VOGONS


First post, by Muz

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Hi, I have a IBM NetVista that runs in Pentium 4, 2.4 GHz, and Warcraft 2 has trouble to run in it. It throws DOS/4GW error. Is it because of the processor speed? I like to know what steps should I take in order for Warcraft 2 to run? Downgrade the processor?

https://www.cnet.com/products/ibm-netvista-m4 … e-series/specs/

Reply 1 of 13, by collector

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Reply 2 of 13, by Stiletto

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Warcraft 2 is a DOS game, I believe.

What is your host operating system, Muz?

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Reply 5 of 13, by Cyberdyne

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Replace DOS4GW stub with a DOS/32 header, and usually those errors will go away. But i only use it with pure dos.

I am aroused about any X86 motherboard that has full functional ISA slot. I think i have problem. Not really into that original (Turbo) XT,286,386 and CGA/EGA stuff. So just a DOS nut.

Reply 7 of 13, by Muz

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Cyberdyne wrote:

Replace DOS4GW stub with a DOS/32 header, and usually those errors will go away. But i only use it with pure dos.

DOS/32 header? What is that?

Reply 8 of 13, by Cyberdyne

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Download a DOS/32 extender pack.

http://dos32a.narechk.net/index_en.html

Then read the the redme. And just use the tools to replace the executable header.

It is pretty easy and straightfoward.

It solves many problems, with games that have old DOS4GW extender, and do not like big RAM and fast CPU.

For example original DOS DOOM 1.9 executable benefits form it, it even makes the game loading faster.

I am aroused about any X86 motherboard that has full functional ISA slot. I think i have problem. Not really into that original (Turbo) XT,286,386 and CGA/EGA stuff. So just a DOS nut.

Reply 9 of 13, by chinny22

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Heads up that in the dos version of Warcraft 2 a fast CPU the game will move around the map wayyy to fast.
Battlenet doesn't have this problem or you can use the mini map to move round the screen.

So its not end of the world but another good reason to battlenet instead.

Reply 10 of 13, by Azarien

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chinny22 wrote:

So its not end of the world but another good reason to battlenet instead.

The downside is that in DOS version you have real MIDI music which you can play with whatever fancy synth you may happen to have, while the Windows version has pre-rendered .WAV files of "well... okay" quality.

Reply 11 of 13, by xjas

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Azarien wrote:
chinny22 wrote:

So its not end of the world but another good reason to battlenet instead.

The downside is that in DOS version you have real MIDI music which you can play with whatever fancy synth you may happen to have, while the Windows version has pre-rendered .WAV files of "well... okay" quality.

The original DOS version had CD audio IIRC, aren't those tracks what the Windows version uses? Or did they render out the MIDIs instead for some reason?

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Reply 12 of 13, by chinny22

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xjas wrote:
Azarien wrote:
chinny22 wrote:

So its not end of the world but another good reason to battlenet instead.

The downside is that in DOS version you have real MIDI music which you can play with whatever fancy synth you may happen to have, while the Windows version has pre-rendered .WAV files of "well... okay" quality.

The original DOS version had CD audio IIRC, aren't those tracks what the Windows version uses? Or did they render out the MIDIs instead for some reason?

Dos version does indeed have CD audio, it would drop back to midi if the CD was missing (say running a network game)
I'm surprised Battlenet isn't midi though!? I thought it would be midi simply to keep installation size down. I'm going to have to check when I get a chance.

Reply 13 of 13, by Azarien

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xjas wrote:

The downside is that in DOS version you have real MIDI music which you can play with whatever fancy synth you may happen to have, while the Windows version has pre-rendered .WAV files of "well... okay" quality.

The original DOS version had CD audio IIRC, aren't those tracks what the Windows version uses? Or did they render out the MIDIs instead for some reason?

I don't have DOS version of War2 at hand, so I cannot confirm if Battle.net Edition sounds the same or not.
But even if that's the case, the wavs are only 22050 Hz, so I'd expect the CD-Audio tracks to be of better quality.

(the audio files are embedded in the install.exe file, and can be extracted using tools for Starcraft)