Unfortunately, the Wing Commander games all were a little wonky with their memory management, which sometimes causes problems under DOSBOX. There are a few things for Privateer to work properly, though:

1) Make sure EMS=FALSE in your config file
2) Type "loadfix -65" prior to running the game (The -65 is optional and variable, but most have the best luck with that value.)
3) Set your CPU cycle speed to around the 6500 range.

This should allow the game to run normally.

Forget the recommendations above, and use a recent (ie. dosbox 0.65)
release of dosbox.
If it still doesn't work, use loadfix and try different cycle settings.

Sorry, should have pointed out, that's the settings that I use under 0.65 for Privateer.

Well the original poster had ems=false, which is only needed for older
dosbox versions. Maybe the problem is already gone if he uses a newer
version or (if he already IS using the 0.65) setting ems=true might
result in different behaviour of the problem he mentioned.

loadfix is always a good option as the wingcommander series are known
to have bugs with as much conventional memory available as dosbox provides.

Thanks for the responses.

I do have probably the oldest version since it came on floppies. I have tried with and without sound.

I am using dosbox 0.65

I have tried ems=false , ems=true, added a line under autoexec ems=ram 4096, ems=false, ems=ram

tried cycles at 3000,6500,20000 etc

tried loadfix -65 , -128 , -32

tried memsize 8 ,16,24

Still have the same problem: I can enter the ship dealer, sometimes get into upgrades, once in a while even get back to the concorse but 99% it crashes and I can only abort to get out. This also happen usually in commodies. Everything else works( combat,missions,landing, guilds etc) and that is why I'm thinking bad file

Also, I have tried running this on my laptop with the same results

I hope the floppy content is ok. Hard to test this (installers just copy files
and mostly don't perform any crc/validity check).

You could try to find patches/updates to the game, maybe that helps.

It wasn't mentioned if you tried a fresh re-install? I take it you didn't use the same savegame either?

I've had a folder since 1997 with all the saves and my alterted objects.tre and unaltered objects.tre files( I just keep saving it with every new computer). I had the whole program folder zipped onto the 6 floppies but when I tried unzipping; one file had CRC errors. As it happened it was the objects.tre file. So I used the original file I had saved.

Anyway I also tried to use one of my old saved files and had the same results.

I will try a fresh install of Privateer, I have tried de-installing doxbox 0.65 and re-installing.

I am using a kyro II video card on my desktop and whatever is native to a Dell D600. I have ordered a ATI radeon 9700 and have bought a copy of privateer on CD.

If anyone has anymore suggestions on what I might do , I would love it.
If not, I'll report what happens after I get the above two items

The things we do just to once again play this most wondereous game
PRIVATEER!

I've had to replace several old diskette games myself, due to CRC and disk read problems. I know the CD version works beautifully under 0.65, plus you'll get the speech pack with it, so at least you'll get to enjoy it soon. =)

Well that explains - you're telling me you're using files that have been changed a million time without trying a fresh install. No wonder some things stop working.

ALWAYS use a fresh install before commenting on whether or not a game works. We can't possibly anticipate any bugs in a game itself that cause it to not run well.