DOSBox FAQ

Before reading this FAQ, if you didn’t read the Readme.txt then I really, REALLY, recommend that you read it. This file answers a LOT of questions. Besides the Readme, I recommend you take a look at this url:

Also when DOSBox is running, then type in intro at the Z:\ prompt.

The best way to search through the FAQ is to search for keywords, like ASPI, Keyboard, Sound or Z drive. Most of the common questions/answers are in this FAQ, but it isn’t complete, so don’t expect the world from this FAQ.

Throughout the FAQ you'll find links redirecting you to other websites or other Q&A's in this FAQ. If it is a link to another Q&A in this FAQ then the page will scroll to the appropriate Q&A so that it is positioned at the top of your browser window.

You can also use the links below to immediatly scroll to the appropriate section of this FAQ.

  1. DOSBox related
  2. Crash related
  3. Speed related
  4. Drives related
  5. Keyboard & Joypad related
  6. Sound related
  7. Screen related
  8. Game related

DOSBox related

Is DOSBox freeware?
Can I install multiple DOSBox versions on one computer?
Can I install another version of DOSBox without uninstalling the other version of DOSBox?
What is a conf file and how do I open it?
I can’t find a dosbox.conf file in the DOSBox directory.
How do I recreate the dosbox.conf file in the DOSBox directory?
Does DosBox have a feature to save the current state of my game?
How can I save my game with DOSBox?
What is a CVS?
How do you install patches?
Does DOSBox support the LPT port?
Does DOSBox support printing?
Does DosBox support PC Booter games?
I have an old “Device” like a Joypad, floppy-drive or a modem, can I use it in DOSBox?
Can DOSBox alter my system or cause any harm?
Do I have to type the commands everytime I restart DOSBox?
Can I permanently mount DOSBox to a directory?
Isn’t there an application so that I can use DOSBox in a Windows style environment?
Drag and dropping files to DOSBox is possible BUT …
How do I let DOSBox exit when the game stops?
-exit commandline parameter doesn’t work?
Any way to make DOSBox run games directly and auto-close afterwards?
Disabling the console window in Windows?
Where can I download the Games on the DOSBox site?
Computer reboots without warning
DOSBox crashes my system/Windows
DOSBox vanishes when locking windows console? (ctrl-alt-del -> lock computer)
My mouse gets stuck to the DOSBox window,
Unlock/Lock Mouse in DOSbox
Whenever I move the mouse, it travels towards the lower right corner of the screen, regardless of which direction I move the mouse. I use a SUSE system
I’m getting a message, "Load error: no DPMI - Get csdpmi*.zip"
"This is a windows 95 executable."
"This program must be run under win32"
"This program must be run under Microsoft Windows"
"This program requires Microsoft Windows"
"This program could not be run in dos mode"
“Illegal command: win”
What does "out of memory! try unloading some of your TSR's" mean?
I get a message : “Not enough memory for 16 color version. Release TSRs and retry.”
Exit to error: "Protected mode not supported"
Game crashes without warning, or game reports on an unknown error.
Unable to open file
Error : “File Creation Failed”
"Can't init SDL Unable to open mouse" in a Linux environment,
Game crashes with the error : "not enough memory"
Himem.sys reports no extend memory found.
Can I change the files variable or something in affect inside DOSBox?
Can Config.sys and Autoexec.bat be altered?
ANSI.sys not fully supported?
Can’t play the recorded video/movie capture.
Dosbox and Windows 95 or 98
When I run some games in DosBox I receive this error message: "EMS driver is not VCPI compliant".
I’m getting an error "Illegal opcode",
“Exit to Error: CALL: descriptor type XX unsupported”
I’m getting nothing but ring messages like “RX add R”
I’m getting a constant ringing sound.
I’m getting a warning of my firewall that DOSBox is trying to acces the internet?
Why is DOSBox trying to Telnet?
I'm getting an error "Runtime error 008".
Can PIF files be run/used in DOSBox?
16-bit subsystem error "Your system is not suitable for running 16-bit apps"

Crash related

DOSBox crashes when starting it.
The game was running, but suddenly crashes.
While switching between fullscreen and windowed mode DOSBox crashes.
Fatal signal: Segmentation Fault (SDL Parachute Deployed)
DOSBox crashes every run and I’m not able to see anything.

