File structure for old Dos Games.
 

Hello all,
I am a avid AOtD fan, been sence 96 i guess and more time's than i can remember, i have tried to play these old dos games on many different comps over the years.

I read manny posts here on Windos XP and the use of DosBox and still manny are having problems playing the dos games. Even users of old Win games run under win 95/98 comatibility mode.

As we all know these are very old games developed from a eailer dos and this eailer dos is prety basic compared to to-days standards of file structure.
Eailer dos used a file system which supported, 8/3 (8.3) filenames; 8 characters for the filename and 3 characters for the extension.

This also relates the Folders that the games install or run from.
Ever try to cd c:\program files\oldgames\aod, from a cmd dos window or in dosbox mount c c:\program files\oldgames\aod. Not easy even impossible i think with games devolped under dos 6.

So where do we install these dos games to? c: thats it, simple as that if the root is c: (dos never had program files) alot problems may be solved.
But we do not want an old dos file structure with a lot of games installed to c:, so we create a folder in c: called games.
The root to this folder is c:\games. Very simple and if i install Aces of the Deep, it goes in c:\games\aod folder, Silent Hunter Commander's Edition is installed in c:\games\Silent folder, if i install Command Aces of the Deep it is in c:\games\AODCMD folder.

Now this may not solve your problem but if you install the dos game to c:\games it will solve most of the problems with dosbox.
For example the Aces of the Deep default install is to c:\Dynamix\aod or c:\games\aod and this is also true if you try to patch the game. If you try to patch aod to a different folder, (it may say For example: "aodpatch C:\DYNAMIX\AOD" will attempt to install the patch to the DYNAMIX\AOD directory on the C drive. or type a different path. No way will it install to a different path other than C:\DYNAMIX\AOD or C:\games\AOD, open the patch.bat with notepad to check if you wish.

Why c:\games folder, well back in 1996 ish thats where they were put and back then there was a Ton of games avaible, well by buying the game or demo's from comp mags. (no internet or limited use or no patches) So manny games used an ID that relied on correct path to their game,

This may be alot easier to explain by installing a dos game.
If you are able to load an install gui, (graphical user interface) by pass or ingore the system check, (Sierra is a hog for their system checks) and look for the default install path. All dos games have a basic c:\ path and most will default to c:\games\(basic games folder)
Actulay c:\games is a basic requirement for these old games and to be specific any 95 win games also.

I may seam MAD and YOU may think DosBox 0.74 has Godley powers (DosBox 0.72 is easier to use the configurationfile IMHOP) and you decide to install AOtD or Command AOtD in c:\programe files\oldgames\olddosgames\ it will not work.
Anyway who whants to type in a dosbox mount c c:\programe files\oldgames\olddosgames\aod

Thats all fokes i'am c:\Foranyotherquestions

It's amazing that nowadays, almost no one knows anything about how to operate in DOS when it's structure is still the basis for the file structure in Windows. Even Mac's have a similar structure. And really, to navigate DOS, all you REALLY need to know is about four or five commands for 99% of what you'd be doing with it.

WELCOME ABOARD! :sunny:

I use DOSBox with no trouble, but any new information is always welcome. Thanks for sharing that.