OT: DOS games under XP?

[Taera]

Hello everyone, i here have a few X-Com games i'd like to play (yeah, random memory trigger...), but they dont seem to work under XP, at least not normally - X-Com and X-Com:TFD just dont start, and X-Com:Apoc has sound issues. Is there a way to run DOS games on XP without those issues?

EDIT: Do you think XP doesnt like the competition for the running X?

[ December 23, 2003, 20:24: Message edited by: Taera ]

[David E. Gervais]

There is a good 386 emulation software called DOSBox..

DOSBox link

I tried it on some older games I have like Lands of Lore and Dune2 and it worked well.

It is worth a shot if nobody else has a better solution.

Cheers!

P.S. in their screenshot section they show X-Com Terror from the deep. so I guess it will work.

[ December 23, 2003, 20:47: Message edited by: David E. Gervais ]

[Taz-in-Space]

I can testify that Dosbox WILL run X-com I and II.
Xcom Apocalopse will run slowly though unless you have a really fast processor.

[Phoenix-D]

X-com has a windows Version available, and with a few tweaks that Version will run in XP. You just need to disable DirectX.

Find that Version, then start->run->type dixdiag->Display tab->disable DirectDraw acceleration.

When you're done, change it back. You don't have to reboot, and don't worry about downloading the windows Version; its easy enough to find and if you already have the DOS Version you're on good ground..even ignoring the fact that it was sent out in magazine CDs for free years ago.

[Kamog]

I didn't know that there is a DOS emulation program out there. I use Windows XP at work and some of the old programs that used to work under Windows 98 don't work anymore, so I'll have to try DOSBox. Thanks for the info, David.

[ace joh]

I don't think xcom3 was able to run in dosbox... You'll have to get VDMSound for the sound issues and download a few fixes from here : www.xcomufo.com
for more problems you can also check out the forums over there
Phoenix-D : there also is a fix for the CE Version that will disable/enable directdraw automatically for you when you run xcom. Makes life easier

[ December 24, 2003, 10:45: Message edited by: ace joh ]

[se5a]

cool! I wonder if it will run the old Xwing...

[se5a]

yup, that works..
anyone remember how to change the powerlevels going to engines, lasers, and shields?

[Phoenix-D]

Right, but my fix always works. The CE Version at least on this system doesn't.

[ace joh]

I mean : there's an unofficial patch that will do what you are doing automatically so you don't have to manually disable and later enable directdraw. It always works