Speed related

Game runs slow
The graphics stutter.
How can I make DosBox run faster?
I can not pass the 50% cpu usage in XP with a dualcore
Why is DOSBox so slow?
What is the relation between the cycles and my computers processing power, so that I can configure DOSBox to become a computer with xx MHz?

Drives related

After mounting my CD-Rom and starting the game’s installer I got an error that it couldn’t create a directory?
What is this Z drive
Where are my drives, my drives don’t exist.
cd C:\ doesn’t work what is the deal?
I can’t change Z:\ to C:\
When I try to do the "cd" command like: cd games it always says: Unable to change to: games
I mounted everything right, but I can’t change the directory…
I can’t use directories with names longer then 8 characters.
What is this “~1” thingy?
Doesn’t DOSBox support long filenames?
I cannot see the new just-copied/created files in DOSBox.
How to swap a CD-Rom in my drive. I don’t see anything changed for my first CD-Rom.
Can’t I mount more then one boot image?
How to swap virtual disks in DosBox?
Game can’t find my CD-Rom although it is inserted.
My mounted harddrive has only 105MB, even though I’ve have plenty more space on the harddrive.
MSCDEX not found?
"Error initialising mscdex.exe"
“MSCDEX: Failure: Drive-letters of multiple CDRom-drives have to be continuous.”

Keyboard/Joypad related

My keyboard is AZERTY, but I’m getting QUERTY in DOSBox
I can’t type \ but I can type /. Where has this key gone to?
I can’t type a backslash.
I can’t type a ‘:’?
DOSBox does not detect my USB Joypad.
I can use only 2 buttons of my 12 button or 32 button Joypad what is up with that?
6 Button Gamepad Supprt?
Can I set a key combination to my joypad buttons?
None of the ctrl+f combinations work.
My keyboard isn’t working at all in DOSBox,
When pressing MAY/SHIFT key a '1' appears.
How do you turn off the Ctrl-<function> keys?
Keyboard seems to work inconsistently in particular with keyboard combos like CTRL-L.

Sound related

How do you activate VDMS sound once DOSBox is loaded?
When I run DOSBox in VDMS it crashes.
My sound stutters/hangs.
The sound "skips".
I have no sound at all.
The sound is garbled or bad.
Using a real MT-32 with DOSBox
MIXER:Can't open audio: DirectSoundCreate: Invalid parameter , running in nosound mode.

Screen related

How do I run DOSBox in fullscreen?
When I try to run dosbox in fullscreen, I get fullscreen, but rotated.
DOSBox in fullscreen looks blurred.
The game (sometimes or always) shows black bars at the top/bottom/left or right.
The game (sometimes or always) is cut off at the top/bottom/left or right.
Small screen in fullscreen dosbox
On execution of DosBox I receive this error message: "Exit to error: an unsupported feature"
Or DOSBox crashes when in fullscreen mode.
SDL:You are running in 24 bpp mode, this will slow down things!
DOSBox shows a black screen when in fullscreen
I don't get any picture at all. The screen goes to sleep mode or makes funny noises.
I get an "Out of range; Sync. Out of Range; Refresh Rate not supported.; Mode not supported" error on my screen
The DOSBox.window is blinking,
Everytime I switch from windowed to full screen mode my screen gets messed up.
When in fullscreen I always lose a part of my output screen. It is shifted outside the visual range of my monitor.
I want to make the DosBox window bigger.
How can I resize the DOSBox window?
Multi monitor problem: on 2nd monitor app runs slow or crashes?
My screen looks squished, like a widescreen.
Getting inverted colors in 16-color games
After a time the colors of DOSBox get screwy, Blue turns out gray, yellow gets black and so on
Every minute or so, the colors suddenly flash to like 8 colors
Sudden color change while playing?
"SDL lock failed"
On execution of DosBox I receive this error message: "Failed to create a rendering output!"
Small color palette problem.
When switching between DOSBox and the Windows Desktop then colors are altered.
“SDL: Can't set palette”
No EGA machine mode?
Problems with brightness.
“D3d error : Cannot lock texture.”
"Failed to create ddraw surface, back to normal surface."

