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[DiabloArcade]

I would like to create my own kind of MS-DOS \ Win95\Win98 gaming PC for some of my classic pc games. I have 2 questions : first of all what would be your main OS out of the one's i have listed.
Of couse im going to duel-boot it with the OS's .
2nd question: here are my specs :
Ram: 365 MB
Processor: Intel Pentium CPU 2ghz
Current OS: Linux Ubuntu
Display: VGA Compatible Controller 82845G\GL
Sound Hardware: Analog Stero Duplex\ALSA plug-in.
And that all I could really find.
Help and input is wanted and appreciated.
(I'm trying to run games like the Duke Nukem 3D , Doom , Quake - and others. Mainly games released in the the same era as the ones listed above)

[The Fifth Horseman]

DOS, with Windows 95 (OSR2 or 2.5, for FAT-32 support) is recommended. (Note: Install DOS 6.2 - don't use the "DOS Mode" of Win95 or 98 instead, that's not the same thing)

Also, you're either kidding me or you have no idea the sort of hardware you're talking about is ridiculously overpowered for what you want to use it for (and contrary to some opinions, more power isn't always better - especially not when we're talking about DOS software).

Ram: 365 MB

DOS won't support more than 64 MB of RAM to begin with. Some games may actually refuse to operate when you have more than a certain amount of RAM (Space Hulk, for instance, accepts 16 MB at most).
Windows 95 requires 4 MB at minimum, and at least 8 is preferable.
16 MB is plenty enough for most of the games from the era you're talking about.

Processor: Intel Pentium CPU 2ghz

Whatever motherboard you've got that in, chances are there will be no suitable Windows 95 (perhaps not even 98) drivers. If you want to have proper drivers for Windows 95, your hardware should not be newer than 2002 or so (and that's pushing it). For Windows 98, the limit is 2005/6.
Further. Certain DOS titles depended on CPU for timing. You may find out certain 1993 and 1994 games (or just certain parts of them) refuse to run or run unplayably fast, and a 2 gHz CPU can't be accurately slowed down with Mo'Slo. A 100 mHz Pentium or 486 processor is good enough. A 200 mHz Pentium II is pushing it.

[Scatty]

That machine won't do for the old Dos games. It's great for Windows XP and games around 2002-2003, but a PC that should run oldies needs only a hundreth of the 2Ghz or they will be as fast as light speed, making most of them unplayable. Not talking about sound card which shouldn't have any Soundblaster compatibility in Dos, neither will the graphics card allow any higher resolutions than 320x200 for the Dos games.

A more or less ideal PC for classic Dos games would be looking like this:
Processor: Intel Pentium (one) CPU with 75/100/166 MhZ
RAM: no more than 64 MB, even 32MB will be already perfect.
OS: Windows 95 + Ms-Dos, Windows 98 SE will also do well instead of 95
Display: 1-2MB RAM card from Cirrus Logic / Tseng Labs ET-4000 or ET-3000 / S3 / ATI VGA Wonder XL as few examples (an old program called Univbe will provide support for high-resolution modes for games with those cards, it can be downloaded here for example - link).
Soundcard: Soundblaster 16 / Soundblaster PRO / Pro Audio Spectrum for good compatibility with every game. Soundblaster Live! will do also, since it provides on its driver CD compatibility drivers for DOS.

[DiabloArcade]

Originally Posted by Scatty

That machine won't do for the old Dos games. It's great for Windows XP and games around 2002-2003, but a PC that should run oldies needs only a hundreth of the 2Ghz or they will be as fast as light speed, making most of them unplayable. Not talking about sound card which shouldn't have any Soundblaster compatibility in Dos, neither will the graphics card allow any higher resolutions than 320x200 for the Dos games.

A more or less ideal PC for classic Dos games would be looking like this:
Processor: Intel Pentium (one) CPU with 75/100/166 MhZ
RAM: no more than 64 MB, even 32MB will be already perfect.
OS: Windows 95 + Ms-Dos, Windows 98 SE will also do well instead of 95
Display: 1-2MB RAM card from Cirrus Logic / Tseng Labs ET-4000 or ET-3000 / S3 / ATI VGA Wonder XL as few examples (an old program called Univbe will provide support for high-resolution modes for games with those cards, it can be downloaded here for example - link).
Soundcard: Soundblaster 16 / Soundblaster PRO / Pro Audio Spectrum for good compatibility with every game. Soundblaster Live! will do also, since it provides on its driver CD compatibility drivers for DOS.

Thanks for the idea and help . I pretty rookie when it comes to DOS games - I've been out of touch with PC Gaming .

[Expack2]

One more thing I'd add to the list - albeit rare and totally optional - is trying to buy the legendary Roland MT-32 Multi-Timbre Sound Module (read: high-end external soundcard). Why is it so legendary? It's because it provides superior sound on quite a few DOS games - especially old games such as King's Quest IV, Space Quest III, Quest for Glory, and Dune. From what I've read (somebody please correct me if I'm wrong), the MT-32 is succeeded by the General MIDI sound standard around 1995, meaning most games made during or after don't utilize the MT-32 to its full potential - effectively rendering the device obsolete since you can get the same sound on a much cheaper General MIDI soundcard.

If you're interested in buying an MT-32, you can always start on eBay or Google. Also, be sure to read this thread on the Sierra Help Pages forum for information on how to install it.