This is really frustrating. I have a folder with 13.7GB of DOS games and I can't play them. Whenever I open in real-DOS mode (by restarting) the game won't let me install. Can't make boot disk or install because of low memory? When I open the dos executable in windows it loads, sound doesnt work sometimes and as soon as I leave MS-DOS mode, the computer stalls.
Whenever I use MS-DOS, the computer will stall either way. Haven't really played MS-DOS games in the past but was giving this a go as it's supposed to be a highlight of building a Windows 98 PC. I'm traditionally a Winodws 98 gamer, i.e games 1999 and above.

Depending on what games you play, your PC is very very fast. If you have Prince of Persia, try that. It runs even on a modern i5 😀

post the contents of your config.sys and autoexec.bat

Soooo... I disconnected my D:\ drive (200GB) and installed Windows 98se vanilla edition. After installing, I used the 'System CD' which came with my Gateway Windows Me PC to get access to the AudioPCI drivers (this is where I pulled the soundcard from, CT5806). This time it installed the correct Soundblaster 128D drivers. The ones from the Creative website are really flaky.
I then went ahead and installed the chipset drivers, unofficial driver pack 2.1a etc and then I reconnected the D:\ drive, which it now shows with all the programe files and iso's intact.
The MS-DOS issue has now stopped making my computer freeze 😀
Only issue is now it wont let me install saying no enough memory, EMS or something along those lines (Not enough EMS). Also, when trying to install to floppy for startup (e.g. betrayal at krondor), it says something about DRVESPACE.SYS not found... Oh DOS, why're you such a PITS?

One final thing. The main reason I bought the Windows 98 PC is to play ANNO 1602. The issue with running on other OS's is that the wav music files dont play in non win 9x flavours. The issue's I'm currently getting at the moment is that the video files aren't playing in game, which is annoying. 😒
TL;DR: Why you suck so much retro gaming?

config.sys
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\EMM386.EXE /FRAME=NONE
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\setver.exe
device=C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\display.sys con=(ega,,1)
Country=044,850,C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\country.sys

autoexec.bat
mode con codepage prepare=((850) C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\ega.cpi)
mode con codepage select=850
keyb uk,,C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\keyboard.sys
SET BLASTXX=AXXX IXX DX HX PXXX T6
SET SBPCI=C:\SBPCI

Can't get betrayal at krondor to run. Tried everything and have thus far got up to the black screen with,
'Loading Betrayl at Krondor.... Please Wait'. Stays like that forever...

Solved the ANNO 1602 video not playing issues by running dxdiag and disabling the 'DirectDraw Acceleration' option.

If any DOS program complains about not enough memory, try enabling Memory Hole at 15/16MB in BIOS setup.

Try this for memory problems

config.sys
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS
DOS=HIGH,UMB
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\EMM386.EXE NOEMS
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\setver.exe
devicehigh=C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\display.sys con=(ega,,1)
Country=044,850,C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\country.sys

OR
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS
DOS=HIGH,UMB
device=c:\dos\emm386.exe RAM
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\setver.exe
devicehigh=C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\display.sys con=(ega,,1)
Country=044,850,C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\country.sys

or replace the emm386 line :
DEVICE = C:\DOS\EMM386.EXE RAM I=B000-B7FF

ps: do you really need setver ?

If you feel confident enough to do a menu read this page
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DCONFIG.SYS

I don't have a clue what setver is. I generally never mess around with config.sys or autoexec.bat as I have never had the need to in the past. I will have to take the computer out of storage again 🤣. But thanks for the pointers, I will try them out and report back soon.
I read elswhere to make a startup disk, then change everything into high mode etc.. Made some progress in terms of loading text but maybe these games aren't designed for PIII
I want to play Jones in the fast lane now 🤣

maverick85 wrote:

I don't have a clue what setver is.

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=setver