Game related

Check and see if you’re using the latest version of DOSBox. The current version of DosBox as of 05/21/2007 is 0.70. See the DOSBox news page.
All games are alphabetically sorted.

Aces over Europe

The sound is horrible, it squeaks.

Alone in the Dark 1 & 2

I can't get my character to run fast.

Amberstar

Error of installer : V1.3 D:5 L:0 Need HD !!

Ascendancy

I’m getting an annoying “ding” sound every time I click with the mouse.

Atlantis The Lost Tales (4 CDs)

The mouse doesn't work.

Bandit Kings of Ancient China

When I run the game it is just black and white and I can't get any colour and I don't know how.

Battle Isle 2

When I want to start the game, it starts, but then I get back to the screen, where I typed battle2.exe

Betrayal at Krondor

Betrayal at Krondor hangs at the loading screen.

Bridge Deluxe II

"Cannot render?" Cant get DOS32A to work..."cannot find paths error" …

Champions of Krynn

Whenever I attempt to create / save characters, I'm prompted with a "put save disk in a:" message.

Championship Manager 2

“Can not find Laserlok cd_rom in any drive.”

Chaos Engine

My keyboard doesn’t work.

Command and Conquer

I can’t use the CTRL-Number key to assign troops to a number, because it is used by DOSBox.

Corporation (Core Design'91)

Buffer Overflow

Dark Sun 1

I can’t get sound to work with SoundBlaster or Gravis Ultrasound.
Buffer Overflow

DiscWorld

"Discworld cannot locate the Discworld CD"
Can’t save my game, the save disappears.

DOOM

Game mode indeterminate

Eye of the beholder II

Moving around using my 7,8,9 on the numeric keyboard for easier search and movement ingame. The problem is that when I move to fast around with 9 (turn right) then it stops reacting and only works once in a while.

Fable

Disc doesn´t exist error.

Flight of the Amazon Queen

No Sound even when sound setup worked perfectly.
Randomly crashes.

Flight Unlimited

I'm getting continuesly "illegal read from...".

Gameblaster

If you're having trouble getting it to work.

Gann Trader

Application Gann Trader (graphical) that run under DOS cannot run on a resolution higher than 640x480 (the base resolution) under XP nor under DOSBox.

Genewars

During missions all graphics are distorted.
The game won't start and gives errors like "Illegal read ...".
The game shows only a black screen.

In Search Of The Most Amazing Thing

You get a BASIC error
( 5800 P=8:GOSUB 5280:LOCATE 1,9:FOR XX= 1 TO LEN(B$):A$=MID$(B$,XX,1):IF A$=";" THEN A$="":GOSUB 5818:FOR TIMER= 1 TO 2400:NEXT:LOCATE 1,6:PRINT"30 SPACEBAR SPACES";:FOR TIMER= 1 TO 150:NEXT:LOCATE 1,9 )

James Bond: The Stealth Affair

There is a lot of flickering while running this game.

Jutland

I cannot get the game menu screen to activate, the manual says to press the spacebar or mouse button, but this has no effect.

Kyrandia 2 (The Hand of Fate)

"Lib error 3" message occurs after clicking on "Start a new game"

Leisure Suit Larry VI

The mouse doesn't work.

Lemmings

I’m only getting sound out of one of my speakers?
Sound doesn’t work.
It sometimes freezes when in fullscreen mode.

Mario is Missing

The keyboard isn't working.

