Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum

Main => Software Forum => Topic started by: Santoro on February 18, 2004, 08:45:12 pm

Title: Can I buy a licensed copy of DOS? What about Win95?
Post by: Santoro on February 18, 2004, 08:45:12 pm
Subject says it all.  I have no idea where to find these, hopefully cheap.

Thanks!
Title: Re:Can I buy a licensed copy of DOS? What about Win95?
Post by: JoyMonkey on February 18, 2004, 08:51:41 pm
Have you tried looking on eBay for MS-DOS (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3660681130&category=11685") and Windows 95 (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3661436730&category=41883") ? You can usually pick either up for a couple of dollars.
Title: Re:Can I buy a licensed copy of DOS? What about Win95?
Post by: SirPoonga on February 18, 2004, 09:06:25 pm
www.freedos.org
Title: Re:Can I buy a licensed copy of DOS? What about Win95?
Post by: Howard_Casto on February 19, 2004, 12:36:16 am
You don't want windows 95 i repeat you do NOT want windows 95.  

95, particulary 95 rev a/b have lousy hardware and software support. It doesn't even support the latest version of directx it's so outdated. (DirectX is super backwards compatable, that's how far behind it is) Stop being cheap and get 98 if you want to run a 9X system.  You'll save yourself a lot of headaches.
Title: Re:Can I buy a licensed copy of DOS? What about Win95?
Post by: Buddabing on February 19, 2004, 10:14:56 am
You don't want windows 95 i repeat you do NOT want windows 95.  

95, particulary 95 rev a/b have lousy hardware and software support. It doesn't even support the latest version of directx it's so outdated. (DirectX is super backwards compatable, that's how far behind it is) Stop being cheap and get 98 if you want to run a 9X system.  You'll save yourself a lot of headaches.

I would say get 98SE for a 9x system. I tried running 98FE and I ran straight into DLL Hell trying to get Daphne to run.

For DOS, you can get FreeDOS, but it doesn't support long file names. I have purchased ROM-DOS for my cabinet, the jury's still out on it.
Title: Re:Can I buy a licensed copy of DOS? What about Win95?
Post by: SirPoonga on February 19, 2004, 02:50:59 pm
The DOS standard is to use the 8.3 files name.  Hence why mame has used that rom name standard until recent.
Title: Re:Can I buy a licensed copy of DOS? What about Win95?
Post by: Grasshopper on February 19, 2004, 03:50:14 pm
If you buy Windows 98 then you effectively get DOS 7 for free (Windows 9X sits on top of DOS). Dos 7 doesn't support long filenames however it does support FAT32 partitions.
Title: Re:Can I buy a licensed copy of DOS? What about Win95?
Post by: Santoro on February 19, 2004, 04:25:03 pm
www.freedos.org

This is the route I really wanted to go but I thought I read that it is not compatible with EMM386.exe with is required for creative sound cards.  

If this is no longer true, then I am golden.  I am running a DOS cab and would rather not deal with windows baggage.

Plus, free=gooder.

Title: Re:Can I buy a licensed copy of DOS? What about Win95?
Post by: SirPoonga on February 19, 2004, 04:56:14 pm
I ran freedos with a soundblaster live about 3 years ago.  I don't remember how it was setup.
Title: Re:Can I buy a licensed copy of DOS? What about Win95?
Post by: Santoro on February 19, 2004, 06:53:54 pm
I ran freedos with a soundblaster live about 3 years ago.  I don't remember how it was setup.

I'll have to give it a shot and see how it works.  Thanks for the link.
Title: Re:Can I buy a licensed copy of DOS? What about Win95?
Post by: maraxle on February 19, 2004, 08:45:52 pm
If you buy Windows 98 then you effectively get DOS 7 for free (Windows 9X sits on top of DOS). Dos 7 doesn't support long filenames however it does support FAT32 partitions.
FreeDOS supports FAT32 as well...
Title: Re:Can I buy a licensed copy of DOS? What about Win95?
Post by: paigeoliver on February 20, 2004, 01:43:10 am
I am not sure how LEGAL this is, but you can pretty much use any Windows 95 or 98 start up floppy to pretty much install a basic copy of dos on any system. It is enough for Mame purposes, but is not as full featured as Freedos or DOS 6.22
Title: Re:Can I buy a licensed copy of DOS? What about Win95?
Post by: 1Spoon on February 20, 2004, 05:49:09 am
Would that give enough to get the Soundblaster working?
Title: Re:Can I buy a licensed copy of DOS? What about Win95?
Post by: paigeoliver on February 20, 2004, 01:16:11 pm
Would that give enough to get the Soundblaster working?

I don't see what not, I had "start up disk" dos installed on a machine I recently sold and I was able to install the sound drivers for its card with no problem.