Same problem here, using various DOSBox versions (0.70 official, 0.72 latest ykhwong CVS). I've tried mounting an ISO image and a virtual directory. There's no entry in the DOSBox stdout.txt after the error occurs.

I have a patched TDUJAM version that works, but the version installed from an original CD gives the error.

EDIT: When launched from the CD, the installer offers the option to run the game directly from the CD, without prior installation. Even when using this option, the error is thrown.

ANOTHER EDIT: there's another thread here from a user having the same problem, but there was no conclusion. Would be cool if one of the devs could look into that problem.

Thanks for pointing out that thread, ADDICT! 😉

One of the things on my "to do" DOSBox list is to figure out why the RIP version works so damn fine (without the file read error message) and wether using the damn CD, an image (ISO or BIN/CUE), a different image format loaded via Windows (with Alcohol or similar) and mounted drive inside DOSBox, or even mount a directory with the contents of the CD, they always spawn that lousy message!

My bet it's either on some code on the actual FIFA96.EXE file or (long shot here) some issue with playing the intro movies (as the RIP doesn't have them and I've been somewhat successful "injecting" the commentary speech in the RIP and playing it nicely).

Unfortunately, I haven'd had much time lately to do all the tests I wanted (courtesy of real life).

To be noticed is the fact that this problem is not related to the OS, as it happens on both Vista and XP.

Hmm I think I have this game - I'll have a go to see if the rip hasn't modified the exe in some ways - it's possible that it's some odd copy protection scheme that causes problems.

My uneducated guess is that it's the protection scheme, too. The rip's exe is very different from the original one, not just a few changed bytes.

I don't think that any of us has the game. so debugging it will be tricky.

The rip's exe is very different from the original one

Supposedly the game's executable was packed and/or encrypted.
The rest of the files are exactly the same?

So what can be done?Even if the RIP version's exe is different,what can be done?

Prayers being the sole path of truth at the moment.

Some other files are different between the rip and the original, too. i believe all these differences are connected to ripping the game.

Examples:
fifa96.exe - different size, different structure
install.dat - different content, probably connected to the cd drive letter (it's a binary file, so not sure)
INSTGRPS.DAT - different size, some content differences
FEDATA\LANG001.POG - slightly different size, different content (possibly game-internal index files)
FEDATA\PCCD.POG - ""
FEDATA\PCINDEX.POG - ""

There are some other differences. Unfortunately, it's not as easy as looking for a textfile where the CD-ROM drive letter is stored, i think. (;

> So what can be done?Even if the RIP version's exe is different,what can be done?

Well, did you try my suggestions in that other thread? Use ProcessMonitor to "spy" on DOSBox to see which file it is trying to read?

I really don't get you MiniMax.Why would I want to know that?

Same for me with you.

File Read Error => means something is wrong with locating or acccess some unknown file. It might be helpful to know which file.

Qbix wrote:

I don't think that any of us has the game. so debugging it will be tricky.

I got the game - installed it using imgmount and got the same error.

If someone could send me the modified files of the ripped version, I'd be willing to do some testing to see which files make it work.

Mind you, this is not the only cracked DOS game that suddenly works when the original game crashes.

Think we only need to track the cdrom calls. afterall that is what is all about.

It might be simple bug/quirk in one of those routines.

FWIW, the CD game can be ran using the cracked executable from TDUJAM and skipping introvideos using the -v parameter. But as Qbix said, it might just as well be a (minor) DOSBox issue.

Ok folks I installed the game(full installation) and copied the RIP exe to the game's directory.And guess what?
It DID run.Just before the main menu screen and then it went back to DOS with this message:
'fedata\PCCD.pog' File Read Error

So I guess that we can take the files from the CD copy them to the hard drive and it should work.

Changes to the DOSBox source since 0.72: […]
Show full quote

Changes to the DOSBox source since 0.72:

2007-11-01 13:15 qbix79
* Emulate a trailing dot on volume labels of 8 characters when on a
cdrom drive. mscdex weirdness. Fixes Fifa96 cdrom detection.

Thank you Qbix, for looking into this.

EDIT: works great!

File Read Error... Dosbox 0.72 and Fifa 96 (Full Version CD) don't work!!!!!!