Running Old Programs

[scotman]

Some while ago I created various utility routines. This was done with MS QuickBasic 4.5. on an Intel P2 machine running Windows 95.
Most of these were compiled into .exe files which ran under DOS. Can anyone advise how I can get these to run on P4 machine under XP Home. I have tried and, while they don't indicate errors, they don't do anything. I believe P2s were 16 bit and P4s are 32 bit so I think the problem may be due to how the progs implement file handling. Any help appreciated.

[ACtheTROLL]

i think you are right ... two options

http://www.dosbox.com/download.php?main=1

or my personal favourite (assuming you still have the disks)

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/downloads/vir tualpc/default.mspx
which does exactly what it says on the box

I've used virtual machines for years ... and they work extremely well

also - my favourite
VMWare (virtual server is free - and still runs desktop software)

[fo3nix]

No, the P2s are still 32-bit.

I'd either do as AC suggests and use a virtual machine, or try and use a DOS emulator like dosbox to run the programs under:

http://www.dosbox.com/

[scotman]

fo3nix
You are correct. P2s are 32-bit. This being so can you suggest why the progs do not function in the DOS emulator in XP?
I will investigate virtual machines etc sometime. This is not high priority for me

[fo3nix]

No idea sorry :)

[fo3nix]

Well no, that's not true.

At a guess, the programs haven't just been compiled for a P2 (which is a generic architecture anyway, so will still run today), but are relying on certain libraries that the old system had, that the XP machine doesn't.

[scotman]

fo3nix

They were all fully compiled as stand-alone .exe files with all .LIB files incorporated(as far as I know)

[jason.p]

Prob not entirely relevant to this but interesting.

We've been using Greetings Workshop since Win 95, but after an upgrade it would not run. It appears that the new PC had too much memory (2gig), and the programme would not run with more than 760mb. The answer was to set up a different option at boot-up with lower memory when we wanted to use the programme. Bit of a fiddle, but it works.

[ACtheTROLL]

quick search on google (you should spend a little time on there ... )

if you have the interpretes' executable ...
right click
properties | compatibility mode

you can try back to w95