Re-install it through DOSBox. Mixing an install done outside of DOSBox with running it inside DOSBox is a bad thing to do.

how do I go about doing that....

You need to mount your cd and a folder that you want to install the game in, then run the install program. If you are new to all this, it might be easier to download one of the "frontends" for dosbox (d-fend, dbgl, or d.o.g.). You can find links to them on the dosbox website.

rizzo18 wrote:

how do I go about doing that....

Try the 60 seconds guide listed in my signature.

Hello all! I realize that my first post is necroing a pretty old thread, but it addresses the exact question that I have so it seemed appropriate.

I'm pretty new to DOSBox, but I managed (with the help of MiniMax's 60 Second Guide) to both install and play Realms of the Haunting through DOSBox.

The trouble starts when I quit DOSBox and then reopen it. I can run the game as many times as I want as long as DOSBox stays open, but when I quit and reboot DOSBox and remount the E:\ disk and the C:\ location exactly the same as they were for install, THEN when I run ROTH.exe just like before it says "Error: Can't find ICONS.ALL on CD-DISK1.

How could the game install from the disk before and run, but then fail to find a file on the properly mounted disk the second time DOSBox is run? It's not exactly the same as rizzo's issue because I installed it from DOSBox.

I know this is a pretty specific question, but I'd appreciate any help I can get. Thanks so much in advance!

EDIT: Note that I installed it by mounting a .nrg one (image w/ data of all 4 original disks combined) with DaemonTools and then mounting that E:\ drive to E:\ in DOSBox. But it is mounted exactly the same when the game fails to run as when it installed and functioned.

dubyrunning wrote:

EDIT: Note that I installed it by mounting a .nrg one (image w/ data of all 4 original disks combined) with DaemonTools

Maybe you shouldn't do that? You can mount multiple CD images in DOSBox (with IMGMOUNT) and switch between them with a hotkey, you know.

As for the cause of this particular problem, it depends on exactly what happens after the install. Does the installer volunteer to launch the game for you, or what?

[Necromoving thread to DOSBox Games/Apps. Section]

Jorpho wrote:

dubyrunning wrote:

EDIT: Note that I installed it by mounting a .nrg one (image w/ data of all 4 original disks combined) with DaemonTools

Maybe you shouldn't do that? You can mount multiple CD images in DOSBox (with IMGMOUNT) and switch between them with a hotkey, you know.

As for the cause of this particular problem, it depends on exactly what happens after the install. Does the installer volunteer to launch the game for you, or what?

I got the game with all 4 discs cleverly bundled onto 1 image. The uploader made it that way, and I don't know if that's the issue since it installs and runs properly as long as I don't close and reopen DOSBox.

The uploader got back to me and said it likely has to do with my version of Windows, so I'm not going to worry about it. For now I'm just hibernating my comp so I don't have to close DOSBox, and in the event that I do I'll just copy the save files and reinstall the game through DOSBox. It takes about 2 minutes.

Thanks for getting back to me and trying to help - I just don't know that we'll be able to figure it out based on the exact nature of the game as the uploader compiled it.

Cheers!

the uploader's a dumbass. Also you followed a tutorial from an abandonware site.

I think there's many things in common relating to why the game is not working, but I can assure you that a real ROTH game can start many times successfully no problem within DOSBox.

leileilol wrote:

the uploader's a dumbass. Also you followed a tutorial from an abandonware site.

I think there's many things in common relating to why the game is not working, but I can assure you that a real ROTH game can start many times successfully no problem within DOSBox.

Actually the uploader isn't a "dumbass"; based on the comments on the site where I got the upload, I'm the only one whose rig can't seem to run the game after rebooting DOSBox. Also I didn't use that Abandonia tutorial - that was rizzo, the thread author.

This IS a "real ROTH game" considering it runs with full speech, vid, music and sound - I just can't seem to boot it again once DOSBox is rebooted.

If you can't say anything constructive, don't say anything at all. I'll stick with my workarounds, thanks.

i wonder why don't you put all your moutings into autoexec section of dosbox conf so that you don't have to type them again.

Also you should try Virtual Floppy Drive

Buy the original game instead of using a pirated copy. So-called "Abandonware" will not be supported on VOGONS. The game runs perfectly well in DOSBox, no matter how many times it's restarted (the game and/or DOSBox).

