DOS Games Discussion

Guest · Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 1:54 pm Post subject: Alpha Centauri on XP

I have looked through the forum, read all the bits 'n' pieces and downloaded DosBox and followed the instuctions and no matter what I do I cannot get it to install and get the same error message come up

C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\AUTOEXEC.NT. The file is not suitable for running MS-DOS and Microstof Applications.

I have gone through the DOSBox but it fails to beging the startup, as I am assuming that is what it will do. I have tried the Compatability Mode withing XP and nothing works but I get the same message appear.

As you can tell I am useless whwn it comes to MS-DOS can someone please help this senile old hound with this problem. I know this has been asked before but I have read and tried and nothing works. Obviously I am doing something wrong and really need your help. Confuzzled

I really need some advice for a complete dork using DOSBox.

The CD drive is E if that is of any help.

Thank you!

dosraider · Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 2:26 pm Post subject:

http://www.dosgames.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5443
How to mount your CDs: scroll down, last post.

BTW: I thought Alpha Centauri is a wingame, dosbox won't help you if I'm right.
[EDIT]
Take a look@
http://www.firaxis.com/support/support_detail.php?gameid=7&cat=2
There seems to be XP patches in 'Patches and Downloads'.

[EDIT]²
There is a forum about this game@
http://forums.civfanatics.com/forumdisplay.php?f=27
Better ask there.

Roguish · Newbie Joined: 04 Feb 2008 Posts: 3 Location: England

The problem is, is that I cannot get the game to instal. If I could get it to install then it will hopefully be ok.

dosraider · Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 4:01 am Post subject:

Your Xp, 32 or 64 bit?
What do you input when you try to install that game?
Aren't there different files? (install-setup?)......

What you can try:
Download those two file and put them in your
c:\windows\system32\ folder
AUTOEXEC.nt (2 KB)
CONFIG.nt (3 KB)
Those are two original NT files that gives you max dos comp, can be that the installer is dos-based, and it happens that those two files are screwed up.
Overwrite older ones if asked.
It won't hurt your system.

Roguish · Newbie Joined: 04 Feb 2008 Posts: 3 Location: England

32 or 64 bit? What I can tell you for certain is that it is XP Home with Service Pack 2 installed.

I have added the AUTOEXEC.nt and CONFIG.nt to the folder you mentioned and tried again and I got a different error but again still no installation. The message reads

SYSTEM ERROR. The Win16 Subsystem was unable to enter Protected Mode, DOSX.EXE must be in yourAUTOEXEC.NT and present in your path.

Confuzzled

dosraider · Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 6:13 am Post subject:

Oh my, you're not finished yet.
dosx.exe (53 KB)
himem.sys (5 KB)

Both go in \system32\ again.
But this time you get a warning from me: I don't know if mine are suited for XP home (They should .... but ...).
If you have the XP install CD you'd better expand them yourself from there.

Also: Look in windows\system32\ for config.nt , open with notepad, scroll the whole way down (there is a lot of blabla) and check if this is present:

Roguish · Newbie Joined: 04 Feb 2008 Posts: 3 Location: England

All done and no difference. I get the same error as the last one. Upset

dosraider · Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 10:42 am Post subject:

Problem here of course I don't have the game on CD, so I can't fully give you advise or try things out...... only basic stuffies.
Seems a bit of a dual problem, windows game but with a dos-based installer. There were many such games in the W95/98 era. (That's where the error message comes from).
Try to ask help in that forum?

Or as last resort use VPC2007 with W98SE or so in it, that would at least get the install to work.

MiniMax · Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 6:42 pm Post subject: Re: Alpha Centauri on XP

dosraider · Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 8:34 pm Post subject:

Alpha C is a windows game. But he's not the first to have trubbles with the installer. There is even a topic on Vogons 'bout it.
Seems once the game is installed, it will -(or should run)- in XP.

dosraider · Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2008 12:31 pm Post subject:

[Update]
Here's how to solve your probs:
http://www.apolyton.net/forums/showthread.php?threadid=151008
If you use zonealarm, seems to create extra problems:
http://www.apolyton.net/forums/showthread.php?threadid=133326

Should you need it, >> MS VPC2007 <<
W98(SE) is yours to find.

GAMER · Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2008 11:28 pm Post subject:

Haha, Dosraider...
He made the second thread because you told him to go ask in "that forum".
I don't think he quite got what you meant...
Which site were you trying to redirect him to?

I think there are probably a few more questions we need to ask too...

Do you actually have the CD? You mentioned your cd drive...but do you actually have the CD? Possibly a stupid question, but if perhaps you downloaded an iso or just a zip of the game from a random site, it could be your issue... (Not really sure if the error message that he got means that he does have a CD...i'm just checking...)

http://forums.civfanatics.com/forumdisplay.php?f=27 <---- this is the forum that Dosraider advised you to ask your question in... He really doesn't mean to be rude. You see, he actually has a medical condition. We all pray for him.

Cool

GAMER

dosraider · Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2008 1:00 am Post subject:

Arf Arf.

Dogbreath · Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 4:30 pm Post subject:

You just *had* to send him over to civfanatics, didn't you? *grumble*

(Dogbreath has been a poster there for 5 years)

Just for that, I'll send 10 newbies over to Vogons, 5 each for you and minimax.

MiniMax · Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 6:29 pm Post subject:

/me makes a note to ban the next 10 newbies at VOGONS.

(we already have Abyss asking question over there)