If I understand you correctly, you prefer to leave the laptop installed with Windows Vista, and boot FreeDOS just to run the engineering program. Sounds like a virtual machine would be the solution here.
You should be able to boot a copy of FreeDOS using Microsoft Virtual PC, and run your program from there. The steps to install FreeDOS in a virtual machine will be the same as installing FreeDOS on a standalone PC. Check the install HOWTO: http://fd-doc.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php?n=FdDocEn.FdInstall -jh On 7/5/07, [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > I sell an expensive DOS based engineering program that runs great full > screen on Windows XP, 2000, Me and 98. The mouse works very well in my menu > system. I use the NET USE command in the batch file to launch the program > for setting up printing on networks, USB and wireless printers. A desktop > shortcut icon runs the batch file. However, it will not run full screen on > my new HP Model nx7400 Vista Business laptop. HP lists this model as FreeDOS > compatible, but I haven't installed it yet pending some suggestions. > > I would greatly appreciate some general guidelines to reduce the stumbling, > learning curve. I am not a programmer, so I will NOT be able to customize > FreeDOS. My customers are generally dumber than I am and are fairly > resistant to running my DOS program now. So, having ANY changes to their > Vista operating system is clearly unacceptable. Having a bunch of special > drivers would also be a major customer complaint. Installation must be very > easy. I now use the Setup Specialist program for my customers to install the > software and one special driver to see the Aladdin hardlock key (security > dongle). It is very easy for novice to use. Making a new partition for > FreeDOS and for my program would be strongly resisted by my customers who > may also run the risk of wiping out the Vista OS. > > I have heard of DosBox, but I understand it is not free. I could purchase > multiple copies for distribution with my software. The cost is no problem, > but I prefer to make things simple, if possible. I haven't tried it yet. > > A Vista reboot to FreeDOS would also meet with a lot of resistance from my > customers. Hopefully, I could set up FreeDOS to make the Vista run my DOS > program like a XP to maintain all of the Vista security features. > > My customers will be more accepting now since FreeDOS is being made > available from the factory on computer sold by HP and Dell. However, I don't > see that these computer have both Vista and FreeDOS installed at the > factory. Do they? > > This is a link to my demo download page for anyone wishing to test my DOS > program on their systems. > > http://probelt.com/download.htm > > A few major step by step guidelines would be greatly appreciated. > > Kent > ------------------------------------------------------------------------- This SF.net email is sponsored by DB2 Express Download DB2 Express C - the FREE version of DB2 express and take control of your XML. No limits. Just data. Click to get it now. http://sourceforge.net/powerbar/db2/ _______________________________________________ Freedos-user mailing list Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user
