Update:

DOS SB16 emulation is now working. I found a more recent set of DOS-level drivers from an Australian website. Digital audio is good, and General MIDI works well with my default.ecw soundbank.

It seems that the problem lies in the fact that the CD cannot be read in DOS mode! Only a handful of files actually work - if I try to open up most files, I get errors. If I disable sound in DOS - still crashes, but: I can load the game fine in Windows 2000 (w/no sound of course) so I fear my problem lies with my CD.

It's unlikely that I'll be able to find a replacement either. 🙁

All this effort for nothing! waaaa

Hmm not a problem with your dos cd drivers?

guruman wrote:

All this effort for nothing! waaaa

Ok, first things first. What you need to do is to install Blood using the Windows installer (use compatibility mode on the installer to be on the safe side) and perform a FULL install (include movies,etc...) to the FAT32 partition.

Run setup to run the game at 320x200 with no sound or music (choose "None" for both). Run it to confirm that the game will at least run properly (let it roll through the demos that come with the game). NOTE:"Cryptic Passages" has to be patched for it's startup to work properly using ctbppat or similar programs.
attachment.php?s=&postid=495

If it gets to this point, your CD is probably OK. It may simply be more sensitive to errors under DOS, or the CD may have been made with deviations to the ISO9660 standard that DOS can't handle.

In either case, if you can make the FAT32 partition bootable you might try some kind of BootMenu like the one from PartitionMagic.
The reason I mention this is that systems I've dealt with behave differently when booting from floppy rather than the hard drive. I know that's kind of nebulous, but it's true...

In any case, once you've confirmed that it runs properly at 320x200 with no audio in Win2K, try running (with the exact same configuration: Don't change anything yet) it and again, let it roll-through the demos.

Getting the SBLive working under "True" DOS is another matter. I've found that my BLOOD actually run best in a DosBox in Win9x.

My SBLive used to work fine in Win98 'real' DOS. That was with the Liveware 2 (I think) package that came on the CD I got with it. The Liveware 3 upgrade used to kill it stone cold dead so what I used to do was install LW2, backup the DOSDrv folder, install LW3 and then restore the DOSDrv folder. It used to work fine after that. The DOS compatibility driver in 98 never gave me any real trouble either apart from the IRQ hopping craziness that stemmed from the "Share IRQ with LPT" option getting incorrectly set all the time.

I don't know if it helps but the autoexec.bat and config sys files I used to use back then (or close enough to them) can be found here:

http://www.ntcompatible.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=22889

I think the SB16 emulation sections are incomplete but if anything, they should give you a few ideas.

In reference to #1, guruman, check out NTFSDOS/NTFSDOS Professional:
NTFSDOS: http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/freeware/NTFSDOS.shtml
NTFSDOS Professional: http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/freeware/ntfsdospro.shtml

However, I'm afraid I don't have instructions for setting up a PC to dual-boot Windows 2000 and MS-DOS (6.22 or 7.x or 8.x) having had Windows 2000 pre-installed. One of the other guys here could help with that. But your problem seems to have been solved (sorta).

The game works fine in 320x200, with no sound, under Windows 2000, playing from the DOS partition installation. The demos load, no errors on startup, the game is 100% playable.

In DOS mode, when I do a DIR, the file listing appears oddly: the first half of it looks fine, the second half of it appears as all lower-case characters (which is not the norm for DOS!). No problems viewing the directory from Windows.

I've tried both the universal Oak CD-ROM driver, and the manufacturer's driver for my DVD-ROM. No difference - other CDs work, Blood doesn't.

When I tried mirroring the CD to the DOS partition (from Windows) and running the DOS-level install program, the installer only gets so far, then claims it can't find the movies. Using a hex editor, I found a series of compressed files on the disc called BLOODxx.WHL - 9 in total, if memory serves. Perhaps the DOS installer is using these files. One DOS sharewhare distribution that I found came with an installer program and a series of SHR files ... so, perhaps SHR for shareware, and WHL for 'whole' version?

Windows installation works as it uses InstallShield, and pulls the files from a .Z file instead of the .WHL files. Playing from a Windows-installed version under DOS fails because of the CD check - that error #11 that I talked about earlier.

What I'm suspecting is that the directory of the CD has been damaged (disc scratch or someting) - Windows can make sense of most of it, but DOS cannot. The CD check can't be performed under DOS because of this directory problem. Either that or it's a function of some sort of copy protection (which may make true DOS-mode play impossible).

Could anyone else who has a copy of this CD (One Unit Whole Blood v1.21) post a listing of what files they see in the root of the CD, so I can determine if my damaged-CD suspicions are true?

Otherwise, I'm going to have to search the bargain bins and see if I can find a new copy. 🙁

I found a posting on [url]http://www.planetblood.com,[/url] one user claims that One Unit: Whole Blood will *not* work under pure DOS, end of story.

D'OH!

I don't think it's possible to install Win9x on my new partition ... I might try it just for kicks, though. If I start Windows after booting from the boot floppy, who knows?

Whee!

guruman wrote:

The game works fine in 320x200, with no sound,...

Ok, that's good news. Something to work with.

In DOS mode, when I do a DIR, the file listing appears oddly: the first half of it looks fine, the second half of it appears as all lower-case characters

Ok, that's bad news. Very odd.

I've tried both the universal Oak CD-ROM driver, and the manufacturer's driver for my DVD-ROM.

Unless you need to hear the original CD audio, you shouldn't need the CD after install. You can use the built-in AdLib/MIDI. Besides, the CD audio causes annoying freezes when a track restarts (usually at a critical moment).

