Parent: [[Games]] ||<>|| == What is DOSBox? == DOSBox is a free, open-source cross-platform MS-DOS emulator that uses the SDL library. It emulates CPU:286/386 realmode/protected mode, Directory FileSystem/XMS/EMS, Tandy/Hercules/CGA/EGA/VGA/VESA graphics, and SoundBlaster/Gravis Ultra Sound cards. Thus, it is possible to run many programs originally written for MS-DOS in Linux with DOSBox. The emulator has been largely developed for use with old games, but it may be possible to use DOSBox to run other MS-DOS applications. The DOSBox project maintains a [[http://dosbox.sourceforge.net/comp_list.php?letter=a|list of compatible games]]. To run more recent applications developed for Windows, use [[Wine]]. == Installation == You will need to enable the Universe repositories (see AddingRepositoriesHowto), update, and install the {{{dosbox}}} package. == Running DOSBox == == Starting DOSBox == DOSBox can be run from a terminal by simply typing {{{ dosbox }}}. This will open up what looks like another terminal window, with a {{{ Z:\ }}} prompt. This is DOSBox. == Running MS-DOS Programs inside DOSBox == === Mounting Drives and Directories: The " mount " command === Seeing a {{{ Z:\ }}} where one might have expected to see {{{ C:\ }}} or even {{{ A:\ }}} will seem strange to those familiar with MS-DOS and command.com. DOSBox does not have a {{{ C:\ }}} drive enabled by default. To give it one, we must ''mount'' one onto the virtual machine. In practice, this means we must create a directory which can serve as a virtual {{{ C:\ }}} drive for DOSBox. ('' '''N.B.''' In the following examples, and throughout this document, we are assuming a user named "wikiuser". Replace that user-name with yours. '') In a regular terminal, (NOT DOSBox), you can execute {{{ $ mkdir -p ~/dos/c }}} which will create the {{{ /dos/c }}} directory in your home directory. To have DOSBox use this as its {{{ C:\ }}} drive, execute the following command in DOSBox: {{{ mount c /home/wikiuser/dos/c }}} This makes the contents of {{{ ~/dos/c/ }}} the contents of the virtual {{{ C:\ }}} drive in DOSBox. You can now run any DOS programs in that directory in DOSBox. If those DOS programs are self-contained executables, it's enough simply to copy them onto a suitable sub-directory in {{{ ~/dos/c }}} and run them within DOSBox. For other programs, you may need to run their installers. Consult the [[http://dosbox.sourceforge.net/comp_list.php?letter=a|compatibility list]] for details for each one. It is also possible to mount removeable disks in this way; simply specify the path to the removeable disk instead. For a more technical discussion of the mount command in DOSBox, consult the [[http://dosbox.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php?page=Internal+Programs%2FMount|manual page]] for that command. '' Note that many of the examples on the official DOSBox will seem to be specific to MS-DOS or Windows. Where you see a Windows-type path like {{{ C:\OLDGAMES }}} , simply read a Linux-style path. The result of the commands should be the same. '' === Mounting Disk Images: the " imgmount " command === It is also possible(and in many cases desireable) to mount disk images in DOSBox, using the {{{ imgmount }}} command. Most commonly, this is used to mount CD-ROM images. To mount a CD-ROM image in DOSBox, execute the following command in DOSBox: {{{ imgmount d /path/to/cd/image.iso -t iso }}} This will mount an .iso to the DOSBox virtual machine as a CD-ROM. A more technical discussion of the imgmount command can be found at [[http://dosbox.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php?page=Internal+Programs%2FImgMount|its manual page]] '' Note that many of the examples on the official DOSBox will seem to be specific to MS-DOS or Windows. Where you see a Windows-type path like {{{ C:\OLDGAMES }}} , simply read a Linux-style path. The result of the commands should be the same.'' ---- CategoryGames