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First post, by muyg

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Here's the problem, we have a client who uses a old DOS app for their research study. I managed to get it to work with DOSBox 0.63 using D-Fend as the frontend on a Windows 2000 laptop. They recently went out and bought another laptop for their study and want the app running on the new one too (windows XP Pro SP2). So we installed DosBox 0.63 and D-Fend,
then copied over the program and exported the settings for the app. Placed the app in the proper place and imported the settings and attempt to run the app, but it bombs out giving the following error: Dos error #8 - unknown error followed by some memory address.

So I go back to our office and tried it on a few of our systems. Using same procedure as the new laptop, here the results:

System 1, Windows 2000, app runs fine.
System 2, Windows XP Pro SP2, app runs fine.
System 3, Windows XP Pro SP2, app bombs with same error message as the new laptop.

Note, all systems were clean installs with Office and McAfee v8 and up to date with patches.

The only thing common between the system 1 and 2 is that they are pretty old systems, system1 being a P3 800, and system2 being a P3 933.

The common factor between the new laptop and system3 is that they are brand spanking new systems. New laptop is a Dell Inspiron B130 (Celeron M) while system3 is a Dell Dimension 5150 (P4).

I also tried the exact procedure on one more Dell P4 (3.2GHz) system and it worked, though it is a little older system (been up and running for three months).

Here are the specs for system3:

1 Some Dell mobo utilizing the Intel 945G Express chipset
2 P4 3GHz with HT
3 1GB
4 ATI X800 GTO 256MB
5 Onboard sound via Sigmatel STAC9220
6 windows XP SP2 and up to date with current patches
7 application: Timeline v4
8 Here is the exact error message:
Error Report
DOS error #8 - Unknown Error occured at address 1752:00A1
9 sometimes
10 none
11 1028x768 software
12 DosBox 0.63 with D-Fend v2.0.62.42
13 Here's a list of thing I've tried on system3:
-disabled EMS/XMS, also tried them alternately
-toggled cycle speed to lowest and highest
-disabled sound
-tried using memory reserved (64Kb)
-disabled HyperThreading

So from the looks of it, it is some setting, though I am not sure what setting it is that resolve this.

Reply 2 of 9, by muyg

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HunterZ wrote:

So the app bombs inside of DOSBox, but DOSBox keeps running? If so, are you using the exact same dosbox.conf for all 4 systems?

Yup, it bombs on two of the systems, strange though when it bombs on system3 dosbox terminates properly (there is no process running in task manager). However on the new laptop when it bombs the dosbox process remains in task manager and I have to manually kill off the process.

I am assuming the dosbox.conf is all the same since it was just installed on those tested systems (no previous versions were installed), but I'll check on that.

UPDATE: alright so I copied the dosbox.conf from one of the working systems and overwrote the default one (they both have the same timestamp and size), so the look to be the same) and tried it again. Still the same error message.

I am attaching the app folder(RAR), if you want to test it out. Also added pics of the error and how it looks when it works. TIA.

Attachments

  • Filename
    TIMELINE.rar
    File size
    369.26 KiB
    Downloads
    122 downloads
    File comment
    It is RAR'd, extract it and place it in the root folder.
    File license
    Fair use/fair dealing exception
  • timeline_error.gif
    Filename
    timeline_error.gif
    File size
    6.75 KiB
    Views
    792 views
    File comment
    This is a screenshot of the error message after it attempts to run. . .
    File license
    Fair use/fair dealing exception
  • timeline_working.gif
    Filename
    timeline_working.gif
    File size
    11.8 KiB
    Views
    792 views
    File comment
    This how it should look like (taken from a working system).
    File license
    Fair use/fair dealing exception
Last edited by muyg on 2006-01-24, 19:21. Edited 1 time in total.

Reply 3 of 9, by HunterZ

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So DOSBox itself *does* crash/close? In that case, it could definitely be due to other software running on those systems. Dell and other pre-builders love to load their systems down with junk that causes compatibility problems.

It's a long shot, but you might also try grabbing a CVS build of DOSBox from the link in my sig. It will contain many fixes that have been added by the devs since 0.63 was released ages ago.

Reply 4 of 9, by muyg

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I'll go ahead and try the CVS release, as for the system3, though brand spanking new, it was reformatted and re-installed, since like you I am not a big fan of excessive crap. I'll let you know how I make out with CVS release.

Reply 6 of 9, by Qbix

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dos error 8:
insufficent memory.
a cvs build will definetly help as there were many improvements to the dos memory management code

Water flows down the stream
How to ask questions the smart way!

Reply 8 of 9, by rcblanke

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Muyg, I guess you are using ykhwong's build then, right? CVS doesn't work for me, but ykhwong's latest build works, for it doesn't log "Warning: file creation failed: D:\tmp\TIMELINE\LPT1" (the printer-port patch?) !

Reply 9 of 9, by muyg

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rcblanke wrote:

Muyg, I guess you are using ykhwong's build then, right? CVS doesn't work for me, but ykhwong's latest build works, for it doesn't log "Warning: file creation failed: D:\tmp\TIMELINE\LPT1" (the printer-port patch?) !

Yeah, using ykhwong's latest build. Kind of wild that the app would work on certain systems using Dosbox 0.63 and others would require an experimental build.

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