Windows-installed version under DOS fails because of the CD check - that error #11 that I talked about earlier.

That doesn't sound right, I'll have to check on this and get back to you.

Could anyone else who has a copy of this CD (One Unit Whole Blood v1.21)

I'll look for mine...

Otherwise, I'm going to have to search the bargain bins and see if I can find a new copy.

http://www.halfpricebooks.com/
Click on Locations to see if there's one near you. This is where I've collected a large number of "oldies".

guruman wrote:

...one user claims that One Unit: Whole Blood will *not* work under pure DOS, end of story.

Went back and double-checked mine, works fine under DOS7 (Win9x). I was unable to test audio under DOS due to a soundcard problem, but both the original and "Cryptic Passages" ran fine.

(One note: Cryptic passages runs on it's own excutable which much be patched to run on more recent machines. Use ctbppat or equivalent).showthread.php?s=&threadid=93

I don't think it's possible to install Win9x on my new partition ... I might try it just for kicks, though. If I start Windows after booting from the boot floppy, who knows?

If you were to temporarily make your 2nd drive your only drive, you could install Win9x. After install, you could then put it back into it's place as 2nd drive and try using a BootMenu program to swap betweeen the two OS's.

Attached directory listing of the CD:

http://www.ina-support.com/faq/blood_pc.asp

Error Messages
The following are some of the error messages that Blood reports when it encounters a problem with your system, and the recommended solutions to each.

"Blood.ini not found" during installation of "One Unit Whole Blood"

One Unit Whole Blood will only run in Windows 95 or 98. If you are running DOS or Windows 3.1, you may exchange your copy of one unit whole Blood for the original versions of Blood, Blood Plasma Pack, and Cryptic Passage free of charge. The original versions of these games will run just fine in DOS.

[end troubling snippet]

I've seen the above error when trying to run the DOS-level installer program.

Since my directory listing appears identical to the posted one (thanks!), my options are now fairly limited. It appears that my only choice is, as suggested, temporarily swap the master/slave settings on my hard drives (making the DOS drive the primary drive), installing Win98, and either

(1)

i. swapping them back, and use a boot manager.

(could work, depending on the robustness of the boot manager)

Or,

(2)

i. leave them as they are;
ii. run the Win2000 setup to install the dual-booting bootsector on the Win98 drive;
iii. abort the installation;
iv. modify BOOT.INI to point to the existing Win2000 partition;
v. re-arrange my drive letters in Win2000 to keep the NTFS partitions as C: and D: so that all my installed software continues to work.

(possible, via Disk Management).

I think option 1 has the greatest likelihood of success.

I'm going to evaluate Masterbooter, from http://www.masterbooter.com and see if that does the trick.

Unfortunately, I'm going to be out of town this weekend; this massive amount of tinkering is going to have to wait until Monday. I'll update then - thanks for all of the assistance offered thus far!

guruman wrote:

One Unit Whole Blood will only run in Windows 95 or 98.

What's funny is what you find if read on down to Other Problems - "Blood locks up, or just plays poorly"

If you are playing Blood in Windows 95, shut down all other applications and then try playing again. If you still get lockups, t […]
Show full quote

If you are playing Blood in Windows 95, shut down all other applications and then try playing again. If you still get lockups, try running the game in DOS. To do this:

Click on the Windows 95 Start button
Click on Shut Down
Click on Restart the computer in MS-DOS mode
Follow the instructions in your manual for running the game in DOS

So, if we listen to Infrogrames support page, you can only run it in Win9x, yet the solution for locking up/playing poorly is to drop to DOS. In any case, it worked fine for me in DOS.

Nothing like contradictory advice - way to go Infrogrames! 😀

I know that under Win98 'emulation' (i.e. Virtual PC 5 Trial) the game works fine, and under Win2000 in low-res/no-sound mode it works as well.

Once I get Win98 installed, (hopefully) I won't have to drop to DOS mode to make it work - I fear the same problems I'm facing now would present themselves.

If not, at least I've learned a great deal as to how BUILD games perform under Windows and DOS, and how to get the SBLive! to function correctly under pure DOS.

Should things work well, I have a few other tricky BUILD games to try out: Duke Nukem Atomic Edition, Shadow Warrior - too bad my loaned-out copy of Redneck Rampage never returned. That game was a hoot!

Fingers crossed...

guruman wrote:

Nothing like contradictory advice - way to go Infrogrames!

At least they acknowledged that it exists. Now all we need is for someone to release the source so we can have a modern port. Even if someone within the company were to illegally release the source, I don't think Infrogrames would notice.

Once I get Win98 installed, (hopefully) I won't have to drop to DOS mode to make it work...

So long as you have a stable setup with decent audio/video drivers you should be fine. BUILD games seem to be pretty tolerant of running within Win9x. The Redneck games will give you a warning, but you can just press "C" to continue.

- I fear the same problems I'm facing now would present themselves.

Oh no, I'm sure it would be a whole new set of problems.

- too bad my loaned-out copy of Redneck Rampage never returned.

Keep an eye out for "Redneck Rampage: Family Reunion" That has the original, the "Route 66" expansion, and the "Rides Again" sequel.

Rides again also has "drivable" vehicles. Pretty neat thing to just driver over the Biker guys instead of shootin' them.

It works!

Apart from some occasional screen glitching, the game installed and plays perfectly in a Win98 DOS box, with sound and VESA!

Thanks to all of you for your assistance!

"I live ... again!"

I need to get a "satasfied customers" counter and put it in my sig. 😜