Also you should try Virtual Floppy Drive

???

P.S.:

The uploader got back to me and said it likely has to do with my version of Windows

This kind of proves leilei's "dumbass" theory.

ADDiCT wrote:

Buy the original game instead of using a pirated copy. So-called "Abandonware" will not be supported on VOGONS. The game runs perfectly well in DOSBox, no matter how many times it's restarted (the game and/or DOSBox).

After I saw your post I did go to eBay and Amazon and saw that there are copies of the game available. Perhaps I should have done that first.

I'm curious, though, what the rationale is for the hard-line stance against uploaded versions of the game. At this point all of the copies available are available second hand. None of the money is making its way back to Interplay at this point. Check out this article for the president of Epic Games' take on the "problem" created by the second hand games market:

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/gaming/2008/11/1 … -a-huge-issue/1

An excerpt:

"We don't make any money when someone rents it, and we don't make any money when someone buys it used - way more than twice as many people played Gears than bought it."

At this point, 13 years out, the only people making money off of Interplay's work are second hand retailers and individual sellers. So I'm wondering what the reasoning is for pooh-poohing "pirated" copies?

I'm curious, though, what the rationale is for the hard-line stance against uploaded versions of the game.

It's illegal.

wd wrote:

I'm curious, though, what the rationale is for the hard-line stance against uploaded versions of the game.

It's illegal.

Not to mention in most cases it's the most 'broken' way to play DOS games, clearly as evidenced in this very thread.

It's stupid to debug an error only caused by modified versions of pirated software, or user of pirated software. Development of DOSBox isn't helped by that at all since that's mostly a waste of time.

leileilol wrote:

wd wrote:

I'm curious, though, what the rationale is for the hard-line stance against uploaded versions of the game.

It's illegal.

Not to mention in most cases it's the most 'broken' way to play DOS games, clearly as evidenced in this very thread.

It's stupid to debug an error only caused by modified versions of pirated software, or user of pirated software. Development of DOSBox isn't helped by that at all since that's mostly a waste of time.

Valid points. If everyone with a broken custom upload of a DOS game came in here looking for help and it was your policy to help them, it's all this forum would ever do.

I also looked into the law surrounding abandonware and found that unless the developer has expressly released the copyright to public domain, it is still in effect and distribution of such copyrighted software is illegal. It really doesn't matter how old the game is because copyrights last decades.

There is a gray area of the law (dealing with preserving games for posterity) where the format of the game is so old that it is infeasible to acquire the hardware and software needed to run it. Most games aren't that old though, and you could argue that no DOS game is.

Next time I'll just go to eBay or Amazon. $10 is worth avoiding the hassle (not to mention getting the classic box and manual)!

Wow. That's what i call a mature and thoughtful reply. To explain matters a bit further, I'm sure many VOGONS users (including myself) are not big fans of the legal situation concerning Abandonware, but it's, as you write, the law (in most countries anyway, I guess). Technical issues aside, I think everyone should be able to understand why we're kind of enforcing that "no Abandonware" policy.

Hmmm... Let me give you a goodie. DOS doesn't like non-consecutive drive letters, at all. The usual config back in the day was C: for the OS and D: for CD-ROM, or C: and D: for hd's and E: for the CD-ROM. You see?

ADDiCT wrote:

Wow. That's what i call a mature and thoughtful reply. To explain matters a bit further, I'm sure many VOGONS users (including myself) are not big fans of the legal situation concerning Abandonware, but it's, as you write, the law (in most countries anyway, I guess). Technical issues aside, I think everyone should be able to understand why we're kind of enforcing that "no Abandonware" policy.

Hmmm... Let me give you a goodie. DOS doesn't like non-consecutive drive letters, at all. The usual config back in the day was C: for the OS and D: for CD-ROM, or C: and D: for hd's and E: for the CD-ROM. You see?

Hmm.. That might actually have something to do with it. I used C: as the HD and E: as the virtual CD-ROM because E: is the letter of my actual (DaemonTools) CD-ROM. Maybe I should try mounting the CD to D:, since it doesn't really matter what letter I assign in DOSBox, does it? Thanks for the tip!

since it doesn't really matter what letter I assign in DOSBox, does it?

DOSBox doesn't care, but the game might.