I experimented a little since asking my last question, and found that you do, indeed, have to change both D's in the command line above to mount the CD-ROM drive if it is not named D. Therefore, the command would be:

[autoexec]
# Lines in this section will be run at startup.
mount F F:\ -t cdrom
mount C C:\
C:

If you do not change both of the D's, Dosbox will say that you do not have your F drive mounted. It might be a good idea to correct this in the instructions, as it must be a typo.

Thanks!

I tried to install Return of the Phantom, an old DOS game, and I did get the install screen, but when I tried to install I got the message that the game requires 0 disk space and I have 0 space. Any ideas on how to correct this?

Are you using a CD version or a floppy version?

I have a reissue CD version from Romzon. I tried installing it on a Win 98SE computer to see if the install was something tiny that you could just copy over, but no luck with that. The install - at least with my version - contains quite a few files and seems to create some files. If you don't have the CD version, a list of files wouldn't help anyway.

It does want EMS, not XMS. At least that's what it says. It isn't telling me how big the install is or how much space is required so I think it is a different version from yours. I guess this isn't much help.

I've got a CD-ROM version of Return of the Phantom. I believe it is a reissue because it has a notation of "Player's Choice" on it. It is a dark pink colored disk (if that helps). When I get the install screen, my computer specs are checked and a note flashes up saying I have passed or exceeded all requirements. Then, I have to click the install button, and that is when I get the message about memory. I'm not sure if changing a line in the config file of DOSbox would help, or not? Maybe there is a line in there that emulates EMS memory?
Thanks,
Beth

Jenny100,
Thanks so much for the file. I lost my original copy of GK1 so a friend is providing me with her copy that did in fact come with the series box that you spoke of. I do have one question and it's sorta of dumb but here goes...with 22 files how do I identify the day 9 zombie file or am I to just install the file as sent and just use the ones that I need. I ask these dumb questions because my experience with saved games is limited.

Lexxy,
You don't. At least I didn't. And you'd need the .cat file or the save wouldn't show up in your game's save list anyway. GK1 has a complicated save system. Just put all the saves in your game folder and choose the one you want from within the game. It's a pretty linear game in the mummy area, so it's unlikely you'll miss anything or have to do anything twice by the time you reach the mummies.

Mine says "Player's Choice" on the box, but there's nothing pink about the disk. It's silver with black and red print. Does yours say Romzon on it anywhere? Mine had a weird installer. You have to type MENU instead of INSTALL or SETUP. I never had that with a game before. Is yours like that? I know the installer on mine is not like it was in the original game.

Quote:

When I get the install screen, my computer specs are checked and a note flashes up saying I have passed or exceeded all requirements.

Mine warned me I didn't have enough EMS memory, but installed anyway.

Quote:

Then, I have to click the install button, and that is when I get the message about memory. I'm not sure if changing a line in the config file of DOSbox would help, or not? Maybe there is a line in there that emulates EMS memory?

It must be possible, but I'm not a DOSBox expert. Most of the problems I see for this game seem to have to do with the sound, not with installing. There is a discussion on sound problems with Return of the Phantom and Dragonsphere (the games both require EMS and have similar problems) at ***VOGONS*** , but they don't mention a problem with installing.

Thanks Jenny,
Sorry about the long reply that four letter word WORK is getting in the way.
I have the original GK1 not the mystery pack one or whatever it is called - so I guess I'm stumped.
Thanks for the tip on email address.
Cheers

I'm not sure. Maybe mount D F:\ -t cdrom would mount your F: drive so the game would see what's in the CD drive as being on D:? Doing it that way might be useful for any game that has trouble with a CD drive with drive letter higher than D:
Anyway, I'll let Steve edit his own post.

Hi, Jenny
I had to use the "menu" command to get to the install screen, as well! It is very odd. Luckily, it is printed right on the front of my disk, or I would have had to just use the "dir" command to try to figure out what to use.

My disk doesn't say Romzon anywhere. It does say Microprose and has the install instructions printed on it, an address for Microprose and the date 1995. So it is definitely a reissue.

Thanks for all of your help,
Beth

Yes. I think we have different reissues. But mine installed the game in a weird folder called Mpsdisc.002
That's not a file, it's a folder.

C:\Romzon\Mpsdisc.002\Menu.exe

It also created another weird folder called Mpswhere in my C: drive with a single file in it called Mpsdisc.002 Very convoluted.

And I have to start the game by running the Menu file again and clicking the option to start the game. Weird, huh? I'm quite sure the original Return of the Phantom would have used an Install.bat file to install, like most DOS games do.

Yeah, it's really odd. Probably someone thought they would do something new and innovative and it ended up just being weird and difficult to handle.

Bryansmom, hi,

Sorry for the delay in replying, but I was away from all computers for a merciful few weeks Thanks for minding this thread in the meantime, Jenny

There is an example of this usage in the README.txt file supplied with DOSBox.

