The repo you linked has a Win7 branch which might be interesting, as by default Win7 disabled DOS fullscreen modes altogether even on 32-bit, if using a WDDM driver. XPDM driver can be used there but a lot of new features (e.g. Aero) will be missing.

I think that still requires you having a card with proper VGA BIOS. So it won't be of much help if your card is of a very recent generation that has almost no legacy VGA/VESA support, and any bugged VGA/VESA features your card has (while in pure DOS) will carry over. Significant VGA/VESA breakage hasn't taken place yet for video cards of Win2K/XP era, however. It is mostly a concern for those wishing to try the Win7 branch.

vdmsound package gives a VBE implementtion to the win2k VDM. (along with sound blaster support)

I have used it in the past to play warcraft II inside the VDM.

naturally, any games like Duke3d or Quake that want VBE will need to be fullscreen.
The only other caveat with it, was that the mouse would sometimes not behave correctly, and be stuck to the top of the screen.

Did a test of the Win7 branch on a VirtualBox VM after installing Win7 32-bit and Guest Additions. Nope. This doesn't solve the fundamental problem. Pressing ALT-ENTER still reports "This system does not support fullscreen mode." error.

So it's pretty much useless with WDDM.

LSS10999 wrote on Yesterday, 15:22:

Did a test of the Win7 branch on a VirtualBox VM after installing Win7 32-bit and Guest Additions. Nope. This doesn't solve the fundamental problem. Pressing ALT-ENTER still reports "This system does not support fullscreen mode." error.

So it's pretty much useless with WDDM.

Hi!

I understand the bad experience you had with Windows 7, but according to the driver's .txt file, the driver only supports up to Windows XP SP3. Hopefully, we'll get to test it on Windows 10 x86 someday !

Videoport driver patch for VESA in NTVDM
========================================

Originally by Martin Sulak, see:
https://web.archive.org/web/20070817233552/ht … rtin.sulak/This repository was created to add a branch that works with Windows 7.

Usage
-----
Unzip files, reduce background activity and run "install.bat". Change will apply after restart.

Requirements
------------
VGA with VESA compatible ROM-BIOS
Robust windows driver
Windows 2000 / XP

Compatibility
-------------
OS : tested on W2K SP4, XP SP1
VGA : tested on Voodoo3, S3 Trio3D

Overview
--------
Many NT users complains Ntvdm doesn't "support" VESA. Actually, VESA "support" is not NT's bussiness. Adapter's ROM BIOS is used in fullscreen mode. Many adapters support VESA in BIOS.

But there is another problem with NT : Video driver must inform NT which ports DOS needs. Most if not all drivers are marked as not "VGA comptabile", so vedors can safe coding time byt not supporting fullscreen DOS. In this case "VGA Safe" driver is used instead of hardware specific and this universal driver doesn't know all adapters ports.

Here is solution: Replace port driver with "proxy" dll and hook calls to VideoPortSetTrappedEmulatorPorts function. Usually VGASafe miniport call this function with subset of standard VGA ports. Proxy dll will call real function with modified set of port, which it obtains from registry.

Lualb wrote on Yesterday, 17:47:

Hi! […]
Show full quote

LSS10999 wrote on Yesterday, 15:22:

Did a test of the Win7 branch on a VirtualBox VM after installing Win7 32-bit and Guest Additions. Nope. This doesn't solve the fundamental problem. Pressing ALT-ENTER still reports "This system does not support fullscreen mode." error.

So it's pretty much useless with WDDM.

Hi!

I understand the bad experience you had with Windows 7, but according to the driver's .txt file, the driver only supports up to Windows XP SP3. Hopefully, we'll get to test it on Windows 10 x86 someday !

Videoport driver patch for VESA in NTVDM
========================================

Originally by Martin Sulak, see:
https://web.archive.org/web/20070817233552/ht … rtin.sulak/This repository was created to add a branch that works with Windows 7.

Usage
-----
Unzip files, reduce background activity and run "install.bat". Change will apply after restart.

Requirements
------------
VGA with VESA compatible ROM-BIOS
Robust windows driver
Windows 2000 / XP

Compatibility
-------------
OS : tested on W2K SP4, XP SP1
VGA : tested on Voodoo3, S3 Trio3D

Overview
--------
Many NT users complains Ntvdm doesn't "support" VESA. Actually, VESA "support" is not NT's bussiness. Adapter's ROM BIOS is used in fullscreen mode. Many adapters support VESA in BIOS.

But there is another problem with NT : Video driver must inform NT which ports DOS needs. Most if not all drivers are marked as not "VGA comptabile", so vedors can safe coding time byt not supporting fullscreen DOS. In this case "VGA Safe" driver is used instead of hardware specific and this universal driver doesn't know all adapters ports.

Here is solution: Replace port driver with "proxy" dll and hook calls to VideoPortSetTrappedEmulatorPorts function. Usually VGASafe miniport call this function with subset of standard VGA ports. Proxy dll will call real function with modified set of port, which it obtains from registry.

There is a release for Win7 32-bit from this repo. The documentation simply mentioned that branch but has not been updated to further explain it yet.

My testing suggests the issue with enabling fullscreen DOS mode in Win7 32-bit command prompt using WDDM driver lies elsewhere, which videoprt does not cover.