While there are various front-ends available for DOSBox, here is a guide for getting it to run the old-fashion way... And we will be discussing Windows here -- your Operating System (OS) may vary.
(Any and all suggestions for updates are welcome!)
DOSBox System Requirements • 500 MHz minimum / 1 GHz or faster recommended
Note that the faster your machine is, the better DOSBox will work • Windows 2000/Windows XP minimum
• DOS programs and/or DOS games
* For Windows 95/98 machines, it's best to use the native DOS mode along with a program to reduce the computer's speed, like MoSlo, Cpukiller or Turbo.
1. Install the latest version of DOSBox (currently 0.74) http://www.dosbox.com/download.php?main=12. Search for the file "DOSBox 0.74 Options" from the Start Menu Start -> Programs -> DOSBox 0.74 -> Options -> DOSBox 0.74 Options (It should open in Windows Notepad as "dosbox-0.74-conf", and can be edited like a text file.)
This is the configuration file that DOSBox uses when starting up. Most settings are set to Auto or True for the initial install. However, when you become more familiar with the program, you can change the settings to make DOSBox act like a Tandy computer, behave like you have a Disney soundcard installed, change a virtual IRQ setting, run as a 386 computer, etc.
For now, it's easier to leave the settings at the default.
DOSBox interacts with the particulars of your computer system at the end under the
[autoexec] section.
2a. Mounting virtual drives You need to tell DOSBox where your DOS programs are. By "mounting" a virtual drive, you are simply telling DOSBox the folder/directory on your hard disk where the DOS programs will be stored and data files will be kept. A folder/directory becomes a "virtual drive" as far as DOSBox is concerned. Here is the format:
MOUNT [Virtual Drive Letter] [Actual Drive:\Directory Path] It's best to simply create a new folder/directory than use one that Windows has created. That way, there's no possibility that your Windows OS will be affected by DOSBox. To your Windows OS, it's just a folder/directory of data; to DOSBox, it's an entire virtual drive with usable programs.
At a minimum, you MUST mount a non-
Z drive. You can use any letter for mounting a drive in DOSBox
[A–Y] except
[Z] because the
Z: virtual drive is reserved by DOSBox for its operations and tools.
Here's an example mounting a folder/directory. In Windows Explorer, I made a new folder/directory in my actual
C: drive called
dosgames. Then, you mount it in DOSBox by adding the following under the
[autoexec] section:
MOUNT C C:\dosgames Even though it's also called a
C: drive in DOSBox, it will not affect your computer's actual
C: root drive in any way -- as far as DOSBox know, the entire 'world' is only found in your computer's
C:\dosgames folder/directory and nowhere else; changes in DOSBox only affect the contents within the
C:\dosgames folder and subfolders on your actual computer.
Note that while DOSBox allows you to use your actual C: drive as the virtual C: drive, it is NOT recommended because it is possible to delete important Windows files that way. Again, it's best to create a brand-new folder specifically for DOSBox purposes. Plus, if you want to back-up your DOS programs and files to a flash drive or transfer to another computer of yours, everything is all in a single folder/directory!
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To have DOSBox recognize a CD or DVD drive, use the following format:
MOUNT [Virtual CD/DVD Drive Letter] [Actual CD/DVD drive]:\ -t cdrom Here's an example:
MOUNT D F:\ -t cdrom You are telling DOSBox that your actual
F: CD-DVD drive will be the
D: virtual drive in DOSBox.
Note that your actual CD-DVD drive letter may be different than the example. ********************
To have DOSBox recognize a Floppy drive, use the following format:
MOUNT [Virtual Floppy Drive Letter] [Actual Floppy drive]:\ -t floppy Here's an example:
MOUNT A A:\ -t floppy You are telling DOSBox that your actual
A: Floppy drive will be the
A: virtual drive in DOSBox.
Note that since most DOS games assume your floppy is the A: drive when installing games, setting the virtual floppy drive as A: in DOSBox is recommended. ********************
You can also mount ISO or CUE/BIN images
(not discussed here, though).
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From the examples above, here is the initial set-up under
[autoexec] that should serve most purposes:
[autoexec]
# Lines in this section will be run at startup.
# You can put your MOUNT lines here.
MOUNT C C:\dosgames
MOUNT D F:\ -t cdrom
MOUNT A A:\ -t floppy
Remember, your
C: folder/directory for DOS games and CD/DVD drive letter may vary.
Note that DOSBox always starts in the Z: drive. To have it start in the C: virtual drive (C:\dosgames actual drive), add C: to the end of the [autoexec] section to change the drive letter automatically upon start-up: MOUNT C C:\dosgames
MOUNT D F:\ -t cdrom
MOUNT A A:\ -t floppy
C:2b. Save the configuration file3. Run DOSBox without the console Start -> Programs -> DOSBox 0.74 -> Extras -> DOSBox 0.74 (noconsole)4. In the DOSBox environment, you must use DOS commands or similar variants. Here is a refresher:
• To change the drive, type
[mounted Drive Letter]: Z:\> C: (enter)
C:\> • To create a new folder/make a new directory, type
md [folder/directory name] C:\> md sierra (enter)
Note that when creating folders/directories, it is best to follow the 8.3 DOS naming conventions, with no spaces or special characters. • To remove a folder/directory, type
rd [folder/directory name] C:\> rd sierra (enter)
• To change the folder/directory, type
cd [Drive Letter:\directory path] D:\> cd C:\sierra\sq4cd (enter)
C:\sierra\sq4cd> • To go to the root directory, type
cd\ C:\sierra\kq5> cd\ (enter)
C:\> • To go to the next-highest folder/directory in the current branch, type
cd.. C:\sierra\fpfp> cd.. (enter)
C:\sierra> • To view the contents of a folder/directory, type
dir (enter)
• To quit DOSBox, type
exit (enter) or press
[Ctrl–F9] Alternately, click the "X" in the top-right of the DOSBox window when not in full-screen mode.
Note that you can alter the contents of the DOSBox folder using external programs like Windows Explorer while you are running DOSBox or while swapping-out diskettes or CDs/DVDs. However, you may need to press [Ctrl–F4] to refresh DOSBox so any external changes to directories, files or media are recognized.5. While using DOSBox, here are some useful shortcuts: [Alt–Enter] Switch between full-screen and a window [Alt–Pause] Pauses/resumes emulation [Ctrl–F4] Refresh/update cached information for mounted drives; useful if you change something on a mounted drive outside of DOSBox [Ctrl–F9] Closes/exits/quits/"kills" DOSBox [Ctrl–F10] Captures/release the mouse (if mouse is needed within DOSBox) [Ctrl–F11] Decrease DOSBox cycles (slows down the emulation) [Ctrl–F12] Increase DOSBox cycles (speeds up the emulation)6. Now that you are running a DOS emulator, start installing and playing those great old DOS games!