How to Run DOS Software or Abandonware using DOSBox?

Answer 1

Itching to play Commander Keen, Duke Nukem, Zork!, or perhaps the original Leisure Suit Larry? All of these vintage DOS classics require DOSbox to play on a modern computer. Not only can DOSBox emulate DOS games and DOS applications on a PC or Mac, it can also be ported to the Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360, or Playstation 3 if you have the necessary firmware.

How to Download and Install DOSBox

Downloading DOSBox is easy; it's free and widely available from the official website. Simply navigate to the download tab and begin downloading your file. Run the installation executable and install as per usual.

Following the installation of DOSBox, a shortcut should be added to both your Quick Start menu as well as to the general treed application menu. Find the program and run it in order to see the command line, the basis of your experience with the program.

How to Use Commands in DOSBox, the Command Line Interface

DOSBox emulates DOS, or Disk Operating System, which powered many computers of the late 1980's into the 1990's, and was the standard operating system upon which Windows was initially integrated with Windows 3.1. While it is a bit more difficult for many modern users to understand, the command line interface is not actually that arcane and most basic commands are all that is necessary. Should the basic commands prove to be inadequate, several GUI's or graphical user interfaces have been developed to ease the learning curve.

The most common commands in DOS are:

• cd\directoryname -This command, which stands for change directory, will advance the navigation into the directory named.
• Dir /p -This command displays the contents of the directory you are currently residing in, as well as if there are nesting directories higher up, delineated by a [..]
• Driveletter: - Where driverletter is normally C: on a standard computer, and may range from B: to D: to Z: in states of emulation. Most common is D:
• run program.exe - Fairly self-explanatory, this command is the powerhorse of DOS. Simply put, line up your executable with the run command and let fly, hoping that DOSBox is compatible enough with the game to provide a stable experience.

While there are plenty of other commands at your disposal, these will be the great majority of the tasks you will be undertaking in the OS. Remember, DOSBox has been successfully ported to the consoles as well (Wii, Xbox 360, PS3) and so can be installed and run perfectly on custom firmware.