Thanks for your help.

I downloaded the disk version off of an abandonware site. If I run it w/ VDMS, I get sound and all. But the DOS app keeps minimizing itself after 5 seconds, if I restore it, it minimizes again after 5 seconds. What's that about? I'm running WinXP Home Edition.

Do you have any idea what the problem is?

Thanks,
Chris

Just so you know, I deleted your duplicate thread on this in the "Windows" forum because 1) it's a duplicate thread and 2) WB is not a Windows game, so it was in the wrong forum anyway.

I don't know about this behavior, do any other DOS+VDMSound titles behave like this?

Oops, sorry.

Um, not that I know of. Older games generally do that on my computer. ie, starcraft does that too. It also happens w/ Alone in the Dark. It's very on my computer for that to happen.

Chris

That is extremely weird behaviour, although I do think I remember it happening once with Starcraft as well (W2K). Hmm...
Simple things to try: disable virus scanners, close all other programs.

It does this with DOS and Windows programs? That is odd. Perhaps DosFreak has come across this?

Yeah, I'm clueless. It happens w/ older stuff. Alone in the Dark Trilogy, StarCraft, WillyB, Grand Theft Auto...
It's weird. I tried a slowdown util. and that didn't help either.

What is DOSFreak?

Chris

DosFreak is a person. In fact, he's a moderator. (And he takes grudges, mwahaha 😉 j/k)

Hmm. Is he a moderator HERE?

Yarr. 😀

I've had an epiphony:

Anytime I try to run dos in full screen (including the C-Prompt), it minimizes it after about 5 seconds. HOWEVER, with C-Prompt, and an old text game called Amnesia, they can run in a window (they don't need to be fullscreen b/c they can just adjust their font size). When they auto minimize (Like WB), they auto restore in a window (UNlike WB). If I restore it (back to fullscreen), it stays open for 5 secs, then it minimizes and restores in a window again.

With WB: it's graphics, it MUST be fullscreen to run. Since the computer can't restore it in a window, it just stays minimized.

As far as SC: StarCraft was written for Win95/98/ME. Win95/98/ME are not operating systems. They're operating ENVIRONMENTS that run over MS-DOS (the actual "OS"). WinNT/2000/XP are ACTUAL operating systems with DOS emulators (C-Prompt). That's why SC follows the same behavior as WB (and every other DOS program I run).

I have to figure out a way to keep the damn thing in fullscreen when I tell it too.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,
Chris

Only thing I can figure is that another program is taking the focus, switching you back to desktop. It's hard to identify the problem from way over here. You sure that your not pressing any "switch back to desktop" keys, using Accessibility options, or have any weird programs in your system tray?

Tribek: "A computer enthusiast who uses the CLI of *nix is referred to as this type of person".

Contestant #1: "What is a DosFreak".

Tribek: "That is incorrect! They are wannabes of the great DosFreak! Contestant #2, Next category."

Contestant #2: "I'll take $500, The Pen Is Mightier".

😉

You have too much, um, something. I'm not quite sure yet what it is.

Ok, update.

I figured it out.

I've been on 20,000 websites; and I swear I've read the ENTIRE Microsoft Knowledge Base. It IS a problem w/ the MS DosVM. It's only made to emulate a simple (very simple) DOS experience. They won't upgrade me either w/o making me pay for it.

I found a DOS emulator (DOSbox) that will run the program WITH sound (built in VDMS), and no graphics errors. Here's the webpage: http://sourceforge.net/projects/dosbox/

Thanks for all the help you guys gave me. =)

I really appreciate it!

Thanks again,
Chris

Originally posted by meowmix_in_da_hood I found a DOS emulator (DOSbox) that will run the program WITH sound (built in VDMS), and no graphics errors.

Ermm... We knew about that. If you had done a little reading on the board you should've come across it.

What's odd is that you shouldn’t need it as Vlad says the floppy version will work. Don't know if the CD-ROM version would work with it though... (DosBox doesn't support MSCDEX right now...).

Really? Unfortunately I didn't even know that I needed it until yesterday.

Well, the disk version will run w/ sound; but then the minimizing thing starts. Some people have this problem, some people don't. I think I just have the special computer.

Microsoft's website offers an upgrade (for a price) that will probably fix the problem; but I'm not going to pay for it. So I just checked out DosBox. It runs my programs w/o stalling. =)

Chris

Whoawhoawhoa. Microsoft has an update for their virtual DOS machine?

Not really an update as much as bug fixes. I have a beta test version of XP, and I haven't updated w/ all of the WinUpdate stuff (it gives me problems w/ my internet). If you have the retail XP, you don't need the bug fix. Sorry.

Chris

Oh. Well, then. Don't make me so excited. 😉

🤣 Sorry. I wish there WAS a new VM. Then I wouldn't need the emulator.

However, if you have a DOS based system, there is a new version of DOS. I think it's 6.2 or something.

Chris

Originally posted by meowmix_in_da_hood Not really an update as much as bug fixes. I have a beta test version of XP,...

So the problem is related to your XP being a Beta?