Originally posted by Unregistered I think that the solution to this is mentioned in the readme, but I'm too inept to figure out what it means.

Are you using the GUI LaunchPad? Do you have the CD-ROM in the proper CD drive?

If so, try right-clicking on the shortcut created by running it with launchpad. Click "Properties", and click in the box by "Enable Low-Level CD-ROM support".

Nicht Sehr Gut wrote:

Are you using the GUI LaunchPad?

If so, try right-clicking on the shortcut created by running it with launchpad. Click "Properties", and click in the box by "Enable Low-Level CD-ROM support".

I am unfamiliar with what you are talking about. Could you please explain? I'm not sure what I'm supposed to be right-clicking on. There were a bunch of tabs under properties of "VDSMRun", but I didn't see anything like "Enable Low-Level CD-ROM support".

Nicht Sehr Gut wrote:

Do you have the CD-ROM in the proper CD drive?

Yep.

EDIT -- For some reason, I think the problem may have something to do with autoexec.vdms . I can open it and read it with notepad, and it mentions the CD-ROM, but am I supposed to see it like that? Might be a clue.

Originally posted by Unregistered I am unfamiliar with what you are talking about. Could you please explain?

*sigh*
http://ntvdm.cjb.net/

Look under "Download" for the Launchpad. Vlad refers to it as a Beta, but it's rock-stable.

While you are at it, go ahead and get the Update files first from
http://vdmsound.sourceforge.net/files/
(Has "update" in the filename). No install script, just copy it on top of your older VDMSound files.

Whenever you run a DOS executable with VDMSound it creates a .VLP shortcut in the same directory. That is what I was referring to, the VLP shortcut.

For some reason, I think the problem may have something to do with autoexec.vdms .

If you want to do it the hard way, yes.

Nicht Sehr Gut wrote:

*sigh*

Sorry.

Nicht Sehr Gut wrote:

Look under "Download" for the Launchpad. Vlad refers to it as a Beta, but it's rock-stable. […]
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Look under "Download" for the Launchpad. Vlad refers to it as a Beta, but it's rock-stable.

While you are at it, go ahead and get the Update files first from
http://vdmsound.sourceforge.net/files/
(Has "update" in the filename). No install script, just copy it on top of your older VDMSound files.

Did these. I really have no idea what this stuff does, but if it helps, sure.

Nicht Sehr Gut wrote:

Whenever you run a DOS executable with VDMSound it creates a .VLP shortcut in the same directory. That is what I was referring to, the VLP shortcut.

Ah, now it doesn't give me the no CD message. The bad news is, other errors pop up. Here are what they say:

VDMS Launchpad - C2CD (Filename)
The NTVDM CPU has encountered an illegal instruction.
CS:df2c IP: 0000 OP: ff ff ff ff 40
Choose 'Close' to terminate the application.

When I click 'Ignore'...

VDMS Launchpad - C2CD
The NTVDM CPU has encountered an illegal instruction.
CS:df2c IP: 0001 OP: ff ff ff ff 40 c8
Choose 'Close' to terminate the application.

Clicked 'Ignore' again...

VDMS Launchpad - C2CD
The NTVDM CPU has encountered an illegal instruction.
CS:df2c IP: 0002 OP: ff ff 40 c8 00
Choose 'Close' to terminate the application.

And again...

VDMS Launchpad - C2CD
The NTVDM CPU has encountered an illegal instruction.
CS:df2c IP: 0268 OP: 63 0e c7 00 00
Choose 'Close' to terminate the application.

Again...

VDMS Launchpad - C2CD
The NTVDM CPU has encountered an illegal instruction.
CS:0000 IP:c79a OP: fe 1f 00 00
Choose 'Close' to terminate the application.

And a few more.

Any ideas?

EDIT - When I clicked the "Enable basic Vesa support" where the No-CD thing was fixed, and then tried, a window got maximized where it looked like the game was going to work. Does that make sense? Unfortunately, the error messages popped up a moment later.

