Vista does not allow programs that take control of the hardware to go full-screen. Only programs that use DirectX or OpenGL as a rendering surface can go full screen... Even vista's own command prompt cannot go fullscreen... I am afraid there is no workaround for this, at least not one that I know that does not have weird side-effects/probs

I am assuming VDMS means VDMSound, right?

[MOVED]

Thanks el pusher, for moving this somewhere appropriate I did mean sound,

keropi, based on what you are saying will Dosfreak's instructions to install graphics card drivers for XP work in allowing vdms and plain dos programs to run?

I have an ATI mobility Radeon HD 3470.

Based on my understanding of what Dosfreak said, I am downloading the XP version ATI Catalyst display driver and the WDM integrated driver from:

http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/windows … 15&lang=English

If i install these XP drivers into my vista system will VDMS and dos enabled programs work without the "cannot run in fullscreen" error?

And when you say vista "does not allow" do you mean based on the infuriating User Account Control? i disabled that, or do you mean in general?
I installed a non pirated version of Deus ex invisible war and when i tried to run it, windows said there was a conflict with disc emulation software and it would not run it, yet any software installed was straight out of the box from ASUS, when I finally discovered how to disable UAC, the game ran just fine, based on that, I am fairly cynical about what vista can and cannot do until UaC has been kneecapped.

keropi wrote:

Vista does not allow programs that take control of the hardware to go full-screen. Only programs that use DirectX or OpenGL as a rendering surface can go full screen... Even vista's own command prompt cannot go fullscreen...

all true, but I use dosdrv.exe fom command line under Vista and vdmsound works for me with no fullscreen crash.

Yes installing XP video drivers in Vista will allow you to run a full screen command prompt with the potential loss of stability and the loss of DX10 and aero desktop.

As for Deus Ex IW you'll likely need to use a NOCD patch.

Thanks both, for the advice, Deus ex IW runs okay in vista, it just needed UAC to be removed for some bizarre reason, but it does still crash occasionally, um, most pertinent question - it seemed to me a couple of years ago when I was last able to use VDMS that some games would only work with it, and not with dosbox, is this so? or can dosbox run any program VDMS can with the right configuration?
Dosfreak, I installed the files I specified in previous posts on this thread, they install themselves, I didn't put them anywhere, and I still can't run dos programs in fullscreen, or VDMS at all, am I doing something wrong? Anyone have any advice? Im not really that tech savvy.

P.S which is the best thread to post in for direct questions about running particular games in Vista? I have a lot of questions about games that I haven't yet found solutions for online....

DOSBox *is* much slower than VDMSound. So 4-5 years ago DOSBox were simply too slow for many games. But since then DOSBox has improved, it has got the dynamic core, and equally important, your PC has become 3 times as fast. So today DOSBox is the better solution. It is not perfect, but better.

Patrick benatar wrote:

...and I still can't run dos programs in fullscreen, or VDMS at all, am I doing something wrong? Anyone have any advice? Im not really that tech savvy.

P.S which is the best thread to post in for direct questions about running particular games in Vista? I have a lot of questions about games that I haven't yet found solutions for online....

fullscreen:
talking about vista, this is precisely why as I wrote I'm using dosdrv from command line

best thread:
well, I guess the windows section unless strictly dosbox related, in which case, dosbox games/apps.

Patrick benatar wrote:

it seemed to me a couple of years ago when I was last able to use VDMS that some games would only work with it, and not with dosbox, is this so? or can dosbox run any program VDMS can with the right configuration?

VDMSound doesn't run games, NTVDM does.
DOSBox can run far more programs than NTVDM can.

Dosfreak, I installed the files I specified in previous posts on this thread, they install themselves, I didn't put them anywhere, and I still can't run dos programs in fullscreen, or VDMS at all, am I doing something wrong? Anyone have any advice? Im not really that tech savvy.

If you insist on using the command prompt in Windows Vista to run games then all you need to do is install the Windows XP drivers for your video card if your card has Windows XP drivers. More than likely you'll have to install the video card drivers through Device Manager since the installer that comes with the drivers may not like Windows Vista.

P.S which is the best thread to post in for direct questions about running particular games in Vista? I have a lot of questions about games that I haven't yet found solutions for online...

Probably the DOS or Windows threads under the Heading "The Guide".

thanks again, I'm going to try some of the advice you've all given, but none of you quite answered what I was asking, I know dosbox is more powerful and that it runs many more games, what I'm asking is can it run all of the games that VDMS can run, are there any games that must be run with VDMS and can't be run with dosbox?

Patrick benatar wrote:

are there any games that must be run with VDMS and can't be run with dosbox?

Yes.

MiniMax wrote:

Patrick benatar wrote:

are there any games that must be run with VDMS and can't be run with dosbox?

Yes.

The real question would be if you want to run those games. (e.g own them)

Hey by the way if "dosbox author" means that you actually built it, or co-built it you're doing a nice job, and thanks for your efforts.