Hope that clears up the confusion,
metzomagic

I understand it now. Thanks so much for explaining!!
Happy gaming,
Beth

I think this is the right forum for my question. I just downloaded DOSBox and used it for "Down in the Dumps." The game video played fine on XP, but there was no sound. I got the game to play using DOS Box, but the sound is stuttery and the picture is too small. Is there anything I can do to help these two problems?

Thank you very much for any help.

Laurette, hi,

You may just be running with:

cycles=?

set too low. If not, there are several proposed remedies for the stuttering problem in the DOSBox FAQs .

(that link is at the top of this forum)

If the picture is too small, you probably need to set:

fullscreen=true

in the 'dosbox.conf' file.

Good luck,
metzomagic

Flying Dutchman,
Would you Please tell me how you installed Riddle Of MasterLu using DosBox? I had a hard time with the installation on W95 and with DosBox I could not even get an install.

Hi Lexxy,

Check out my Dosbox setup for Master Lu on Inferno's site (install the game through Dosbox. Have to make that change in the setup). Will get you up and running
http://home.earthlink.net/~infernofilecabinet4/XpSetupsP_T/Guest/RiddleOfMasterLu.htm

Bill

lexxy, hi,

You're probably best off first reading the GameBoomers DOSBox FAQs

This shows you how to properly set up your CD-ROM drives, etc. Also, set cycles=9000 in 'dosbox.conf'.

Then just install Riddle of Master Lu *while running DOSBox*. That should do it for you

Cheers,
metzomagic

I Have all the Dosbox setup info in my Dosbox Walkthrough Steve including the cdrom config.
As a side note I just got a new motherboard and CPU (2 gig)so what would be the cycle count for the CPU now. Thanks
Bill

Llewton, hi,

[start rant]
I realise that you have the DOSBox setup in your walkthrough, but that is superfluous. The fact is that the DOSBox setup is the *same for every game* (with the exception of the cycles= parameter, which is both game and machine dependent).

We don't want to encourage people posting questions every time they want to get game 'X' working in DOSBox; rather, we want them to learn how to use DOSBox as a generic tool! That's why we're trying to get everyone to read the GameBoomers DOSBox FAQs (link at the top of this forum). Sorry, but answering the same questions over and over again is both annoying and time consuming
[end rant]

For the record, there are only 5 lines you need to change/add in 'dosbox.conf' to get any DOS game working:

fullscreen=true (set to false by default)
cycles=3000 (this is the default. Once running, use Ctrl-F12 to increase by 500, Ctrl-F11 to decrease by 20)

[autoexec]
# Lines in this section will be run at startup.
mount D D:\ -t cdrom -usecd 0 -ioctl
mount C C:\
C:

(you may have to change the 'D:\' to 'F:\' or whatever if your *physical* CD-ROM drive is other than D:)

Then some games have to be installed with DOSBox running, others may not. End of story

Regarding your original question as to which cycles= setting to use for your new PC... who knows? Just make a best guess then use Ctrl-F12/F11 to tweak it.

Regards,
metzomagic

I would like to say a BIG THANK YOU to Metzomagic and Gameboomers for the dosbox instructions.
I have tried other instructions I have found on the internet on gettting the Tex Murphy games to work in XP with no success. I had given up completely on Under A Killing Moon and Riddle of Master Lu which didn't even work on my old computer and everyone I asked said it was impossible to get them to run. I now have a pile of old games I can't wait to play and I can't believe it was so easy to get them all to run.

I echo the thanks to Steve for this excellent help to us non-computer literate folks. I am in the middle of Under A Killing Moon and enjoying it once again.

There are a couple of minor problems but nothing that I can't live with. It wouldn't recognize my disk when I had to swap disks but I went to Tex's Office and saved then exited to DOS put in the new Disk and went to the new place from the Office and it worked fine. The movement seems rather difficult, especially in the GRS, but as I recall I think it was when I originally played it as well.

Again my heart felt thanks for this excellent instruction in the use of DOSBox. I'll be playing more of the older games in the future.


Now where did I put my old copy of Riddle of Master Lu????

I have used DOSBox for the first time and I am truly awed.

I used DOSBox to play Case of the Serrated Scalpel. The game had a known problem with the first page/screen of the game. You could not control the cursor with you mouse, but had to use the arrow keys. The cursor lock feature of DOSBox completely cured this problem, and you could control the cursor with your mouse on the first page.

And last but not least. I used it to play Dark Seed. I had crash after crash when I tried to play Dark Seed on my other DOS machines. You can see my tale of woe under Glitches posting. Imagine my surprise when Dark Seed ran flawlessly.

I can't understand why these DOS games ran better on DOSbox than in their native DOS environment. All I can say is a Giant to Steve and the DOSBox team for bringing this great game playing tool into this game players life.

EDIT: Add: Are You Afraid Of the Dark to the list of games that run on DOSBox.

I found a setup from Inferno's site for Simon The Sorcerer 1 and I plan to use it IF I ever get the game. My question is this....can this game be played using DosBox?