Don't have the game or a fix for your problem and looking at your error:

The NTVDM CPU has encountered an illegal instruction.
CS:0000 IP:c79a OP: fe 1f 00 00
Choose 'Close' to terminate the application.

It look's like you will not be able to find a fix. What your seeing there is your game trying to do something that NTVDM does not like. (To put it very simply. 😉 ).

Your only fix for this is running the game under the operating system it was designed for either on a real PC or by using emulation. I recommend Connectix Virtual PC http://www.connectix.com

Originally posted by DosFreak It look's like you will not be able to find a fix.

Perhaps, perhaps not. I can't find my CD, so I can't properly test it. I did find a DOS demo for it and it seems to run fine (in silence). Seems to start up in DosBox, but then it can't find the CD. Don't know if it needs MSCDEX or just the data.

Will get back to this when I can find the CD.

Well, I found my CD. Unfortunately, it needs MSCDEX to access the CD and DosBox doesn't support that yet. A "ripped" version might work.

You might consider emulating another system and running their version of "Castles II" (Amiga/CD32 or Macintosh).

I just want to make sure I have this absolutely straight: You can't mount a CD as a drive in DOSBox?

Originally posted by Snover You can't mount a CD as a drive in DOSBox?

Sure you can mount it as a hard drive. So if the game goes to look for data on H: (my CD-ROM), all is well. However, many (I think the majority actually) must access the data from the CD-ROM with MSCDEX or similar tool. DoesBox does not support that yet. It appears that they are planning to use SAPUCDEX when it's viable.

Why is SAPUCDEX not viable?

Originally posted by Snover Why is SAPUCDEX not viable?

Well that's not the exact word used and ...of course... I can't find the original message now. I think they were saying "when it's ready". Thinking about it now...could've meant when DosBox was able to handle the code...

Need to ask Harekiet...

Take a vacation, dude. You're losing it.

*throws spoon at Snover*

Here's a weird thing: on the Dosbox Games page, Castles II is listed as working:

http://dosbox.sourceforge.net/comp_list.php?s … ID=121&letter=C

but I have the same problem as the poster here ... CD-Rom not found.

Eh?

Zorbid is very experienced with dosbox.....

but maybe he used a non-cd patch or so.

It doesn't have any CD-based copy protection or anything... it's likely something to do with the audio or sound. I was able to get it to recognize the CD finally with Dosbox, and to launch it with VDMSound, but it quits right after startup with an illegal instruction in VDMSound and no message at all in Dosbox.

I'd love to play the game. I bought the CD set from Interplay not knowing it wouldn't work with XP. I don't really want to spring for VPC to play it.

if you use dosbox
don't use vdmsound at the same time.

So, is there a solution to the 'Couldn't find CD-ROM' problem for Castles II: Siege and Conquest?

From the previous posts, I'm not the only one, owning C2, that is C2CD (the CD-ROM version), and not being able to run it. Dosbox works fine on everything I've tried (dosbox 0.60 cannot run 'Defender of the Crown' in ega mode, but version 0.58 can), but I cannot get C2 working.

Whatever I try, it keeps saying: 'cannot locate CD-ROM drive'. I even tried to install the game from the CD-ROM in a dosbox (quiet funny, because I could regulate the installation speed, 😉), and still it couldn't find the cd upon running the game. Oh yes, it is a working cd. It works in windows.... but then crashes because it's no dos!

Maybe the solution can be found in knowing where the program tries to find the cd-rom (always x:\data or something). I'm no hero with MSCDEX.

By the way, I know how to use the dosbox commands, like:
dosbox d:\castles2\c2cd.bat -c "mount e e:\ -t cdrom [-ioctl] -usecd 0" etc. And I also know the way a cd is placed into the CD-ROM drive!

Thanks in advance.

You might try mounting it to D instead of E.