You can't disable cache with ultima 7. It re-enables it.
Remember you can't load any emm386 or similar because it has it's own memory manager and that means you can't load any TSR programs to upper memory, so you need minimal configuration to have enough conventional memory available.

It runs on a 486dlc for sure. So it should on an slc as well.

Baoran wrote on 2020-02-21, 03:16:

You can't disable cache with ultima 7. It re-enables it.
Remember you can't load any emm386 or similar because it has it's own memory manager and that means you can't load any TSR programs to upper memory, so you need minimal configuration to have enough conventional memory available.

Yes, I have read that it does re-enable cache, there's a hack out there somewhere to disable it. In this case, NSSI tells me that this computer performs as well as a 486 DX 40, so there should be no need to disable it. Cachechk sees 64Kb of cache and tests it OK, I wanted to disable it to see if perhaps there are bad chips. I might just pull them and see.

EMM386 as well as HIMEM.SYS have been disabled from the modified DR-DOS config.sys for testing purposes. In the MS-DOS and W98 boot disks, they're not in there at all. I also made a boot disk with the included Ultima utility. Same symptoms.

I have downloaded a copy of the game (for test purposes only) that differs slightly from the one I have - I will see if that works. Its directory structure has some files that my copy doesn't have. It's still strange that the original copy will run on my P2.

Ultimately, I am getting a PS/1000 from Poland which seemingly has the same CPU - I can try running it on that as well.

Jed118 wrote on 2020-02-21, 11:14:

Yes, I have read that it does re-enable cache, there's a hack out there somewhere to disable it. In this case, NSSI tells me tha […]
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Baoran wrote on 2020-02-21, 03:16:

You can't disable cache with ultima 7. It re-enables it.
Remember you can't load any emm386 or similar because it has it's own memory manager and that means you can't load any TSR programs to upper memory, so you need minimal configuration to have enough conventional memory available.

Yes, I have read that it does re-enable cache, there's a hack out there somewhere to disable it. In this case, NSSI tells me that this computer performs as well as a 486 DX 40, so there should be no need to disable it. Cachechk sees 64Kb of cache and tests it OK, I wanted to disable it to see if perhaps there are bad chips. I might just pull them and see.

EMM386 as well as HIMEM.SYS have been disabled from the modified DR-DOS config.sys for testing purposes. In the MS-DOS and W98 boot disks, they're not in there at all. I also made a boot disk with the included Ultima utility. Same symptoms.

I have downloaded a copy of the game (for test purposes only) that differs slightly from the one I have - I will see if that works. Its directory structure has some files that my copy doesn't have. It's still strange that the original copy will run on my P2.

Ultimately, I am getting a PS/1000 from Poland which seemingly has the same CPU - I can try running it on that as well.

You should have himem.sys in config.sys but no emm386. I have only used ms-dos 6.22 with ultima 7, so that might be a good place to start with.

^^^ The system had DOS 6.22 on it, I didn't like how it managed the memory.

AFAIK booting from a DOS 6.22 diskette (which I have done, with a self-referencing CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT) loads that into memory, and the disk access is the same. Someone can tell me if I am wrong in this assumption?

Jed118 wrote on 2020-02-22, 03:33:

^^^ The system had DOS 6.22 on it, I didn't like how it managed the memory.

AFAIK booting from a DOS 6.22 diskette (which I have done, with a self-referencing CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT) loads that into memory, and the disk access is the same. Someone can tell me if I am wrong in this assumption?

Main reason I suggested ms-dos was because it is the most compatible. Using dr-dos, freedos or others can cause compatibility issues and I wanted to rule them out. I am not sure what you are asking about related to loading into memory.

Given that U7 was released when MS-DOS 5.0 was the current one and that also has a smaller memory footprint, I'd try with an MS-DOS 5.0 bootdisk.

Also, try different mouse drivers. I remember from the days back that U7 doesn't play well with some. (for that reason, avoid using cute mouse until you get the game running)

derSammler wrote on 2020-02-22, 07:38:

Given that U7 was released when MS-DOS 5.0 was the current one and that also has a smaller memory footprint, I'd try with an MS-DOS 5.0 bootdisk.

Also, try different mouse drivers. I remember from the days back that U7 doesn't play well with some. (for that reason, avoid using cute mouse until you get the game running)

I didn't have any trouble myself with my 486dx33 Mhz, ms-dos 6.22 and cutemouse. Basically main thing is to have just minimal setup with himem.sys, files=25 and buffers=25 in config.sys and load the mouse driver in autoexec.bat.

But you certainly did not run it on an IBM Ambra computer, did you? Minimal setup is the key, so MS-DOS 5.0 should be the starting point.

Baoran wrote on 2020-02-22, 07:52:

derSammler wrote on 2020-02-22, 07:38:

Given that U7 was released when MS-DOS 5.0 was the current one and that also has a smaller memory footprint, I'd try with an MS-DOS 5.0 bootdisk.

Also, try different mouse drivers. I remember from the days back that U7 doesn't play well with some. (for that reason, avoid using cute mouse until you get the game running)

I didn't have any trouble myself with my 486dx33 Mhz, ms-dos 6.22 and cutemouse. Basically main thing is to have just minimal setup with himem.sys, files=25 and buffers=25 in config.sys and load the mouse driver in autoexec.bat.

That's pretty much what's in my autoexec and config, using CT mouse. I will try a different driver anyways though.

I'll give it a shot with DOS 5 though. Curiously, it works fine with CT mouse on a Win 98 boot disk on my P2.

Booting with a self-referencing DOS 5 boot disk is sufficient I think - it loads those command.com and io.sys files into memory, and uses them to access the disk, right? I don't actually need to install DOS 5 to the hard disk?

