I guess I should've added that; I did do the Advanced Options and check the Hidden Files and System Folders options. Still didn't turn up. I double-checked after I posted again. This is a clean install of Windows XP Professional (not an upgrade from another version of Windows or anything).

I don't have any monitor programs. I haven't installed anything that I didn't install before. Of course I have temperature monitoring settings in the BIOS and the case is an Antec Sonata where you can plug that one fan into the motherboard to regulate the fan speed. Nothing running on the system that I know.

Nothing quit working as far as I can tell. Almost done dumping most of my 3.5" disks and now I need to go back and get them all installed and running on XP. I'm just glad we managed to get through this. I was ready to reformat and reinstall.

Jetzt mein Komputer ist sehr gut....🤣.

Cush

Could it be to your scanner? Really bad scanner software might use a driver like this.

Not Cush

P.S. For the record, I used AgentRansack for my search (http://www.agentransack.com)
It found pstrip.sys and tvicport.sys, both part of PowerStrip. I guess PowerStrip doesn't interfere with VDMSound? (Anyone?)

I thought about the scanner (because the software that comes with it is questionable), but I definitely hooked it up before the problems started and it was working fine for some time.

I have a couple pieces of hardware for console development (SNES/N64) that transfer data via the parallel port and need DLPORTIO or GIVEIO, but I've never installed either on this system.

Glad we managed to ferret out the problem, but I'm still curious as to how that file got there. Twice. I assume it's not a critical update or someone else would've manifested it. Maybe there's a game that does it? Only games I've installed were games that were on there previously. Perhaps a video codec? I didn't install anything except DivX until after the problem happened.

Just musing here, sorry. I run a pretty clean system; I'm not one of those guys with a whole screen width's worth of taskbar icons and a huge Startup folder (Adobe Gamma Loader is the only one). Anyway, glad I can DOS away!

I plan on making an area of my hard drive (a partition or a folder, whatever) where I just install all the DOS games that allow you to install to a hard drive and configure them to run so I have them all ready to go in one place. Anyone else ever do anything like that? Does it work well? Any problems? Things to consider? I imagine I'll make it FAT32 if I do a separate partition, but do I need to consider size and other things like that?

Cush

Originally posted by Unregistered ...but does this file only lock up VDMSound or does it lock up any attempt to run DOS games?

I'd say, it causes problems "in general".

Originally posted by Unregistered I guess I should've added that; I did do the Advanced Options and check the Hidden Files and System Folders options. Still didn't turn up. I double-checked after I posted again. This is a clean install of Windows XP Professional

Odd. Very odd.

Of course I have temperature monitoring settings in the BIOS and the case is an Antec Sonata where you can plug that one fan into the motherboard to regulate the fan speed. Nothing running on the system that I know.

If you used a "Motherboard Driver CD", it may have installed a monitoring tool automatically.

Nothing quit working as far as I can tell. Almost done dumping most of my 3.5" disks and now I need to go back and get them all installed and running on XP. I'm just glad we managed to get through this. I was ready to reformat and reinstall.

I know you don't want to hear this right now...but I still recommend a dual-boot. According to "Murphy's Law", one of those old games you like will need Win9x to run properly.

Jetzt mein Komputer ist sehr gut....🤣.

Das ist gut zu hören.

Originally posted by Unregistered I have a couple pieces of hardware for console development (SNES/N64) that transfer data via the parallel port and need DLPORTIO or GIVEIO, but I've never installed either on this system.

Yeah. That would definitely interfere. As with this fellow's PSX tool.

Glad we managed to ferret out the problem, but I'm still curious as to how that file got there. Twice.

Check and make sure it hasn't shown up right after you've installed your Motherboard's specialty drivers (VIA 4-in-1, etc...).

I assume it's not a critical update or someone else would've manifested it.

Almost certainly.

Maybe there's a game that does it?

Kind of doubt it.

I plan on making an area of my hard drive (a partition or a folder, whatever) where I just install all the DOS games that allow you to install to a hard drive and configure them to run so I have them all ready to go in one place. Anyone else ever do anything like that?

Been working on it for quite a while.
[B]

Does it work well? Any problems?

I keep having to delete them and install them back later to make space, so I don't exactly have it all laid out just yet.

Once I have space to burn, just about everything will go in an organized structure of directories (IE: don't install anything to the root of your drive. If the installer forces you to do so, move it after the install). Don't let it become like my D: drive.

Once everything is organized, I can set up shortcuts (with keyboard shortcuts for top titles) and place them in the Start Menu. Then, I'm going to archive the Start Menu entries (using a nice menu hierarchy). That way, if I re-install XP, I can just unzip my shortcuts all at once and they will function just as they had before (presuming the games haven't been moved).
[B]

Things to consider? I imagine I'll make it FAT32 if I do a separate partition, but do I need to consider size and other things like that?

