Contents Introduction Ah, good ol' MS-DOS. Forgive me for sounding old fashioned, but I loved DOS. I loved its speed, I loved its simplicity, and most of all - I loved that it doesn't reconfigure my computer everytime I installed a new program. Okay, perhaps I'm getting a bit ahead of myself. Yes, I love DOS, but my reasons are more nostalgic than anything. Allow me to explain. Most people in my age group were first exposed to PCs through Windows 95. No surprise there. After all, its friendly user interface made it easy for almost anyone to learn computers. I, on the other hand, began computing during the days
of DOS. In fact, my first computer was strictly
DOS-based. A hand-me-down from my father, the computer
ran at a whopping 4.77 MHz (see picture below). Because
the very thought of installing Windows on that computer
was laughable, I was forced to learn the ways of DOS. And
boy did I. I learned everything about it - the commands,
the programs...hell, I even read the entire user's guide
to MS-DOS 5.0 (which is still on my bookshelf to this
day).
There she is - the ol'
Tandy. 4.77 MHz, 640K of Of course, I would eventually learn Windows 3.1 on my dad's brand new computer (equipped with a "fast" 386 processor), and 95 shortly thereafter. However, it was DOS that got me into computers. So, in honor of it's legacy, this page is here to pay homage the operating system which turned me into a computer geek. I'll also talk a little bit about how to get your old DOS applications running in Windows XP (and, to some extent, Windows Vista). Needless to say, I refuse to believe that DOS is dead. :) These are the main programs that were shipped with most versions of MS-DOS. You'll find that a lot of these programs are essentially primative versions of applications you might find in Windows-based PCs today. The Command Prompt Okay, it's not really a program, but it was the central part of the OS. Whereas everything today is about dragging and dropping, the command prompt forced you to type in commands to get things done. Want to move files? Gotta type it in. Want to view a file? Ditto. Not exactly the most user-friendly thing in the world, but hey - it's classic DOS! Sidenote: the command prompt is still alive today...kinda. To find a watered-down version of the DOS prompt in Windows 2000 and higher, click on the start menu, then click on "Run..." and type in "cmd" in the dialog box. Hit enter and voila - pseduo-DOS awaits!
The MS-DOS Shell In versions 4.0 and higher of DOS, Microsoft included this handy (and highly underrated) application to help users visually sort their files. The MS-DOS Shell consisted of two main areas: the file manager, which is not unlike XP's Explorer, and the program manager which is almost like a precursor to today's start menu. The DOS Shell also included a slew of features that made life easier: a drag and drop function, a file viewer, and even a task swapper! Why nobody used this program is beyond me. Then again, older versions of Windows were doing the same thing at the time, but at least the MS-DOS Shell was free. Sidenote: I still use this program as the primary file manager when I use DOSBox. How's THAT for dedication! :D
MS-DOS QBasic Not to be confused with Microsoft QuickBASIC, QBasic was a simplified version of the BASIC programming language which was bundled with DOS 5.0 and higher. To this day, QB remains my favorite language. Yes, I know that C++, Java, or even Visual Basic are far more powerful languages, but when I want to create a quick program, QB is where it's at.
MS-DOS Editor This is basically a DOS version of Notepad. Oddly enough, the Editor itself is actually QBasic in disguise. Don't believe me? Try this: at the command prompt, type in "qbasic /editor" and watch what happens. Windows 95 introduced a brand new MS-DOS Editor, which had a few new features and didn't rely on QBasic's engine.
Running DOS Programs in Windows XP So...you've got that one DOS program that you just can't part with? Believe me - I know the feeling. Hell, I have yet to seriously look into any other programming language other than QBasic. Sadly, starting with Windows 2000, support for DOS-based applications has been, more of less, a struggle for old-timers like myself. However, I compiled a list of four methods to get your old programs running in no time. NOTE: The methods on this list are intended for Windows XP users, not Windows Vista. Even though I'm not quite familiar with Microsoft's newest installment of Windows, I will make a note when I believe a method will work for Vista. Method #1: Launch it through Windows Explorer This is probably the most obvious method for running an MS-DOS application. I personally don't like doing it this way, but hey - if it works, it works! Using Windows Explorer or My Computer, locate the program's executable file on your computer. Double click on it and see what happens. If it works properly, then congratulations - you're done. If it doesn't, don't worry - the best is yet to come. TIP: Pressing ALT and ENTER at the same time will toggle between full screen and windowed modes. PROS:
CONS: Method #2: Use DOSBox This is by far the best and most reliable way of running your DOS applications. DOSBox is a free x86 emulator capable of running thousands of old DOS programs. Granted, the emulator's main purpose is for DOS gaming. However, it can run plently of applications as well. Newer versions of DOSBox can even run Windows 3.1 with full sound and video support! Visit DOSBox's Website to learn more about it. NOTE: DOSBox IS compatible with Windows Vista. TIP: Keeping all your DOS programs in one folder may be a wise idea if you use DOSBox. By "mounting" a folder, you trick DOSBox into thinking that a particular folder is an entire hard drive. So, having all your programs in one place is something you might want to do. PROS:
CONS: Method #3: Virtualization DOSBox may be able to emulate a DOS environment, but sometimes what you really need is to emulate an entire PC. Enter virtualization, a growing fad in the computing world. With software such as Microsoft Virtual PC and innotek VirtualBox, you can do just that. These programs allow you to create virtual computers, complete with their own BIOS. By installing a version of MS-DOS on one of these virtual computers, you can run pretty much any DOS application that exists! Microsoft Virtual PC and innotek VirtualBox are both free. Both have their strengths and weaknesses, so see which one you like best. NOTE: There are two versions of Virtual PC - 2004 and 2007. 2004 Runs on Windows XP, and 2007 runs on Vista. TIP: Keep those floppys handy! They may be the only way of transferring files from virtual PCs to your real PC. PROS:
CONS: Method #4: Boot Disk When all else fails, look no further than creating an MS-DOS bootable floppy disk. By creating a boot disk, you can enter a full MS-DOS environment when you start your PC. Best of all - there will be no Windows XP standing behind your back. It's just you and DOS. Creating an MS-DOS boot disk is easy. Insert a floppy disk into your computer's floppy drive. Then, click on My Computer and find the icon for the disk. Right click on the icon, and choose "Format..." When the Window appears, click on "Create an MS-DOS startup disk." Then click on "Start." A message will warn you that everything on the disk will be erased. Click "OK" and in just a few short moments, you will have your very own boot disk. Word. If you don't have a floppy drive, there are tons of websites that have bootable CD-ROM images. Nevertheless, restart your computer, and make sure the bootable disk is in the drive. Before you know it, you'll be greated with a wonderful DOS prompt. TIP: You should have some room on the disk to add any other program you might find helpful (such as the MS-DOS Editor, MOUSE.COM, etc.). Also, best sure to test your boot disk in a virtual PC! PROS:
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