How can you acess proper DOS on Windows XP?

Question

I want to try to play a game using pure DOS but Im not sure how to access it or is there a program that you can play DOS games when still using XP? I will be greatful if you help me out, this game is called "Abandoned Places" I used to play on the amiega and loved it lol.

What I meant by proper DOS is accessing DOS on start up rather than starting up XP if you dont get what I mean I'll try explaining it in detail.

Answer 1

you're thinking of Command Prompt Only mode....and well, if you're thinking of the mode you had with windows 95/98...then you don't have it anymore. Windows XP itself doesn't have any real dos with it. if you hit f8 at the proper point in startup, you CAN select Command Prompt...however, what will happen is it'll still boot into XP, but just load a command window.

if you want to run old dos games under Windows XP....then guess what, you have options!

there is a program out there called DOSBox...it basically emulates a dos enviroment and even step the cpu speed down so the old games don't go crazy (or refuse to run at all) on newer systems. you can find this at http://dosbox.sourceforge.net along with all thier documentation. i've had quite a bit of success running older games with this.

Answer 2

real dos was left behind with windows 98, windows XP only emulates a dos prompt when you do start>run>cmd to get a true dos environment in wondows XP you have to use an emulator, there is a really good one called DOSBOX http://dosbox.sourceforge.net/news.php?show_news=1
it allows soundblaster emulation and highmem emulation ect. very useful to play old dos games thru windows XP, but be warned it takes a bit of configuring, for help using it check the dosbox forums at the link above

lol nearly the same answer as the other guy, wasnt copying tho, just slow typist :p

Answer 3

dos is not in winxp they renamed it command prompt so you don't need to start in dos just go into the start menu click run and type cmd and that will open command you can boot games that use dos through this if the game was on a CD you would type D:\
that's assuming your CD drive is called D then after that you would type what the games main exe file name in so it would look like D:\game.exe then hit enter/return and it should work

Answer 4

go to start-run

type in cmd.exe