I forget how I did it, it was with a free VMWare utility, but as I decommissioned my old PC, I cloned it to a virtual machine and when necessary use it as using the free VMWare Player.
I have many old decommissioned machines sitting around as VMWare machine. With the big and fast drives available now, and RAM being as cheap as chips, these old machines now run faster as virtual machines than they did as real machines. I used to keep the machines before as I never know when I might have to go back to a program that I wrote years ago and need to have it run in the same environment. Regards Brian -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Eric Donn Sent: Sunday, 24 March 2013 1:21 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [Dataperf] Screen size win7/32 Hi all, Like Brian I use VMware Player - and the virtual machine is Windows XP. I use tamedos, and using Uwe Sieber's freeware DOS fonts in combination with the screen size on the layout tab of a shortcut to DP you can get the DP almost the size of the screen but windowed. Also like Brian I use predominantly W7 64bit but also have some XP and W7 32bit machines, and I also run virtual machines. I have virtualised MSDOS and IBM PCDOS 2000 but that does not allow the use of DPSpool. It takes less than an hour to get up and running with VMware player. VMware workstation costs around $200 US and that allows you to clone virtual machines. Regards Eric Donn Director J.I.T. Systems Ltd “ZERO DOWN TIME OR WE FIX IT FOR FREE” -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of [email protected] Sent: Sunday, 17 February 2013 11:00 To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [Dataperf] Screen size win7/32 G'day Geert, But there are often compelling reasons to use the 64bit variant. I have so many computers with so many variants of operating systems, versions of applications I have written, versions of Microsoft Office etc that I need to still occasionally support. So in the interests of de-cluttering, and reducing my electricity bills (cutting greenhouse emissions and saving the planet) I decided I should dump the machines and create Virtual images of them, and load them in VMWare, so I have reduced my PC's down to 2 (you got to have one spare if the other breaks down). Windows 32Bit cannot access enough RAM for my liking, but with my Windows 7 64-bit with 16Gb RAM INTEL i7, I can run three or four Windows sessions simultaneously each using an optimal amount of RAM - and in fact individually they each run faster as VM on the newer hardware than they ran as physical machines. Also many machines comes preloaded with the 64Bit version of Windows 7, or my clients have them, so it's not going to go away. But if I need to run a virtual machine for a specific application, eg DP, I do not want to use a slower more resource hungry operating system than I need, also if you use say Windows 7 - 32Bit as a virtual machine, any changes you make to the virtual hardware potentially means you have to reactivate Windows, and if runs out of activation before Microsoft thinks you are a pirate you have to call and explain and beg Microsoft to let you reactivate. Which is why I advocate if you go the virtual PC way, you go for the slimmest non-activating OS that you can work with. Bye Brian -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of [email protected] Sent: Sunday, 17 February 2013 2:17 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [Dataperf] Screen size win7/32 I still think that a WIN 7/32 CD is the cheapest and easiest solution for dummies like me :) Regards, Geert. PS: I live in the south of France and I may be able to take care of two Aussie kids for a couple of weeks without breaching any Microsoft licencing, on the condition that they can survive on french food ! ;) On Sat, 16 Feb 2013 10:50:52 +0100, Gerard van Loenhout <[email protected]> wrote: > Brian, how much does a babysitter cost nowadays in Sydney and how much > time would you need ;-) Gerard > 2013/2/16 <[email protected]> >> Hi all,**** >> ** ** >> I run DP on Win7Pro 64bit, using VMWare Player. It easy to do, and >> you get great performance if you use say Windows 98SE as the Guest >> operating system. You can of course use Win 7 32Bit as the Guest >> operating system but that’s a lot of overhead to run a DOS app that >> itself can easily fit a floppy diskette if anyone could ever find one >> of those relics from the past. **** >> >> ** ** >> >> I have also had reasonable success with running FreeDOS/PCDOS and >> MSDOS as the guest operating system, but there a few hurdles to >> overcome. **** >> >> ** ** >> >> Firstly you need to create a VM Machine and hard drive and leave it >> empty. **** >> >> Then you have to create a DOS bootable virtual floppy boot disk, (I >> am trying to think what software I used for that), but you can tell >> VMWare to use this “floppy diskette image”, and its bidirectional, >> you can read and write to the virtual image from within VMWare. You >> need to configure the VM to use this image as its floppy diskette >> (You can do the same thing with CD-ROM or ISO images, but since you >> need to install drivers into DOS to read the CD-ROM it is something >> of a Catch-22, you can add CD-ROM support later in the >> configuration)**** >> >> ** ** >> >> I should add that the Virtual Floppy Diskette image must contain not >> just the boot files, but also you will probably need utilities like >> Format.com, MSCDEX.EXE, XCOPY, etc etc, whatever you can fit into >> 1.44Mb (I have never gotten the 2.88Mb Floppy image VMWare supports >> to work)**** >> >> ** ** >> >> The next hurdle is to get VMWare to boot this floppy, normally it >> will want to boot from the virtual hard drive you originally create, >> and the damn things runs so fast that you can’t press the F2 or F12 >> key to configure create a boot sequence so that it tries to boot from >> the floppy first. If you insert “bios.bootDelay = "5000"“ as a line >> in the VM’s VMX file then you will get a 5 second (5000 milliseconds) >> window of opportunity to get to the F12 key to choose to boot from >> floppy. **** >> >> ** ** >> >> Ok, so here you are. Probably looking at a very familiar screen (for >> older >> members) where you are asked to enter today’s time and date, followed >> by another familiar C:\> It all becomes very nostalgic.**** >> >> ** ** >> >> So then you have to do some work. The next thing to test your memory >> and internet researching abilities is to set up the autoexec.bat and >> config.sys so that you can configure the DOS memory, HIMEM UMB, Files >> and Buffers (you need these to get DP to work, a minimum of 40 >> files). (DO NOT be tempted to load SHARE, it was never much use >> anyway). You also need to add the Driver for the CDROM and parameters >> into the config.sys, and MSCDEX and its parameters into the >> autoexec.bat. **** >> >> ** ** >> >> But once you have that you have a virtual machine that boots up (and >> very quickly if you remove or change the bios.bootDelay parameter, >> and get to a comfortable C:\> in no time flat, unless you left the >> boot sequence to Floppy diskette and still have the image in.**** >> >> ** ** >> >> Ok now to whet your appetite you will need to get DP and say a DP >> application on there. You can access shares, USB sticks. Floppies are >> just a little slow, because you cannot change the virtual floppy, so >> you could repetitively reboot the VM incrementally and copy fragments >> from incrementally created floppy images. I chose to put a large app >> and the DP files onto an CD ISO image, using WinImage (I think) as >> the creator. >> Then >> XCOPY’d (if you remembered to install it and set the PATH so your dos >> utilities), into a new folder. You can use the internal COPY command, >> but my app had folders to contend with so XCOPY is far less of a >> headache.**** >> >> ** ** >> >> Fire up DP and watch it fly. **** >> >> ** ** >> >> But, now the really difficult part starts. Its one things to have DP >> working on a Virtual Machine island but to interact with the real >> world is more difficult. First you need to install a network device >> driver then TCP/IP stack, and then an MS NET Client or similar on >> top. There are many of these. Then you have to tweak it to access >> shares (remember that DOS will not connect to a share not in 8.3 name >> format. Also the Host needs some registry changes to allow the type >> of authentication that the early DOS network clients used, and then >> you need to set us shares for the printers, and redirect LPT1, to use >> one of these shares. I got it working some time ago, and I was >> pleased with how it worked, but it was way too much work. **** >> >> ** ** >> >> The Win98SE alternatively works wonderfully, and you do not have to >> worry about Windows activation like with later versions, so you can >> keep multiple versions of your appliance (remembering of course >> Microsoft’s licencing arrangements J) printing works fine, I imagine >> things like DPSpool etc will also work. Antiviruses are a problem >> since there are not too many now for Win 98, but if you only ever use >> it for DP then its probably not much of a worry. By using a more >> lightweight Guest OS, there are few demands on late model hardware so >> you will probably see Win98 work at speeds you never thought >> possible. Sharing files either direction etc is also so much easier. >> **** >> >> ** ** >> >> If I ever have time, and that’s rare with two kids around the house, >> and if I can make a pre-made appliance which does not breach >> Microsoft licencing I will upload one so anyone can use it.**** >> >> ** ** >> >> Bye**** >> >> Brian**** >> >> ** ** >> >> ** ** >> >> *From:* [email protected] [mailto: >> [email protected]] *On Behalf Of *Gerard van Loenhout >> *Sent:* Saturday, 16 February 2013 7:31 AM >> *To:* Jon Ong >> *Cc:* Dataperfect Users Discussion Group >> *Subject:* Re: [Dataperf] Screen size win7/32**** >> >> ** ** >> >> Jon, I find dosbox a bit too slow building up, especially with data >> from >> links.**** >> >> And we are 5 people using it on a network, that's why I chose not to >> use >> dosbox.**** >> >> ** ** >> >> But I guess a relaxed person like you ;-) would probably be okay with >> dosbox. You can always try it. It's free.**** >> >> ** ** >> >> I know other people that are happy with dosbox on Win7/64.