VDM? Is that VDMSound? It is not needed (and not used) if you play the game inside DOSBox.

Can you install it from DOSBox?

Yes, VDM stands for VDMSound.

I cannot install the game from Dosbox because it is the "Win 95 only" version. I had to use the p2dosxp.zip.

I tried installing the game without VDMsound, and the result is the same.

If you installed it from Windows, but plays in DOSBox, you better use equivalence mounts in DOSBox:

mount C C:\
mount D D:\ -t cdrom

The -usecd option is rarely necessary (but it do not harm either), and -ioctl is the default anyway.

I did as you wrote, but still the same result.

Do you have the same problem when running the patched version using VDMSound?

Yes.

Is there a way to install and play PH2 without using the p2dosxp.zip patch, or VDMsound?

I got the game to run just fine with DOSbox on Windows Vista by using the following steps:

• Download P2DOSPAT.EXE (alternate download link here]) and "Phantasmagoria II Sound Driver Update (DACBLAST)" from Collector's page: http://tawmis.com/collector/Patches-Updates/P … Phantasmagoria2
• Move the P2DOSPAT.EXE file to the folder you want the game to be installed to
• Start DosBox
  
  In DosBox:
• Mount your CD drive as D
• Mount the folder you want the game to be installed to as C
• Type C: and press enter.
• Type P2DOSPAT and press enter.
• Type "PATCH2 C D C" (without the quotes but including the spaces) and press enter.
• Type L to install the "larger" version. The game will install to the folder you designated as C and updates the files to the DOS version.
  
  Back to Windows:
• Unzip "Phantasmagoria II Sound Driver Update (DACBLAST)" and copy the Dacblast.drv to the folder where the game is installed. If/when prompted, overwrite the file.

Installation? Complete!

Now to run the game in DosBox, all you have to do is change to the directory the game is in, type SIERRA and press enter.

Thanks von Pokie, sounds like a solid solution!

With DOSBox, the simple solution is often the correct.

The P2DOSPAT.EXE patch does the same thing as p2dosxp.zip, just that the batch file in p2dosxp.zip has been modified to run in XP. If this works, it is probably from installing it in DOSBox -- no path errors. Another thing to try is an installer that Harrison Moccio made. It is like the installer that Enrico Rolfi made for GK2, except that it sets up that DOS version in DOSBox. Get it here:

http://www.moccio.net/pages/phan2xp.html

Still no success. 🙁 The game freezes exactly at the same point - when I click on the office phone.

You might get lucky if someone sees this thread some time in the future and that someone knows the solution. But right now, I don't think anyone here knows what the problem is, or how to fix it.

If you REALLY, REALLY want to, you could try to download one of the special versions of DOSBox that comes with an internal debugger. Using the debugger you can see exactly what is going on inside DOSBox and the game, but it requires very special knowledge to know how to use that debugger.

I take it that you tried the installer. Do you have a save game from the room before the current room?

It's hopeless. 🙁 Well, thanks anyway for everyone who tried to help me.

vonpookie, I can't thank you enough man.. !!!!