VOGONS


First post, by Knuten48

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Please forgive my extreme newbie, ignorant question, but is DosBox a Program or an OS, or maybe a Virtual OS?

I want to run FRACTINT, an old DOS-based program. So far I've run it in VirtualBox with FreeDOS and Win98, and also in VMware with Win98. FractInt will run on all those but not 100% satisfactorily. Someone told me I should try DOSBox.

My PC is now running WinXP. I don't understand how to install DOSBox... I don't want it to overwrite WinXP. Can I just run it as a Program in WinXP or must I install it in VMware?

Reply 1 of 6, by Dominus

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It's an emulator. Just googling a bit or looking at the dosbox.com site would have spared you the inital apology.

But Dosbox is a dos emulator for games. People running other kind of programs often aren't happy with it...

Windows 3.1x guide for DOSBox
60 seconds guide to DOSBox
DOSBox SVN snapshot for macOS (10.4-11.x ppc/intel 32/64bit) notarized for gatekeeper

Reply 2 of 6, by Knuten48

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Thanks Dominus! Oh, I Googled and looked through the Dosbox site and the Wiki, but I still didn't get it, so that's why I asked.

I also read your post about"just for games" and its link. All I can say is Fractint is my game and even if it crashes, nothing is lost; it's not a business or tax program.

I typed "FRACTINT" into your searchbox and see that several other DOSbox people use Fractint, and one said he had the best results with an SVN...
So I downloaded that DOSbox SVN and went ahead and ran it. Yay! It works beautifully so far. (Still have to learn how to install Fractint into it but I see instrucs in your Wiki so that's where I'm headed next.)

Reply 3 of 6, by Matth79

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If it's fractint you want, then there is a Windows version - probably more efficient than emulating the DOS version
http://fractint.org/ftp/current/windows/

On the outside, DOSbox is a program, I suppose you could say it is akin to Virtualbox etc., but instead of emulating a "bare" system environment, it emulates a DOS environment (partially - if it's not needed for games, it's not in).

Reply 4 of 6, by kolano

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The Windows version is a 16 bit executable, and thus won't run on newer versions of Windows. I still need to see if I can get it running under ReactOS.

You can grab the DOS version of Fractint preconfigured with DOSBox from my page at...
http://eyecandyarchive.com/Fractint/

Last edited by kolano on 2015-06-19, 06:29. Edited 1 time in total.

Eyecandy: Turn your computer into an expensive lava lamp.

Reply 5 of 6, by Knuten48

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Thanks Matth79 & kolano,
There are 3 versions of Fractint: DOS, Windows & X (Linux). The Windows version is a.k.a. "WinFract", and yes, I have used it but it's no where near as functional (or fun) as DOS Fractint; you can't be as creative in WinFract as you can in dos Fractint. (I haven't used Linux yet but am planning to try.) But you are right, Matth79 that Winfract does run pretty smoothly in Windows... and I'll add that I think Winfract is a good way to learn some Fractint basics.

I got Fractint running quite well in Dosbox right now, but I'll definitely check out your page kolano! & Thx!

Reply 6 of 6, by Knuten48

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KOLANO - WOW! Your DOSBOX-FRACTINT from your page: http://eyecandy.gnugget.net/Fractint/
is superb, excellent, fantastic!!! I got it up and running and it's the first time in a long time that I've been able to enjoy Fractint running properly...
Since about 1996, that is, and back then the machines were pretty primitive compared to now, so this is better.

I'm running WinXP Media Center on a 2008 Alienware 32-bit, and now with KOLANO's special edition DOSBOX+FRACTINT.

Thanks, KOLANO!