Running DOS On A Windows Machine

[JeepMonkey]

I have an old industrial controller that is programmed in DOS.

It seems like we need a machine that will boot to DOS mode, but out PII 233 NT machine and two year old XP machine will not boot to DOS mode.  If I recall, these machines to not run actual full DOS, more of a partial or emulated DOS?

Is there a software program, preferably downloadable, that will either allow one of these machines to boot to DOS or run actual full blown DOS?

[CCM]

Maybe DOSBox?   


http://www.dosbox.com/

[Cenobyte]

A DOS box will not work, since that is only an emulation of the true DOS environment. A lot of things don't work, especially dirty programmed, low level stuff that Windows will prevent from running.

If you want to run true DOS on a Windows XP machine, you can. You can install a boot selector with a second partition that contains MS-DOS (or Free-DOS) and SRM. When you switch on your computer, you can select Windows or DOS to boot. Read here on how to install a boot selector with Free-DOS on your Windows machine.

[JeepMonkey]

Would any software running DOS on XP give me any more "functionality" than the DOS that comes loaded on XP?  Maybe Microsoft Virtual PC?

[Cenobyte]

Would any software running DOS on XP give me any more "functionality" than the DOS that comes loaded on XP?  Maybe Microsoft Virtual PC?

The DOS box in Windows XP is just an emulation of true MS-DOS. I once wrote a piece of software that times slot cars and because these cars are so darn small and fast, they passed the sensors before my software could detect them. I added a routine that sped up the internal PC clock, which included a bit of low level tinkering. As a result, my software does not run in a Dos box in Windows, because Windows will prevent tinkering with the internal clock. There are a lot of low level tricks in MS-DOS that can give you an advantage, but they will not work in Windows XP's Dos box. Older versions of DOS Mame also profited from such tricks.

[ChadTower]

You could give FreeDOS a shot.  I have used it and have not seen it fail to run a DOS program.  It also adds a lot of things like TCP/IP, FTP, telnet, DHCP.  There are a bunch of other packages you can add, too, linux style.

[knave]

You don't even need a partition, DOS can run from a floppy (if you still have a drive) I've used bootable USB drives in the past as well.

[Cenobyte]

Also be prepared that you might NOT be able to read your Windows hard drive, if it's formatted as a NTFS partition, since MS-DOS can't read that.

[ChadTower]

I love that FreeDOS is updateable via the net and cmdline RPM style.  That is just awesome.  DOS with an embedded virus scanner, torrent client, and webserver..   

[Ed_McCarron]

Also, bear in mind, if the PLC communicates via a comm port -- DosBOX might or might not play nice.  Best bet is to boot to a dos disk -- but newer hardware may not fly under dos.

I used to keep an old Toshiba T1000 around for DOS work on oddball controllers.  Don't see much need for them anymore -- customers have phased most of the older stuff out.

[lilshawn]

what about http://www.bootdisk.com

Download the file to your C: drive, put a fresh disk in your A: drive, then click on the file to create the bootdisk. (if you still have a floppy drive) 

[JeepMonkey]

-- if the PLC communicates via a comm port --

Are you a PLC programmer?  That is my main job function.  Mostly Allen Bradley.

[ark_ader]

eBay is your friend in these situations.

[Cenobyte]

http://www.windowsnetworking.com/articles_tutorials/wxpmsdos.html

[Ed_McCarron]

-- if the PLC communicates via a comm port --

Are you a PLC programmer?  That is my main job function.  Mostly Allen Bradley.

System Integrator.  In the panels I build, my mainstay has been the Bristol Babcock 33XX series, now Controlwave.

In existing installs, I work with the AB SLC series, Modicon M340, with a sprinkling of ScadaPAK thrown in for good measure.  I dabble with a handful of HMI packages, too.

Whatever the customer needs.  Hell, I wash windows and mow lawns if they want to pay me to.