VOGONS


First post, by StewartM

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie

Hi, I’m running Windows 3.11 on DOSBox 0.73 on a MacBook running OS X 10.5.8, and trying to run Sage instant Accounting 98.

When I start up Windows and run Instant Accounting, I get past the password dialog and then when I click on the program’s menu bar (or press Alt to get a menu item) it gives a GPF in user.exe.

However, if I start up Windows and run another programs first, say Windows Explorer, and then run Instant Accounting, I don’t get the GPF.

Does this suggest anything? Any fixes? (Apart from launching Windows Explorer first every time, which is what I'm doing at the moment.)

BTW, I’ve tried various memory settings in the DOSBox config file and tried the various tips on the Microsoft site for locating/avoiding the couses of GPFs, but no joy.

Stewart.

Reply 2 of 8, by StewartM

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie

Hi, I tried changing core from auto to normal (cycles was already fixed at 4000) but that didn’t do it -- still got the GPF.

I don’t know whether it’s relevant, but sometimes when I close a program group it unceremoniously exits to the DOS prompt. And sometimes when I exit Windows 3.1 intentionally, I don’t get the DOS prompt, just a black screen. (Probably not relevant to the GPF trouble but thought I’d mention it just in case.)

Stewart.

Reply 3 of 8, by ADDiCT

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie

Can't help with the actual problem, but remember that DOSBox is designed to be an emulation environment for games primarily. For mission-critical stuff you could try "real" virtualizers, like VMWare, BOCHS, qemu or VirtualBox.

Reply 5 of 8, by StewartM

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie

For mission-critical stuff you could try "real" virtualizers, like VMWare, BOCHS, qemu or VirtualBox.

Yes, I currently have the program also running on Windows 98 in Parallels 3, but I was thinking of upgrading OS X from Leopard to Snow Leopard, and AFAIK Parallels is the only application I use that won't work under Snow Leopard. So I thought I'd give DOSBox a try with Win 3.1 instead. (And I like the arrangement of having the DOSBox files just in a folder -- easily accessible and not hogging unnecessary disk space.)

Stewart.

Reply 6 of 8, by StewartM

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie

You can also try switch video cards in dosbox.conf as well.

I tried with a plain VGA 640x480 256 colours a while ago, but that didn't fix the GPFs either.

I can probably get by with having win.ini set to load Windows Explorer and run Instant Accounting -- if it works, it works. More curiosity than anything. 😕

Reply 7 of 8, by leileilol

User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++

You can also try changing CPU type. try cputype=pentium_slow

I know that's required to run Windows 95 without half the GPFs, perhaps it'll help your case.

BUT PLEASE NOTE: DOSBox is made for gaming! GAMES! DOS GAMES! It's designed for game emulation where the professional VM software doesn't do very well at. I strongly suggest you to not use DOSBox for critical things like this.

apsosig.png
long live PCem

Reply 8 of 8, by StewartM

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie

You can also try changing CPU type. try cputype=pentium_slow

I know that's required to run Windows 95 without half the GPFs, perhaps it'll help your case.

I gave that a quick try, but the GPFs were still there.

But I’m still finding that loading File Manager first seems to prevent the GPFs, so I’ll just keep doing that.

BUT PLEASE NOTE: DOSBox is made for gaming! GAMES! DOS GAMES! It's designed for game emulation where the professional VM software doesn't do very well at. I strongly suggest you to not use DOSBox for critical things like this.

Don’t worry - I won’t paint myself into a corner with it. Probably just keep trying out the Win3.11/DOSBox combination alongside the Win98/Parallels3 installation to see how it behaves.

If I eventually upgrade to Snow Leopard (and lose the Parallels3 option) and Win3.11/DOSBox I can always
a) upgrade Parallels if desperate, or
b) give VirtualBox another go (it ran Win98 like glue last time I tried!) or
c) try Q/Kju again (seemed OK except when using its maths coprocessor emulation the numbers didn’t add up in the accounting program, which isn’t ideal!).

Just a pity Darwine/Crossover don’t like Instant Accounting’s 16-bit stuff.

Cheers,

Stewart