Master of Magic

I got the error at the dos prompt: “Could not find cd volume mpsmagic._cd”.
I got the error at the dos prompt: “SNDDRV.LBX [entry 2] cound not be found.”.

MegaRace

I’m getting when installing MegaRace: “Error while creating file: …\dune$$$$.$$$ refused acces”

NBA Jam

When starting a game through the game’s menu pressing PLAY or START GAME I get a black screen.

Pinball Fantasies

No sound, sound blaster doesn’t get detected.

Pinball Magic

The game won’t start or crashes or reports on files not found.

Prince of Persia

Command line switches for selecting video modes
  1. HERCULES
  2. CGA
  3. EGA
  4. TANDY
  5. MCGA/VGA
Command line switches for selecting sound:

Quest for Glory IV

Text flies by very fast
If I enable ANY sound options (Sound Blaster, midi, etc) from the install.exe setup program the game crashes with the error "Error number: 29 ..\audio.cpp:1167:0:0" and it will not launch.

Return of the Phantom

"The game needs 0 bytes of disk space. You only have 0 bytes available".

Screamer 2

How to start the game.

SIERRA Games

Tandy sound in Sierra's AGI games (ie KQ1, KQ2, KQ3, SQ1, SQ2, etc ... )
Sound problems,

Sim City

"out of memory! try unloading some of your TSR's"

Space Crusade

The mouse won't work/lock.

Space Marines

Graphics glitches in the mouse cursor or screen.

Star Trek: Final Unity

CD-ROM drive isn't fast enough

Stonekeep

Error : "config.sys needs to be edited with FILES=15"

Terminator 2: Judgment Day - The Arcade Game

Error : "Not enough memory"

Terminator: SkyNET

The game starts up with an error "Error: SysInit (Couldn't open archive)."

The Elder Scrolls Arena 2 : Daggerfall

The game starts up and runs OK with graphics and sound/music. I can do character creation and then view the two intro animations (the book and the meeting with the emperor)... then it goes to a black screen and just hangs there.

Theme Hospital

I get a heap allocation failure (reason code: 2) when trying to run.

Third Reich

“Can not find Laserlok cd_rom in any drive.”

TIE Fighter CD Edition

Can’t get the game to recognize my CD-Rom.
When I try to run the tie fighter in the DOSBox, it doesn't work and tells me this message :
"Using 2000K of EMS will add more music and speech set FILES=30 in your config.sys" …

Titus the Fox

No Adlib sound

Tomb Raider 1

How do I play Tomb Raider 1 in Glide with a Glide capable CVS of DOSBox?
“CALL:Descriptor 12 unsupported”
I’m getting a report of an unsupported Dynamic core feature when starting Tomb Raider in Glide.
Tomb Raider has a strange bug, see image.

Transylvania

The top of the screen is corrupted when running the game in pcjr machine mode.

Tyrian 2000

When I exit out of the sound setup after making sure that everything was right for my computer, when I then time type in the game I get an error telling me that certain setup files are missing or damaged, and it cannot run the game.

Ultima Underworld 1 & 2

I don’t have any speech, but i do have music

Ultima V

The numpad doesn't work.

Ultima VII Black Gate

Remove all EMS Memory Managers

Under a Killing Moon

When the game starts it just pops up a window saying "please insert Disk #1 into drive d"

Warcraft II

The game keeps saying my CD-Rom can't be found and I have followed the instructions in the Q&A "Game can’t find my CD-Rom although it is inserted.".

Windows 3.11

“Unsupported expanded-memory driver already installed. Remove the driver from CONFIG.SYS”

Wing Commander 3

The game finds my joystick, calibrates it and when flying only the fire button works. You can't turn left, right, up or down.

Wizardry 7

Every time I try to save the game I get a yellow button that says disc error.

X-Com UFO Defense ( X-Com Enemy Unknown )

The game freezes when starting a mission.

X-Com Terror From the Deep

Sound channels are reversed

Pool of radiance

I'm getting a message "Insert drive X in drive c:"