DOS Games Discussion

[dosraider]

**Some restrictions will not apply to your account, it all depends how it has been set up. I've set up a 'standard guest' account to test this, thus I will make this howto about that. Use/apply what suits your needs.**

This is about installing dosbox and running dosgames in Vista Home with a restricted 'standard' account.

Download dosbox@
http://dosbox.sourceforge.net/download.php?main=1

Installing.

First :Install dosbox.
Whoopsy, you will need help from the computer admin to install dosbox:
No need to switch to the admin login, only the passw is needed.

Got the needed help? Ask to install dosbox in:
c:\users\your_name\dosbox-0.72\

This path is important, this is where you can read/write with your standard account.
Done? Nice.No admin access needed anymore from here on, you can do everything on your own standard your_name account.
Give your father a big fat cigar. If he doesn't smoke throw that cigar towards me, THX.

Second whoopsy:
No startmenu items, no desktop shortcut it seems, so let's create a desktop shortcut.
Rightclick on desktop->new->shortcut-> you get a browse window, open:
your_name->dosbox-0.72\dosbox

This will be listed:
your_name->dosbox-0.72\dosbox.exe
->next->name for shortcut->dosbox ->finish.
Yay, a nice dosbox shortcut on your personal desktop.

Doing some extra stuff to run Dosbox easily

You will need a folder that you can use as virtual C: where you have read/writing rights, that must be in users\your_name\

Or: double click on your_name folder on your desktop
Or: startmenu-> your_name

open your_name folder->rightclick->new->'folder', alter name in dosgames.
This is what you must have:
c:\users\your_name\dosgames\

Open dosbox-0.72 folder, look for:
dosbox CONF file, double click on it, open with notepad.
Scroll down to bottom, you will see:
[autoexec]
#Lines in this section will be run at startup


Add:

mount c c:\users\your_name\dosgames
c:



IMPORTANT REMARK:
If you username has spaces you must use quotes.
Example: your name MUST be mounted as:

mount c "c:\users\your name\dosgames"
c:


Save and exit.
Double click on your desktop dosbox shortcut, tadaaaaaaaaaaaaa:


If you don't see somthing similar or get an error message:
You screwed up somewhere.
No panic, check everything and correct your mistake.
Will work fine.




*****************************************************************
Don't ask how to counter the restrictions of your standard restricted Vista account.
We will NOT help you hack your father's PC.
*****************************************************************


*Edit
Altered some folders to work easier.
c:\users\your_name\dosbox-0.72\dosgames
changed to
c:\users\your_name\dosgames
Avoids problems if dosbox is upgraded to 0.73 or higher.

[Dogbreath]

lol, disrader, I typr in 'your name' but it duzn't wurk!!!!

Great guide for all those who will have to suffer under the evil of Vista. Now we'll have a link to throw at all the n00bs.

[dosraider]

Of course, DB, you n00b, you can't use your_name you must use my_name.


Highest time to play some game: installing running/games

From here on it's simple: same rules apply as for XP-dosbox.
With that setup you can fully use Dosbox on your restricted 'standard' Vista account.

Lets download/install/run Commander Keen 4 as tryout.( Always loved that one).

Download commander Keen4 from:
http://dosgames.com
Save the file in \your_name\downloads
(that's the standard folder for downloads on your account).
The downloaded file is CKEEN4.ZIP, double click on it (or rightclick-extract to) and unzip the 3 files in
c:\users\your_name\dosgames\temp\

Run dosbox, will start in C:
(c:\users\your_name\dosgames\ is mounted as C: at startup, easy isn't it?)

Input at the dosprompt:
cd temp
install
You will get an install screen for C Keen4, alter the install directory (folder) to KEEN4
Let the installer run completely, it will leave you in C:\keen4
Input
keen4e

Here ya go, you can save, load , configure the game at your wish.


Next time you want to play Commander Keen 4:
Run dosbox and input:

cd keen4
keen4e



As your virtual C: is a mounted folder in your own c:\users\your_name\ you will be able to install, run, save, load, configure your dosgames without admin access.

If you want to take screenshots:
CTRL+F5
Will be stored in c:\users\your_name\dosbox-0.72\capture
Simply click on
your_name folder on your desktop ->dosbox-0.72 -> capture.

[dosraider]

Using CDs and ISOs in Vista-Dosbox
The paths are still for people on a restricted account.
I will take for granted that all is done and going swell from the first post.

We're going further now with some more serious stuff.

Let us run Crusader No Regret, the full game.

First from CD:
Run dosbox and input:

mount d x:\ -t cdrom

The x is your real CD drive letter in Vista.

d:
install
You will get an install screen,
Install path c:\regret ? -> Accept.
Digital sound effects? -> YES.
Hit 'AUTODETECT'
Screen with:
SB16/AWE32
Port 0x220
IRQ 7
DMA 5
Keep this settings? -> YES
You should hear a test sound now.-> YES
16 bit color video ? -> YES
-> Large videos
-> continue installation
Let the installer run, will leave you in c:\regret
Input regret to run the game.

To play afterwards using the CD:
Run dosbox and input:

mount d x:\ -t cdrom
cd regret
regret


Now let us use the ISO, so we don't need the CD in the drive.

First create a ISO folder:
c:\users\your_name\dosgames\isos\
Save your crusader iso as:
c:\users\your_name\dosgames\isos\crusader.iso

We will first of all write a batch file now, so that you can easily mount/run the game without having to type the whole commands over and over again.
Run notepad, and input:

imgmount d c:\users\your_name\dosgames\isos\crusader.iso -t iso

Save as c:\users\your_name\dosgames\crusader.bat
!!! IMPORTANT !!!
Look at the picture, you MUST set save as type 'all files' and 'ANSI'.


IMPORTANT REMARK²:
If you have spaces in your name use quotes.

imgmount d "c:\users\your name\dosgames\isos\crusader.iso" -t iso

Run dosbox, input
crusader
This will auto-mount your crusader iso as D CD drive.

Install routine same as for the CD install.

To play afterwards using the ISO:
Run dosbox and input:

crusader
cd regret
regret


And here we go again ..............


*Edit
Altered some folders to work easier.
c:\users\your_name\dosbox-0.72\dosgames
changed to
c:\users\your_name\dosgames

Iso folder becomes
c:\users\your_name\dosgames\isos
Avoids problems if dosbox is upgraded to 0.73 or higher.

[DB A]

small typo
imgmount d "c:\users\your name\dosbox-0.72\isos\crusader.iso -t iso"

Should be
imgmount d "c:\users\your name\dosbox-0.72\isos\crusader.iso" -t iso

[dosraider]

THX again DB A, corrected.

Also:
Altered some folders to work easier.
c:\users\your_name\dosbox-0.72\dosgames
changed to
c:\users\your_name\dosgames
Iso folder becomes
c:\users\your_name\dosgames\isos
Avoids problems if dosbox is upgraded to 0.73 or higher.

Soon in this nuthouse:
Sharing dosbox over several standard restricted accounts in one Vista PC.
Several possibilities to do this, looking what's easiest ànd safest.... so that the restrictions aren't broken.