**** >> >> ** ** >> >> Gerard **** >> >> ** ** >> >> 2013/2/15 Jong <[email protected]>**** >> >> Gerard, Geert & Tim:**** >> >> **** >> >> Really nice to get continued support for our DP dinosaur from the gang. >> **** >> >> **** >> >> I've considered switching to Access or other databases but I still >> believe simple is better, especially with complex data sets that I >> deal with in a medical practice.**** >> >> **** >> >> Full screen really only a concern for the portable netbooks I have to >> carry around at work, I realize that's not too much of an issue on >> the big >> screen.**** >> >> **** >> >> From what I've seen so far, someone (excuse me for forgetting who it >> was) >> said win7/32 pro allowed XP emulation with full screen so it looks >> like that's the easiest way to go for me. **** >> >> **** >> >> As for win7/64, (which unfortunatley I have on one of my laptops), it >> looks like best solution is creating a virtual PC using VMware and >> then WinXP -- lots of work there.**** >> >> **** >> >> Jon**** >> >> -----Original Message----- >> *From:* Gerard van Loenhout [mailto:[email protected]] >> *Sent:* Friday, February 15, 2013 12:26 AM >> *To:* [email protected] >> *Cc:* [email protected]; Dataperfect Users Discussion Group >> *Subject:* Re: [Dataperf] DOS in Win 7/64 questions**** >> >> Hi Jong! **** >> >> ** ** >> >> I use DP Win7 / 32 Home. The window is not bigger than the dosbox in >> XP.** >> ** >> >> I find it quite comfortable to work with. **** >> >> With these big screens nowadays I haven't actually tried >> fullscreen.**** >> >> ** ** >> >> Geert probably knows more.**** >> >> ** ** >> >> Gerard **** >> >> ** ** >> >> 2013/2/14 Jong <[email protected]>**** >> >> Geert & everyone: >> >> Thanks for the latest info on Dp in Win7/32, just a few clarifiers: >> >> 1. Do you have pro or home version Win7/32? >> 2. Does DP run in full screen mode? >> 3. How do you print up your HTML output from DP? >> 4. Is there a print spooler we can use similar to DP Spool to make >> printing seamless? >> >> Jon**** >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: [email protected] >> [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of [email protected] >> Sent: Thursday, February 14, 2013 6:49 AM >> To: [email protected] >> Subject: Re: [Dataperf] DOS in Win 7/64 questions >> >> >> Hi all, >> >> I can only agree with Gerard : I am running DP 'straight out of the box' >> without any problem on a Win7/32 system. NB: I don't even use Tame ! >> >> All my reports are saved into html-files, which solves all possible >> printing problems... >> >> Regards, >> Geert. >> >> >> >> On Wed, 13 Feb 2013 09:03:25 +0100, Gerard van Loenhout >> <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> > Don, I was the one who started the most recent discussion about Win7. >> > DosBox is too slow. I bought a couple of Win7/64 PCs at Dell. I >> > bought a CD from them with Win7/32 for the same PCs so I had the >> > right drivers. Now DP works fine. >> >> > 2013/2/12 Don Friedman <[email protected]> >> >> I know that there has been discussion about this but I can't seem >> >> to find a way to search it out on the main site. Is their a trick >> >> to that? >> >> I've finally "grown up" and put a couple of Win7/64 boxes in the >> office. >> >> I'm assuming that I can run dosbox to run DP without much trouble >> >> - I never have a need to print from DP and if I remember right >> >> that was part of the problem. Am I on the right track here? I'm >> >> assuming that it will >> still >> >> be >> >> faster to run DP via dosbox on my newer machines than to run them >> >> on >> my >> >> older XP machine. >> >> Don >> >> -- >> >> *Don Friedman >> >> ProfessionalRecords.Com LLC >> >> PRS Data Systems >> >> Liveport WiFi* >> _______________________________________________ >> Dataperf mailing list >> [email protected] >> http://lists.dataperfect.nl/mailman/listinfo/dataperf >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Dataperf mailing list >> [email protected] >> http://lists.dataperfect.nl/mailman/listinfo/dataperf**** >> >> ** ** >> >> ** ** >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Dataperf mailing list >> [email protected] >> http://lists.dataperfect.nl/mailman/listinfo/dataperf >> >> -- Vriendelijke groeten, Geert De Baets mailto:[email protected] Web: http://www.debaets.be Using M2, Opera's revolutionary e-mail client: http://www.opera.com/m2/ _______________________________________________ Dataperf mailing list [email protected] http://lists.dataperfect.nl/mailman/listinfo/dataperf _______________________________________________ Dataperf mailing list [email protected] http://lists.dataperfect.nl/mailman/listinfo/dataperf ______________________________________________________________________________ This email has been scrubbed for your protection by J.I.T. Systems Ltd. For more information visit http://www.jit.co.nz ______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________ Dataperf mailing list [email protected] http://lists.dataperfect.nl/mailman/listinfo/dataperf _______________________________________________ Dataperf mailing list [email protected] http://lists.dataperfect.nl/mailman/listinfo/dataperf