Yes, and yes. Some games hate NTFS partitions and will refuse to install there. Also, by making it FAT32, a Win9x OS can access it (including boot floppies).

Be aware that once you pass the 2Gig partition size, you can get some strange reactions from various DOS installers. Some will "freak out" if they don't understand the drive size. I've seen some installers claim that I had negative drive space.

You may have to resort to tricks just to get them to install.

I did use my motherboard's CD, but I used it for the original install as well when everything worked. It's a SiS chipset, plus a couple patches for USB and HyperThreading, then drivers for the onboard peripherals; RAID, sound, LAN. If there's any monitoring software, it's well-hidden; I don't see it in a menu or the process list.

I've got a couple of partitions on this thing I haven't used yet. I may just do a Windows 98 partition or use the existing one on my other computer (98SE/2000Pro dual boot). I was hoping I could get the majority running under XP.

How you describe your programs being set up is precisely what I want to do. I'd like to have something in the Start Menu that'll load a game with all the necessary options/software and run without incident. Maybe I need to make a couple 2gig FAT32 partitions? Wow, I'm going to have a few extra drive letters.

Cush

Originally posted by Unregistered I did use my motherboard's CD, but I used it for the original install as well when everything worked. It's a SiS chipset, plus a couple patches for USB and HyperThreading, then drivers for the onboard peripherals; RAID, sound, LAN. If there's any monitoring software, it's well-hidden; I don't see it in a menu or the process list.

So it sounds like it's off the hook for now...

I've got a couple of partitions on this thing I haven't used yet.

Just remember that Win9x wants the 1st partition on the drive. You may be able to trick it into using a different partition, but doing so is just asking for trouble.

I may just do a Windows 98 partition or use the existing one on my other computer (98SE/2000Pro dual boot).

You probably can do that, but you will probably need a third-party boot-menu program unless you're reinstalling XP.

You can also try hooking up the 2nd drive and letting XP "detect" the Win9x install (using the command-line level tools available from the "Repair" option on the CD). That would make me a little nervous...I've gotten a few "unexpected results" doing that kind of thing...

I was hoping I could get the majority running under XP.

Hope for the best, prepare for the worst. There are some titles that simply will not run on an NT OS. Just about anything that uses VCPI, for example (Privateer, Strike Commander, Pacific Strike, Wing Commander: Armada) isn't going to work without:

1) a source port (like those from DOOM...dream on)
2) "Full PC Emulation"

The 2nd is more likely, and we'll get there eventually, but for many titles, it's just not ready yet.

Win9x gives you a fallback mode, a weapon against Murphy's Law.

I'd like to have something in the Start Menu that'll load a game with all the necessary options/software and run without incident.

For titles that just need VDMSound, it's not a problem. Other's will probably still need tweaking from time-to-time. Fortunately DosBox supports custom batch-file startups, so pain-in-the-butt games can be started up easily, like Nomad.
showthread.php?s=&postid=10188#post10188. Some will always need tinkering...

Maybe I need to make a couple 2gig FAT32 partitions? Wow, I'm going to have a few extra drive letters.

That's another thing I do. After I install Win9x, I created lots of tiny (8Meg) partitions to eat up drive letters. That way, when XP is installed it shows as Drive N:

I then delete the tiny partitions and add their space to the neighboring partitions. Why do this? It keeps my drive letters consistent. If you manage to install Win9x after XP, XP will still call itself C:, and will call the new Win9x partition D: or some other letter. When you boot into Win9x, it's going to call itself C:, causing confusion for any programs shared by the two OS's. By forcing XP to a high-drive letter at install, you minimize this kind of thing from happening. Once the OS is installed, (unlike other partitions in XP) your boot partition drive letter is permanent. Of course, changing drive letters in Win9x is not a viable option.

I also force both OS's to use the same CD-ROM drive letter (H:) to keep program settings consistent.

BTW, if you install XP from the Desktop of Win9x (as a New Installation), it gives you the advanced option of choosing the drive letter for installation. It may let you choose which partition, but it doesn't actually let you choose the letter.

It might not be able to cope with it, but you can change the letter that WinXP assigns to each partition at any time. It's in Control Panel->Admin Tools->Computer Management->Disk Manager. Right-click on the drive letter and select "change drive letter..."

HunterZ wrote:

It might not be able to cope with it, but you can change the letter that WinXP assigns to each partition at any time. It's in Control Panel->Admin Tools->Computer Management->Disk Manager. Right-click on the drive letter and select "change drive letter..."

