VOGONS

Common searches


First post, by smichelsen

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie

I have an '80s DOS program that can create and save small files, and also load them for use later.
Within DOSBOX I am able to save a file to the mounted "A" drive (a folder on my c: drive).
However, when I attempt use the pgm to load the file back in, I get a disk error.
What could be the cause here?

I have read that doxbox is not for games, but so far this emulator has worked better than the others I have tried (vdos, vdosplus).
Anyone care to suggest an emulator? I would like to avoid using a full dos app inside an emulator!
Thanks,
Steve

Reply 1 of 8, by Gene Wirchenko

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member
smichelsen wrote:
I have an '80s DOS program that can create and save small files, and also load them for use later. Within DOSBOX I am able to […]
Show full quote

I have an '80s DOS program that can create and save small files, and also load them for use later.
Within DOSBOX I am able to save a file to the mounted "A" drive (a folder on my c: drive).
However, when I attempt use the pgm to load the file back in, I get a disk error.
What could be the cause here?

I have read that doxbox is not for games, but so far this emulator has worked better than the others I have tried (vdos, vdosplus).
Anyone care to suggest an emulator? I would like to avoid using a full dos app inside an emulator!

DOSBox is intended only *for* games. However, some of us apostates refuse to repent. <BEG>

I use it for running a text editor and some utilities that I have written in QBASIC. It works fine for me.

Take care though.

Sincerely,

Gene Wirchenko

Reply 2 of 8, by Qbix

User metadata
Rank DOSBox Author
Rank
DOSBox Author
smichelsen wrote:
I have an '80s DOS program that can create and save small files, and also load them for use later. Within DOSBOX I am able to […]
Show full quote

I have an '80s DOS program that can create and save small files, and also load them for use later.
Within DOSBOX I am able to save a file to the mounted "A" drive (a folder on my c: drive).
However, when I attempt use the pgm to load the file back in, I get a disk error.
What could be the cause here?

I have read that doxbox is not for games, but so far this emulator has worked better than the others I have tried (vdos, vdosplus).
Anyone care to suggest an emulator? I would like to avoid using a full dos app inside an emulator!
Thanks,
Steve

I would suggest that you try a SVN build of dosbox like https://blog.yesterplay80.net/dosbox-ece-en/ and the DOSBox r4112.7z (need to unzip it with 7zip or winrar)
We have made quite a number of fixes.

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

Reply 3 of 8, by root42

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

While many people here are using DOSBox, because it is well suited to games, and emulates a variety of sound cards, if you only want to run some "serious" applications, you might want to use VirtualBox and simply install either FreeDOS or a copy of your favourite DOS in it. The media handling (disk images) is usually much less hassle than with DOSBox.

YouTube and Bonus
80486DX@33 MHz, 16 MiB RAM, Tseng ET4000 1 MiB, SnarkBarker & GUSar Lite, PC MIDI Card+X2+SC55+MT32, OSSC

Reply 4 of 8, by smichelsen

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie

Gene - yes I did mean to say that DosBox is ONLY for games. Oops.

Qbix - I have "DOSBox0.74-win32-installer". Is there a better/faster/stronger version, that could possibly allow my pgm to read as well as write? I could not find anything different for windows on the yesteryear page.

root42 - I'm a newbie at DOS emulation on my 64bit PC - I read that one must be careful about installing a copy of DOS as one can risk the copy of windows that runs the PC. I get that DOS needs to be installed "into" the emulator. Is there a step-by-step install guide somewhere - I don't want to botch that up!

Reply 5 of 8, by DosFreak

User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++

"DOS pgm" is pretty vague. How about you tell us what program you are using?
Also post the commands you are using to mount your drives and launch the program.

How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
Make your games work offline

Reply 6 of 8, by smichelsen

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie

Dosfreak:
I used
mount a c:/dosprogs/
to mount a folder and have it seen as the A drive in my DOS pgm, which I ran from that folder.

My program is a multi-image slideshow editor created by "Audio Visual Laboratories" called "AVL ProCall", which ran on an 8088 PC with a "Genesis boardset" installed. The boardset controlled (via RCA cables) up to ten "AVL Dove" dissolve units, which in turn each drove 3 slide projectors. See my page www.stevenmichelsen.com/AVL and scroll down a bit to see a video of ProCall being used.

I won't actually be able to drive a slideshow using ProCall in my 21st century PC, (gotta have that 8-bit board installed!) but at least I can reacquaint myself with how it works.

Reply 7 of 8, by smichelsen

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie

QBIX - Holy Crap! I take it all back! I just ran the version of Dosbox that I got from the yesteryear page (DOSBox ECE r4112), and it ALLOWED ME TO WRITE AND READ FILES! I see that it is identified as the same version as the "other" dosbox, v 0.74, but this is the "community version" and does indeed allow me to do what I want to do. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

Steve