After installing DOS 5.0, the game launches.

Thanks all!

Jed118 wrote on 2020-02-21, 11:14:

Baoran wrote on 2020-02-21, 03:16:

You can't disable cache with ultima 7. It re-enables it.
Remember you can't load any emm386 or similar because it has it's own memory manager and that means you can't load any TSR programs to upper memory, so you need minimal configuration to have enough conventional memory available.

Ultimately, I am getting a PS/1000 from Poland which seemingly has the same CPU - I can try running it on that as well.

Wait wait wait, I've been looking ALL OVER for a PS/1000 - where did you find that one???

Nitroraptor53 wrote on 2020-03-05, 05:25:

Jed118 wrote on 2020-02-21, 11:14:

Baoran wrote on 2020-02-21, 03:16:

You can't disable cache with ultima 7. It re-enables it.
Remember you can't load any emm386 or similar because it has it's own memory manager and that means you can't load any TSR programs to upper memory, so you need minimal configuration to have enough conventional memory available.

Ultimately, I am getting a PS/1000 from Poland which seemingly has the same CPU - I can try running it on that as well.

Wait wait wait, I've been looking ALL OVER for a PS/1000 - where did you find that one???

In Poland 😉 It boots up too. Currently it's stripped, waiting to be shipped here. I have a matching mouse for it somewhere, and I'm looking for a keyboard. VLB too!

Jed118 wrote on 2020-03-05, 20:12:

Nitroraptor53 wrote on 2020-03-05, 05:25:

Jed118 wrote on 2020-02-21, 11:14:

Ultimately, I am getting a PS/1000 from Poland which seemingly has the same CPU - I can try running it on that as well.

Wait wait wait, I've been looking ALL OVER for a PS/1000 - where did you find that one???

In Poland 😉 It boots up too. Currently it's stripped, waiting to be shipped here. I have a matching mouse for it somewhere, and I'm looking for a keyboard. VLB too!

I meant do they have another??? I love the PS/1000! (VLB, DLC2-66 (normally) and it looks nice)

Nitroraptor53 wrote on 2020-03-05, 20:17:

Jed118 wrote on 2020-03-05, 20:12:

Nitroraptor53 wrote on 2020-03-05, 05:25:

Wait wait wait, I've been looking ALL OVER for a PS/1000 - where did you find that one???

In Poland 😉 It boots up too. Currently it's stripped, waiting to be shipped here. I have a matching mouse for it somewhere, and I'm looking for a keyboard. VLB too!

I meant do they have another??? I love the PS/1000! (VLB, DLC2-66 (normally) and it looks nice)

No, the dealer actually ripped me off, there were supposed to be 6 hard drives included in there which I never got. Fighting with my credit card company about that one now.

Depending on how much overlap in performance there is between the PS/1000 and my own DLC build, I will keep it for a bit and eBay it. I have to get it first, benchmark it, check it out thoroughly, and then decide.

Jed118 wrote on 2020-03-06, 00:44:

Nitroraptor53 wrote on 2020-03-05, 20:17:

Jed118 wrote on 2020-03-05, 20:12:

In Poland 😉 It boots up too. Currently it's stripped, waiting to be shipped here. I have a matching mouse for it somewhere, and I'm looking for a keyboard. VLB too!

I meant do they have another??? I love the PS/1000! (VLB, DLC2-66 (normally) and it looks nice)

No, the dealer actually ripped me off, there were supposed to be 6 hard drives included in there which I never got. Fighting with my credit card company about that one now.

Depending on how much overlap in performance there is between the PS/1000 and my own DLC build, I will keep it for a bit and eBay it. I have to get it first, benchmark it, check it out thoroughly, and then decide.

I might be able to pay you directly for it, is 200 USD enough?

Nitroraptor53 wrote on 2020-03-06, 01:28:

Jed118 wrote on 2020-03-06, 00:44:

Nitroraptor53 wrote on 2020-03-05, 20:17:

I meant do they have another??? I love the PS/1000! (VLB, DLC2-66 (normally) and it looks nice)

No, the dealer actually ripped me off, there were supposed to be 6 hard drives included in there which I never got. Fighting with my credit card company about that one now.

Depending on how much overlap in performance there is between the PS/1000 and my own DLC build, I will keep it for a bit and eBay it. I have to get it first, benchmark it, check it out thoroughly, and then decide.

I might be able to pay you directly for it, is 200 USD enough?

I paid $125 CAD for just the case with no RAM or anything, never mind getting it here. You'll have to offer a little more, I'm afraid. However, just PM me once in a while. I won't likely get it here till mid April, so there's LOOOOOTS of time. Let me get it first and check exactly what condition its in.

Jed118 wrote on 2020-03-06, 01:41:

Nitroraptor53 wrote on 2020-03-06, 01:28:

Jed118 wrote on 2020-03-06, 00:44:

No, the dealer actually ripped me off, there were supposed to be 6 hard drives included in there which I never got. Fighting with my credit card company about that one now.

Depending on how much overlap in performance there is between the PS/1000 and my own DLC build, I will keep it for a bit and eBay it. I have to get it first, benchmark it, check it out thoroughly, and then decide.

I might be able to pay you directly for it, is 200 USD enough?

I paid $125 CAD for just the case with no RAM or anything, never mind getting it here. You'll have to offer a little more, I'm afraid. However, just PM me once in a while. I won't likely get it here till mid April, so there's LOOOOOTS of time. Let me get it first and check exactly what condition its in.

Does it have a mobo?

Also, if it hasn't arrived yet: beware, the handle may break off. I suspected this would happen with my 2168 Consultant, and sure enough, it did...