the first post).

Originally Posted by hunvagy

And you know what, all this hassle just to have save states is overkill, and UTTERLY USELESS.

You're probably right. It would probably take me for ever to set up a MS-DOS based VM that will run every single DOS game. But I believe many older DOS games will work on VM with MS-DOS installed - without any additional settings.

Setting up such system is pretty easy: you install MS-DOS in VPC, install VPC04 additions, mount folder with the game as a CD and choose to run VPC in 640x480 screen resolution. The whole set-up process takes up only 5 minutes - and you've got save states in full screen.

I say it's worth to take 5 minutes and try if your game works directly in MS-DOS before setting up Windows XP with DosBox. I would only use the latter option for the games that don't work in MS-DOS.

[dosraider]

Originally Posted by jack07

How much RAM should I determine for the Virtual machine running Windows XP and Dosbox?

Dumb questionx1, depends of the hardware and the amount of mem the host PC has.

Originally Posted by jack07

Also, how many MB of disc space would such Virtual machine require?

Dumb questionx2, as you don't need a fixed size VHD

Originally Posted by jack07

I intend to use this VM on more than one computer, that's why I want to find out appropriate settings. And I also want to include the info in the guide (in the first post).

Dumb questionx3, see dumb questionx1


And you missed some really interesting options in your VPC euuurgghhhh *manual*
To name only one of many: shared folders between guest/host.....just saying, look it up.

Do you really want to call that a manual.....? Really really?

That's a manual:
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/virtual_pc_g...irtual-pc.aspx

[jack07]

Originally Posted by dosraider

Dumb question

Well, your attitude isn't helping - that's for sure.

I'm asking about the minimum amount of RAM that will provide proper gaming experience for DOS games. I read that WinXP requirements are 128 MB RAM and 1.5 GB HDD, but would VM with such specifications run the Dosbox with dos games smoothly? Sure, I can set up as high as my host PC allows me but as I said I want to create a VM that will work well on other computers, which don't have high amount of RAM.

And about the guide - I'm happy to improve it anytime someone post a useful suggestion. Maybe I'll include shared folders. I believe many people can find it useful - but I see it irritates you. Ah, well...

[dosraider]

Irritating me...? Nope, not at all.
You're as a baby that barely can walk and now wants to learn peeps how to run a marathon....... you'll need to learn a lot more my friend, a lot.

About something else, now suddenly you popup with the idea of portability .......
Then it's not VPC you need, -( let us say it wouldn't be my idea, it's far from ideal to use VPC with portability in mind.........)-,

If portability is your goal you should better use VirtualBox (there is a portable edition of Vbox) or VMWare (you only need VMplayer once you have the VM created).
Both fully support XP as guest.

Originally Posted by jack07

I'm asking about the minimum amount of RAM that will provide proper gaming experience for DOS games. I read that WinXP requirements are 128 MB RAM and 1.5 GB HDD, but would VM with such specifications run the Dosbox with dos games smoothly?

And you can not try things out for yourself because ....???????????

[hunvagy]

Sooo, making a VPC with DOS is one thing, but.. Making one with XP and DOSBox, now that's really something. The RAM you give the VM is really not the issue, but computing power is. Seeing as DOSBox need a lot. So you create a VPC, which already eats up system resources, put an XP on it, which again consumes resources, and run a DOSBox in the XP in the VPC... You know, you might create something that kills a modern computer faster then the Crysis engine. Well done!

[dosraider]

In fact the impact is much lesser then that completely worthless crappy for crying out loud idiotic Crysis game.
Keep in mind we're talking virtualization here, not emulation, means that the guest uses , or 'almost' can use, the full CPU power of the host PC.

Read:
if you have a quad core, the VM guest OS will see and run on a quad .....
Keep also in mind that VMs (VPC-VBox-VMWare) lately are optimalized to run XP/Vista/Win7 guest OSs
....... and add some more boring tech blah blah here .....

Bottom line: If your PC can handle that #@#@# Crysis swell, it will have no problem with a VM running XP/dosbox.

Still remains the fact that setting up a XP/Dosbox VM for the sole purpose of cheating is kinda arguable.