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Post by chaineskrug on Jul 6, 2022 15:41:09 GMT 1
I'm trying to convert the old autoexec.nt and config.nt and it wants to run a program called DosX.exe, running it returns this error:
Cannot run this 16-bit protected mode application;
The DOS extender has encountered an error initializing the extended
memory manager.
Is this older .exe obsolete with this emulator?
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Post by Jos on Jul 6, 2022 16:28:09 GMT 1
DOSX.EXE is a Windows 3.x program.
If your goal is to run a DOS program, what about trying just that. If a Windows 16-bit program: That won’t work in vDos.
Jos
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Post by chaineskrug on Jul 6, 2022 16:48:52 GMT 1
Honestly I have no clue how this system works, it looks like it was ported to 16bit at one point from DOS and now requires all these drivers and modules to operate correctly in CMD.
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Post by Jos on Jul 6, 2022 17:34:23 GMT 1
You would mean NTVDM, CMD is the command line processor of Windows, that only looks like a DOS screen. NTVDM is however missing in Windows 64-bit.
If your objective is to create a Windows 3.x environment to run some DOS(?) program, vDos cannot do that.
If instead you simply want to run that DOS program, give it a try in vDos and forget about DOSX.
Jos
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Post by chaineskrug on Jul 6, 2022 18:13:18 GMT 1
This program used to run on DOS and was updated to run inside a virtual machine of a 32bit windows 10 computer. Im hoping to use vDos to emulate the program on a 64 bit machine so we can run 64 bit applications off of it.
Every module works by itself, it just cant switch between them. The final piece of the puzzle per say is this .pif file. I understand I can leave out DosX, but it seems to require the other ones and I cant figure out how to run DOS with the "autoexec.nt" its refrencing.
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Post by Jos on Jul 6, 2022 19:25:00 GMT 1
If the program itself is (largely) modified to run under NTVDM, it could very well be it only runs in that.
PIF files are Windows specific, those however don’t work in Windows 64-bit or vDos.
Don’t know what you mean with “require the other ones”. There’s no DOS in Windows 32-bit, that would be NTVDM (NT Virtual DOS Machine), and absent in Windows 64-bit. Modifying autoexec.nt to start DOS(?) or a 16-bit program makes no sense in Windows 64-bit.
Jos
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Post by chaineskrug on Jul 6, 2022 19:42:06 GMT 1
The .pif file seems to run autoexec.nt and config.nt, running these specific files
REM Install CD ROM extensions lh %SystemRoot%\system32\mscdexnt.exe
REM Install network redirector (load before dosx.exe) lh %SystemRoot%\system32\redir
REM Install DPMI support lh %SystemRoot%\system32\dosx
do you think theres anyway to port these over to vDos? I have litterally everything else working but it just cant switch between modules. Its a Inventory Manager and getting this to work would be a big deal.
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Post by Jos on Jul 6, 2022 20:08:18 GMT 1
Do you actually mean a Windows PIF file? That defines what DOS program to run and its settings. What parameters to pass on, memory requirements, text or graphical, etc.
Autoexec.nt and config.nt are interpreted when NTVDM started, the first is executed.
Your autoexec.nt seems really messed up. I doubt some of the commands were even functional in Windows 32-bit with NTVDM. Autoexec.nt makes no sense in Windows 64-bit and therefor neither in vDos. Forget about autoexec.nt and config.nt!
You could instead better explain what is actually not working.
Jos
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Post by chaineskrug on Jul 6, 2022 20:37:17 GMT 1
I will try to describe it as best as I can.
A primary bat file runs two other bat files which fill out the username and domain registry used by the software. After this PDMAIN.exe is launched. The first menu is the home screen where you can use dropdowns to change modules to a different part such as single item databases, bill of materials, orders, etc. Each individual module opens perfectly fine by itself, but if you try to navigate through the menus it returns to the console awaiting an input.
When I use the PIF file it opens up CMD on the virtual machine and runs perfectly fine, but if I try to launch the initializing bat file directly in CMD it will successfully open the main screen but when clicking on a sub menu will return you to the console to input another command, typically it automatically inputs the command but it seems like it requires something from the AutoExec.nt or maybe some parameter contained within the PIF file.
The end goal of all of this is that I can open AutoCAD 2022 to open Inventor drawing file to be able to print. I figured vDos would work and seemed to be working the best.
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Post by emendelson on Jul 6, 2022 20:48:54 GMT 1
You might try installing NTVDMx64; you can find it on GitHub.
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Post by Jos on Jul 6, 2022 21:28:35 GMT 1
I would be happy if you try NTVDMx64. I then don’t have to deal with your issue. But I’m afraid (sure) you will then still return.
All seems really messed up, DOS to Windows 3.x, to Windows 32-bit, and lastly an effort to Windows 64-bit. The only solution would be you send me a copy of what you have so far to start your program in Windows 64-bit/vDos. And an explanation what to do to reconstruct the issue. I’ll then have a look at it, though no guarantees. You mentioned the program was updated to run in Windows 32-bit/NTVDM, that could be a real deal breaker.
Jos
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Post by chaineskrug on Jul 7, 2022 14:14:28 GMT 1
I would love to send the files over however I will definitely get yelled at by my work due to the confidential information required to be sent. It does look like it was converted at one point but I dont think the tech team that did it was THAT skilled with DOS applications.
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Post by chaineskrug on Jul 7, 2022 15:27:22 GMT 1
I would be happy if you try NTVDMx64. I then don’t have to deal with your issue. But I’m afraid (sure) you will then still return. All seems really messed up, DOS to Windows 3.x, to Windows 32-bit, and lastly an effort to Windows 64-bit. The only solution would be you send me a copy of what you have so far to start your program in Windows 64-bit/vDos. And an explanation what to do to reconstruct the issue. I’ll then have a look at it, though no guarantees. You mentioned the program was updated to run in Windows 32-bit/NTVDM, that could be a real deal breaker. Jos I have targeted the EXACT problem down to it requiring DOSx to function properly, is there anyway around this with vDOS?
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Post by Jos on Jul 7, 2022 16:05:59 GMT 1
If your program actually requires DOSX to be loaded, it ends for vDos.
You could then try the NTVDMx64 suggestion, DOSBox of one of its mods.
Jos
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Post by chaineskrug on Jul 7, 2022 16:54:52 GMT 1
I appreciate the help, ill be trying NTVDMx64 next if I can get it through our IT team. Doesnt look good when security software thinks the entire thing is a Trojan. :/
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