Impossible to run 16 bits .exe \ VOGONS

Impossible to run 16 bits .exe

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First post, by FoxyStrut

Posted on 2008-11-19, 15:23

FoxyStrut Offline

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Dear all,

1) My characteristics
2) My problem

1)
Windows Vista Family Premium SP1 64 bits
HP Pavillon dv7 Notebook PC
Intel Core 2 duo CPU P8600 @2.40GHz @2.40GHz
DOSBox 0.72

2)
I had a dictionnary (English-French) which I was really using often which ran well on my previous XP machine. It is Oxford Superlex 3.1. This program doesn't exist anymore and I really don't find a dictioannary such as good as this one.

(I'm quite new to all this, I will therefore try te be as clear as possible). IIt shouldn't need any installation because I'm able to run it on XP machines from a SUB key. When I try to run it on my Vista 64 bits, I have the following error message: "This file version os incompatible with the version of Windows you are using...". I then understood (if I am right, that this program needed a 16 bits environment.

I've searched on the net and found that DOSBox could be an alternative to run 16 bits applications on 64 bits environments. But following the instructions on the corresponding wiki page, here is what I get in DOSBios: "This program requires Microsoft Windows".

Does this mean that I can't use DOSBios to run this dictionnary? Should I configure DOSBios to be able to run this program? Does anyone have another solution to my problem?

Thanks a lot in advance for any help you could provide!

Reply 1 of 8, by Qbix

Posted on 2008-11-19, 15:31

Qbix Offline

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DOSBox runs DOS programs. Your program is probably a 16 bit windows executable.

You could install windows 3.11 inside dosbox and run the application from there

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Reply 2 of 8, by peterferrie

Posted on 2008-11-19, 16:59

peterferrie Offline

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64-bit Windows will not run any DOS or Win16 programs.
They removed the 16-bit subsystem completely.
To run this program, perhaps DOSBox will work for you, otherwise try VirtualPC or VMware or similar.

Reply 3 of 8, by ih8registrations

Posted on 2008-11-19, 17:36

ih8registrations Offline

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64bit windows has problems running some 32bit apps(for example, freelancer fails at install.) I don't want to lose a half a gig, but there's so many compatibility issues. It was a bad decision by AMD to drop v86 mode.

Reply 4 of 8, by DosFreak

Posted on 2008-11-19, 17:40

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Freelancer installs fine on 64bit Windows (2003 and Vista) both the demo and the full version.

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Reply 5 of 8, by Reckless

Posted on 2008-11-19, 20:03

Reckless Offline

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Before anyone says otherwise, I'm *NOT* having a go at the op.

There's a problem in the market when someone of willing to admit "I'm quite new to all this, I will therefore try te be as clear as possible" and end up with a machine running a 64Bit OS! What's the betting the machine also has <= 4GB 😀

Reply 6 of 8, by DosFreak

Posted on 2008-11-19, 20:14

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http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/me/en/ho/WF05a … 54-3744231.html

Not saying that's what he configured it as but that's what the specs say.

Although I'd hope that people buying laptops today would be smart enough not to buy the memory with it since usually the memory cost a bajillion dollars compared to buying it seperately.

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