# Is there any reason why an old DOS game won't run on a Windows ME computer? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 15, 2003, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-reason-why-an-old-dos-game-wont-run-on-a-windows-me-computer/219034 "2003-12-15T01:38:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2003, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-reason-why-an-old-dos-game-wont-run-on-a-windows-me-computer/219034/1 "2003-12-15T01:38:57Z")
I’ve been looking for [this](http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3064718029&category=11047&sspagename=rvi:1:1) game for a while, and I was thinking about putting a bid out on it, but if I can’t make it work there’s really no point. I’ve had experience where games wouldn’t work on newer computers. For instance, my copy of X-Wing wouldn’t load onto a computer for lack of what they call “expanded” memory, whereas on my antique 486SX 25 MHz machine it worked fine, albeit slow. This game is MS-DOS based. Would that be an issue for a ME computer? And also, while I’m asking, would it be possible to find a way to load my copy of X-Wing on my ME computer? I’m thinking that perhaps I don’t know what I’m doing and it is possible. Maybe. ---
**Author:** ![cckerberos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@cckerberos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cckerberos)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2003, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-reason-why-an-old-dos-game-wont-run-on-a-windows-me-computer/219034/2 "2003-12-15T01:47:35Z")
It all depends on the game really, but I’ve found that yes, in general, it can be a pain to get an old DOS game to run on a new computer. At the very least, you’ll likely have to download a program to slow your computer down. If it was a popular game, chances are you’ll find a webpage or message board that discusses how to get it running on a modern computer. In the case of X-Wing, I’m sure you’d be able to find something. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2003, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-reason-why-an-old-dos-game-wont-run-on-a-windows-me-computer/219034/3 "2003-12-15T01:48:44Z")
Try downloading a [DOS 6.0 bootdisk](http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm) – that should do the trick for you. Usually the easiest way to play DOS games. (You may still have to tweak the memory settings in the autoexec.bat & config.sys.) ---
**Author:** ![cckerberos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@cckerberos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cckerberos)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2003, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-reason-why-an-old-dos-game-wont-run-on-a-windows-me-computer/219034/4 "2003-12-15T01:49:03Z")
Looks like a good place to find some help for X-Wing : [http://pub30.ezboard.com/fofficialtotallygamesboardfrm8](http://pub30.ezboard.com/fofficialtotallygamesboardfrm8) ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2003, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-reason-why-an-old-dos-game-wont-run-on-a-windows-me-computer/219034/5 "2003-12-15T04:46:03Z")
There used to be two types of memory, expanded and extended. Expanded memory worked even on an XT. It paged banks of memory in and out of the lower 1 meg region. I think I still have an old expanded memory card around here somewhere. Extended memory started with the 286 and was the memory above the 1 meg region addressable by the 8086. If you play around with emm386 you can get it to emulate the old expanded memory by using extended memory to emulate it. It works on dos and win95 and 98, not sure about ME. Microsoft intentionally removed things from ME to make it act more like NT even though architecturally it’s the same as 95/98. For old games that need emm386 you’re often better off using a dos boot disk anyway, or else use a menu config option for your autoexec and config so that you don’t screw other programs up. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2003, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-reason-why-an-old-dos-game-wont-run-on-a-windows-me-computer/219034/6 "2003-12-15T05:48:24Z")
What engineer\_comp\_geek said. ME is probably (IMO) the _worst_ OS for DOS compatibility as it steps away from DOS compatibility wise (vs Win 98 and Win95), and but it doesn’t do as good a job of being able to encapsulate and fake a DOS session as XP. The Win ME patch below supposedly returns real mode DOS access to Win ME, but I have never used it and have not basis for reccommending it other than indicating it’s existence. A DOS boot disk is probably the safest way to go. [Real DOS-Mode Patch for Windows Millennium By Reines [MFD]](http://www.geocities.com/mfd4life_2000/) > [@](#): > > Introduction: > Did you ever wonder why Windows ME, which is based on the Windows 9x kernel, can’t access Real DOS-Mode? Did you think that Windows ME architecture doesn’t allow it? > > Well, it seems that Microsoft simply decided to hide this option in Windows ME, for some unknown reason… > > This patch will modify “IO.SYS”, “[COMMAND.COM](http://COMMAND.COM)” and “REGENV32.EXE” in order to unhide the Real DOS-Mode on Windows ME systems, resulting in a similar boot process to the one available in Windows 9x. This will allow, for example, to reach DOS directly by pressing “Shift-F8” at boot-up, to use “CONFIG.SYS” and “AUTOEXEC.BAT” before Windows loads, and to set up a startup menu. > > This patch was tested only with the final release of Win ME (build 4.90.3000). It might be compatible with other (future or previous) builds as well. ---
**Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2003, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-reason-why-an-old-dos-game-wont-run-on-a-windows-me-computer/219034/7 "2003-12-15T17:08:32Z")
Another thing to be aware of on some older games (not sure f this will apply for this game), if the game tested for a specific type of hardware it could fail. I’ve seen some older games test to see if I had “at least a Pentium 90” and fail on my p3 500. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2003, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-reason-why-an-old-dos-game-wont-run-on-a-windows-me-computer/219034/8 "2003-12-15T18:05:05Z")
I don’t think that’s likely to be an issue with LucasArts games – I’ve always been able to get the DOS versions of _X-Wing_ and _Tie Fighter_, as well as _Sam & Max Hit the Road_, _Full Throttle_ and _Day of the Tentacle_ up and running by booting to an OS they were developed for. ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2003, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-reason-why-an-old-dos-game-wont-run-on-a-windows-me-computer/219034/9 "2003-12-15T18:30:42Z")
Assuming that’s not the platformer and it IS, in fact, the adventure game, you could always just buy it, copy the data files and use [ScummVM](http://www.scummvm.org/) to run it. I believe there’s still a few emulation bugs with that game, but those get fewer and fewer every time a new version is released. No DOS tweaking required. 😉 Incidentally, ScummVM will also play most other Lucasarts adventure games. And it can do cool things like run in a window and enhance the graphics with various blurring/sharpening algorhythms. As for X-Wing…if you can’t get it to run on your newer version, I believe Lucasarts released a tweaked version a few years back using a modified version of the Xwing vs. Tie Fighter engine. I’m pretty sure I had it running on win2k recently… ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2003, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-reason-why-an-old-dos-game-wont-run-on-a-windows-me-computer/219034/10 "2003-12-15T19:05:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Larry Mudd \* > **Try downloading a [DOS 6.0 bootdisk](http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm) – that should do the trick for you. Usually the easiest way to play DOS games.** I downloaded the .exe file, since I have a bunch of DOS games lying around that I’d love to play but haven’t been able to since I get the same error message as the Airman. [part where Priceguy reveals his embarrassing ignorance about things which he feels he should know] What do I do now? Just run the file? Put it on a floppy and boot from it? [/part where… etc] ---
**Author:** ![Kal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9de053/32.png) [@Kal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kal)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2003, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-reason-why-an-old-dos-game-wont-run-on-a-windows-me-computer/219034/11 "2003-12-15T19:16:34Z")
**Priceguy** ; put a blank disk in your floppy drive then run the .exe. It will create a bootable floppy for you. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2003, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-reason-why-an-old-dos-game-wont-run-on-a-windows-me-computer/219034/12 "2003-12-15T19:18:07Z")
I have the Windows version of _X-Wing_ lying around here somewhere, **Doors** , and I believe I may have squeezed all the play out of it. If the boot-disk solution doesn’t work for you, I’d be happy to mail it to you. _preview_ **Priceguy** , just run the .exe and you will be prompted to put a blank floppy in to write the bootdisk. Boot from the floppy, and then install your game as per usual. (Since you have old DOS games lying around, I assume you’ll be familiar enough with the DOS CLI…) Usually that’ll do it-- if you have any problems, report back here and we’ll get your configuration sorted out. _previews again_ Doh! ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2003, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-reason-why-an-old-dos-game-wont-run-on-a-windows-me-computer/219034/13 "2003-12-15T20:31:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Larry Mudd \* > \*\*I have the Windows version of _X-Wing_ lying around here somewhere, **Doors** , and I believe I may have squeezed all the play out of it. > Doh! \*\* - So ,why are you bringing your dog to the Humane Society? - I think we’ve squeezed just about all the play out him. Time to recycle! ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2003, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-reason-why-an-old-dos-game-wont-run-on-a-windows-me-computer/219034/14 "2003-12-15T22:11:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Airman Doors, USAF \* > **This game is MS-DOS based. Would that be an issue for a ME computer?** IIRC, Microsoft started phasing out DOS support with 98SE. I have no experience in using a boot disk with a newer OS (as **Larry** suggested) so I can’t comment on that.