Running Win 3.1 games on XP

[games]

I'd like to run a few windows 3.1 games on XP and was wondering what extra system files, dll's are needed to run windows 3.1 programs on WinXP. The games include Runner (see link below), Microsoft Arcade, & Stars! Does XP have a DOS extender since Windows 3.1 requires it. Can I just place the file in the windows system directory?

Runner version 1.0 link:
http://files.chatnfiles.com/Best Games for Windows/SAT/RUNNER.ZIP

 

[Hitman`]

No, remember Win 3.1 is not a true self boot operating system. It requires DOS 5.0 which is 16bit only and windows XP is full 32bit, so there is no chance of those games working on any NT bases OS made by windows, Try 95/98/ME for that as it still has a DOS environment present, as for XP, nope, not never gonna work. Sorry to disapoint you.

 

[Justin]

Originally posted by Hitman`
No, remember Win 3.1 is not a true self boot operating system. It requires DOS 5.0 which is 16bit only and windows XP is full 32bit, so there is no chance of those games working on any NT bases OS made by windows, Try 95/98/ME for that as it still has a DOS environment present, as for XP, nope, not never gonna work. Sorry to disapoint you.

Not to be crude, but if you don't know what you are talking about, please don't offer advice.

games: Most win 3.11 apps/games will run on XP just fine to begin with. If you are experiecing trouble, try enabling compatibility mode for Windows 95. If it says a file is missing, you can either place it in the system32 directory or in the same directory that you are running the program from. If you are still having trouble let us know and there are other utilities we can point you to that will help run older apps in XP.

 

[Rick]

Am I mistaken when I say that most games for 3.1 run from files in their own directory rather than depending upon shared system libraries?

 

[Justin]

Originally posted by Rick
Am I mistaken when I say that most games for 3.1 run from files in their own directory rather than depending upon shared system libraries?

Not really mistaken but a little misguided... in almost all cases, all windows apps, including 3.x apps, do not care WHERE they are launched from or where the specific libraries they need are located. This is most especially the case with shared files, such as visual basic runtime files and ocx/active x controls. The program will look in the directory it was launched from first, but if the file does not exist there, then the system directory is checked as well. IF a program references, say, VBRUN300.DLL, and it doesn't find it in the local directory, but it exists in the system32 directory, since system32 is part of the PATH variable in DOS/9X/NT, it functions just the same. I have a collection of about 100 old win 3.x games that all use vbrun100/vbrun200/vbrun300, but none of them have it in their local directories - I have to copy it there or to windows/system32 to make them work.

 

[poertner_1274]

That is very interesting, I never knew that. Thanks a lot Soul Harvester.

 

[lbbk]

Hi guys i am new to here and a newbie to computer.... and a about running dos 3.1 in XP... i have the same problem, but that program is a dos program which i would have to open command prompt in ME or 98 to run it, but now, when i do it in XP and go through those compatibility stuff... it still don't work, it just pop up the same thing as before i did that compatibility thing which is "not enough EMM", does anyone have more solutions in running dos 3.1 in XP? thanx a million!!!!!

 

[LNCPapa]

That's what WOW is for - Win16 on Win32 - it's also why you see the NTVDM called.

 

[Nodsu]

You have two places to look at. In the properties of the DOS executable under memory tab you can define how much what type of memory the program gets. 500KB each should be more than enough for a DOS 3.1 app. Another thing to take a look at is the config.nt file under \windows\system32\. It has syntax explanations written inside. Enable EMM there.

 

[lbbk]

thanx nodsu,
so is this how i do it?? cuz it doesn't work
REM The EMM size is determined by pif file(either the one associated
REM with your application or _default.pif). If the size from PIF file
REM is zero, EMM will be enabled and the EMM line will be executed.
REM

and about the memory part, there is conventional, expanded (EMS), Extended (XMS) and MS-DOS protected-mode (DPMI) memory, which one is it that i need to change?
thanx~~~

 

[tds20]

Windows OS 3.1 Games

I would have to disagree i have a windows xp system my own and i'm able to run windows 3.1 games w/o a problem no special hardware or software required at all... All you need to do is to convert or run a setup for windows 3.1 on a spare harddrive to run your games but what you need to look for is the old, i do mean old system sound files and mouse commands but that is very easy to find... You can download windows 3.1 and get the help file from xp and use that to install windows 3.1 so there you go problem solved or just run the 3.1 games to xp if you need more information contact me or write back to this spot...

 

[tds20]

i have to say there is a way to run 3.1 games on xp if you like to know..

 

[halo71]

Way to go! lol.....This post is only 2 years old!

 

[tds20]

i mean what i'm saying i'm not talking about the court i'm talking about the windows operating system 3.1 games for windows xp

 

[Justin]

There was no reason to bring up a thread this old ...