DOSBox doesn't like directories with many files. Some issue with the file cache I think. Try more directories with less files if possible.

Hello HAL.

This was my first idea, but this isn’t the most ideal solution. (They like to keep lots in the folders so they can quickly call them up when required)

I was hoping there was a way round it?

Thanks

Dunno one would think that underlying OS should provide some decent caching.
although with networked locations one can offcourse never be sure.

how many files are we talking about ?

Maybe reduce cycles or set DOSBox priority lower...

Qbix : DXF DIR (for conversions) 552 / WORKF (main working file) 732

h-a-l-9000 : Could you recomend the exact settings i would need to change?

FYI : Client PC running Vista and the file server XP Pro SP2.

Thanks,

priority=normal,normal
cycles = 10000 or something
But anyway it might not help.

Recently I tried to copy about 3300 files from a CD to a hardisk image and DOSBox blew itself up to around 200Mb memory usage (from 50) and took forever (and produced a corrupted Image).

HAL : The above settings made loading the app / network drivers even slower!

Have returned to higher + max cycles

and produced a corrupted Image

Actually it's quite easy to corrupt disk images, feel free to fix it 😀
Not related to the dosbox files caching.

To confirm, there isn’t a "fix" for my problem? (That doesn’t involve reducing the file amounts)

currently no.
Might improve it oneday.

Ok.

Do you know of any other emulation systems that would do the trick still running in windows?

Thanks,

I noticed you're using the S3 setting, so Virtual PC 2007 should work at high resolutions for you. It supports the S3 Trio32 and 64. It also supports VESA up to 1280x1024. It runs on Win XP and Vista. And it's free.

I set it up to run PADS Perform DOS with a Win XP Pro SP2 host OS and a Win 98SE guest OS. PADS ran fine except it was limited to 640x480 since PADS didn't support S3 or VESA. I had to have 1024x768, so I decided on DOSBox for PADS Perform DOS. I found VPC was slower than DOSBox but the networking was easy to get going.

There's also VMware Workstation 6. It supports VESA 2.0 for video. It is not free.

There's also Bochs, VirtualBox, QEMU, and Parallels Workstation among others. I've never used them. You might find the video limited, but check them out.

VMWARE or VPC dosnt work when you get into the dwaring section of the software.

(Its 20 years old and not that well made)

Which guest OS's did you try?

can't you have a local copy of the files ?

Plan8FOS : Windows 98 in the VM - The GFX would die. (We normally run this software on windows 98 nativly)

Qbix : Nope, about 8 PCs need to use the same files. And i think it dose the same with local files.

you might want to enter all directories and running dir on them with a batch file before starting the program
that should cause the files allraedy to be cached in.

Qbix : Could you explain a little more.

In windows?

Do you have the commands I need to put in a batch file please?

I assumed this wouldnt work, as you get the "delay" every time you go into the folder.

Its not a case of once then its fine, its every time.

After you have done your mounting with

mount E E:\
mount G G:\
mount H H:\
mount K K:\
mount C C:\

force DOSBox to open and read each directory that your program will be using. E.g.

dir E:\ > NUL:
dir G:\ > NUL:
dir H:\ > NUL:
dir K:\ > NUL:
dir C:\ > NUL: