Tips for running DOS software in DosBox
Posted: Tue 26 Feb , 2013 16:43 pm
Have finally had a go at using DosBOX to run some of our old software.
It's fairly straightforward but thought I'd put some notes here as a reminder:
To get the old DOS software running on XP try this:
1. Copy the contents of the old floppy disk into a folder,eg c:\dosprogs
2. Download and install DosBox from http://www.dosbox.com
3. Run DosBox and you should see a Z:\> prompt
4. Type mount c: c:\dosprogs in order to get access to the old programs
5. Type c: and [ENTER]
6. Type the name of the old .exe file (eg fanucmd) to run the old software
7. Hit [ALT]+[ENTER] to make DosBox toggle between fullscreen and windowed
8. Type intro from the DOS command prompt to view other useful shortcuts and settings (eg [CTRL]+[F4] will (I think) refresh the directories if you’ve added stuff to them from windows.
TIP - to automatically get DosBox to do things when it starts, find the file
dosbox-0.74.conf (where 0.74 will vary according to the version you downloaded)
On my system is was located here C:\Documents and Settings\USERNAME\Local Settings\Application Data\DOSBox
On this in a text editor and find [autoexec], under that line add your startup commands eg:
mount c: c:\dos
c:
Here it is running the industrial text editor
(I had to run from indedit.bat not editor.exe)
It's fairly straightforward but thought I'd put some notes here as a reminder:
To get the old DOS software running on XP try this:
1. Copy the contents of the old floppy disk into a folder,eg c:\dosprogs
2. Download and install DosBox from http://www.dosbox.com
3. Run DosBox and you should see a Z:\> prompt
4. Type mount c: c:\dosprogs in order to get access to the old programs
5. Type c: and [ENTER]
6. Type the name of the old .exe file (eg fanucmd) to run the old software
7. Hit [ALT]+[ENTER] to make DosBox toggle between fullscreen and windowed
8. Type intro from the DOS command prompt to view other useful shortcuts and settings (eg [CTRL]+[F4] will (I think) refresh the directories if you’ve added stuff to them from windows.
TIP - to automatically get DosBox to do things when it starts, find the file
dosbox-0.74.conf (where 0.74 will vary according to the version you downloaded)
On my system is was located here C:\Documents and Settings\USERNAME\Local Settings\Application Data\DOSBox
On this in a text editor and find [autoexec], under that line add your startup commands eg:
mount c: c:\dos
c:
Here it is running the industrial text editor
(I had to run from indedit.bat not editor.exe)