Booting Win 98 straight into Ms pacman...

[pcates]

Ok... I am trying to get my win 98 machine to boot straight into ms pacman (I am restoring a cab and would like it to act like an original board). I would like to use the arcade monitor that is in the cab.
I have a Pentium that has an ATI graphics card (not sure which one) in it. And I have a VGA cable that I can hook to the monitor. I have been searching and reading, but I have not found an easy solution. I do not need/want a frontend, so I do not think I need to "shell" anything, and I guess I have not used win98 for a while either, cause I can not get it to autostart anything. I thought I could just use a black startup screen for win 98, and go right into  the game. Would the setting automatically be ok for the monitor?
Does anyone have an answer for me??

Thanks, Patrick

[eccs19]

Don't take my suggestions for be 100% true, as I am somewhat new at this.

I expect that you will need an ArcadeVGA card to work properly with the arcade monitor, and depending on the monitor, you may also need the VGA line amp. (can't remember the proper name for it)

As for getting Ms. Pacman to start up automatically, I would just create a basic batch file, and put it in the startup folder. (Start - Programs - Startup)

[Thenasty]

I know your in NJ, so if you want, stop over with your system and will get it going...and all you have to do is plug it back in your Monitor/Cabinet when you get back home....

[pcates]

I expect that you will need an ArcadeVGA card to work properly with the arcade monitor, and depending on the monitor, you may also need the VGA line amp. (can't remember the proper name for it)

As for getting Ms. Pacman to start up automatically, I would just create a basic batch file, and put it in the startup folder. (Start - Programs - Startup)

Thanks for the replay.... I know it would work with an arcadeVGA card, but I am trying to avoid spending more$. The system I have is fine for Ms.pac, so I am trying to find a solution that is free
As for the startup file.... can I just use editor to create a .bat file then just put in:
cd mame
mame mspacman

??
Thanks again, Patrick

[pcates]

I know your in NJ, so if you want, stop over with your system and will get it going...and all you have to do is plug it back in your Monitor/Cabinet when you get back home....

Check you PM!!
Thanks

[eccs19]

I expect that you will need an ArcadeVGA card to work properly with the arcade monitor, and depending on the monitor, you may also need the VGA line amp. (can't remember the proper name for it)

As for getting Ms. Pacman to start up automatically, I would just create a basic batch file, and put it in the startup folder. (Start - Programs - Startup)

Thanks for the replay.... I know it would work with an arcadeVGA card, but I am trying to avoid spending more$. The system I have is fine for Ms.pac, so I am trying to find a solution that is free
As for the startup file.... can I just use editor to create a .bat file then just put in:
cd mame
mame mspacman

??
Thanks again, Patrick

You can create a batch file in notepad, and just save it as filename.bat

I think you would actually need...
mame -mspacman

if I'm correct, plus once you get out of the Ms. Pacman, you will just be back into Windows.  I can't remember how, but I think you can get the batch file to loop, that way it would start the game again, but you may not want that.

[youki]

Hi,

I think the best solution in your case, would be to start from DOS not windows 98.

If you want try without breaking anything in your system , you can try from a boot disquette. Do like that :

Find a a DOs version of mame. And install it in : c:\dmame 

From win98 , open a dos prompt .

Put a blank floppy disk in your drive

type :  Format a: /s

then type :

notepad a:\Autoexec.bat

in the notepad type :

c:
cd \
cd dmame
dmame mspacman

Save and close.

then reboot your PC and boot on A:  , it should work.

If you have an arcade monitor (15khz) , you may need to use the ARCMON.SYS driver (it is free).

So , on A: create with the notepad a file called  : CONFIG.SYS (or edit the one existing).

add the line :

DEVICE=ARCMON.SYS

Then boot,  now it should work with a 15khz screen without the need of an ArcadeVGA

If it works for the floppy. You can then transfert that config to your hardrive.


If you want really stay in win98.  Create a .bat file called for instance : mspacman.bat  with something like :

c:
cd \
cd mame
mame mspacman

And copy it in the Startup folder of win98.


hoping it helps you.

[Minwah]

I think the best solution in your case, would be to start from DOS not windows 98.

What he said

[eccs19]

That's a very cool idea.  Do you per chance have a link for that "ARCMON.SYS", or is it easy to find?

[youki]

You should find it here :

http://www.geocities.com/mamecab/download.html

There is some Autoexec.bat ans config.sys samples too , i think.

 

[JoyMonkey]

You could put Vantage and the MsPacman rom on a floppy and you wouldn't even need a hard drive. But it won't save your hi-scores that way.
There's a million different ways of doing this