Yeah, but don't try this at home *after* installing anything else. You can change the drive letter for a partition under Windows NT/2000/XP, and the operationg system is well behaved so it always looks for files under %SystemRoot% and %SystemDrive%, but other programs are not so carefull and probaly won't work if you change the drive letter for the partition where they were installed.

Regards,

Hrm, although it's not directly tied to this forum, it'd be nice to see a guide towards setting up an ideal system for modern and classic gaming. I'm sure plenty of formatting, installing, and headaches culminated in the results that you guys have come up with.

On another note, looks like I'm on my way. I've got a bunch of games working with shortcuts with minimal errors. The errors are kind of split between "No Digital Sound" and "refuses to run; VDMS or not". Still I've got plenty of successful installations as well. Still haven't done the '98 partition, but I figure I can walk across the room and try a couple stubborn games on the 98 machine before I go and set up my computer accordingly.

Cush

Originally posted by HunterZ It might not be able to cope with it, but you can change the letter that WinXP assigns to each partition at any time. It's in Control Panel->Admin Tools->Computer Management->Disk Manager. Right-click on the drive letter and select "change drive letter..."

Yes, I know, but the most critical one is your Boot/System drive. That can't be changed after installation. I already mentioned this:

Once the OS is installed, (unlike other partitions in XP) your boot partition drive letter is permanent.

Changing drive letters within XP isn't a fix, as the problem is caused by XP's boot/system drive letter.

It's time to change your "title", perhaps to "Gives advice while drunk..."

While we're on the subject of running DOS games, how does DosBox fit into the equation here? I've been to their site and I know VDMSound and DosBox have entirely different goals. But here's my question.

If I have a game that works in XP, I know that using VDMSound provides better SoundBlaster emulation, so that's the advantage to using it. However, if I have a game that works in XP, is there any reason to use DosBox?

The way I see it, DosBox is used to run games that wouldn't normally run using Compatibility Mode or other tweaks under XP. But does it enhance any features if I do use it? Will a game work "better"?

Cush

Originally posted by Unregistered it'd be nice to see a guide towards setting up an ideal system for modern and classic gaming. I'm sure plenty of formatting, installing, and headaches culminated in the results that you guys have come up with.

Basically, mine is this: Install and configure Win9x. Then install XP on a "high-letter" partition. That's about it. While making partitions under 2Gigs will help for old game installers, it creates the problems of (relatively) small partitions that run out of space quickly.

Presently I trick these installers by running them within "Virtual PC". That way, they see Win9x or DOS on a 1Gig drive. I then copy the files back to my "real" PC before shutting down.

On another note, looks like I'm on my way. I've got a bunch of games working with shortcuts with minimal errors. The errors are kind of split between "No Digital Sound" and "refuses to run; VDMS or not".

Don't forget Vlad's Compatibility Database. Sometimes other people's efforts can save you wasted time. NT Compatible also has info, but it's usually a lot less useful.

While we're on the subject of running DOS games, how does DosBox fit into the equation here?

Right before the symbol for Pi, IIRC...OK, I'll behave.

If I have a game that works in XP, I know that using VDMSound provides better SoundBlaster emulation, so that's the advantage to using it. However, if I have a game that works in XP, is there any reason to use DosBox?

That would be "maybe".

Probably the best reason is "timer issues". Games like Ultima VI are a pain to run with VDMSound as they still run too fast and need "slowdown tools", which I hate (as they slowdown everything). Running it in DosBox has no disadvantages as the game doesn't have 16-bit audio. Advantages are proper game speed and proper PC speaker audio (for sound effects).

A similar problem is the "Don't like NT" titles. These will run in XP, just not smoothly. "Vinyl Goddess From Mars" runs fine with VDMSound or DosBox, but in DosBox it run smoothly while running in NT induces lag in the gameplay. It seems OK in XP, it's just better in DosBox.

Besides, it cool to play DOS games in a 320x200 window.

vladr wrote:

Hmmm, search works fine for me in Win2k, wonder if the "Allow indexing service to index this disk for fast file searching" has a […]
Show full quote

Hmmm, search works fine for me in Win2k, wonder if the "Allow indexing service to index this disk for fast file searching" has anything to do with it (unlikely - in my case it's enabled, so I don't think it breaks anything), or if WinXP's search has been broken (M$ $marta$$e$ trying to add Unicode support or something like that... though I'm pretty sure it already existed in Win2k so why would it break now?) Unless there is an option somewhere for WinXP's find...

I guess I'll just have to write a program... darn, someone remind me over the weekend, by e-mail.

Cheers,
V.

Finally got this sussed:
http://www.jsiinc.com/SUBM/tip6200/rh6222.htm

Lots of other solutions to this, too:
http://www.jsiinc.com/SUBJ/tip4600/rh4627.htm
http://www.jsiinc.com/SUBJ/tip4600/RH4689.htm

Woohoo!