Microsoft Virtual PC is free

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtualpc/default.mspx

Although I haven't tried it, it might be a solution for those with an NT-kernel Windows OS to correctly play DOOM.

I've heard it still consumes resources like crazy when running Doom2.

myk said:

I've heard it still consumes resources like crazy when running Doom2.

umm, yeah.... it's Windows. :D

Its what I used to record my two demos submitted to Compet-N. On my 2.8ghz P4 I had to run it on low res to get the frames up, so on a less powerful machine I think you will be really struggling.

Microsoft does not make software "free"

This is awesome. I dont have to use NTVDM for shit anymore. I can use real DOS. I think I'm going to start having a tissy fit like a teenage girl.

EDIT: And the program is dependant on ram more than processor speed. For instance, running a NT 5 OS (2000, XP, Server 2003) inside Virtual PC is bad no matter what. Running MS-DOS with a lot of fancy games requires 32MB of RAM allocated to Virtual PC. Running Windows 98 would probably need about 256

EDIT2: is there anyway to get virtual PC to not use 100% of your processor?

HobbsTiger1 said:
Microsoft does not make software "free"

They should release Windows 98/ME. Not yet though since they're probably still buying it in some 3rd world countries, or at least paying for its support.

Opulent said:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtualpc/default.mspx

Although I haven't tried it, it might be a solution for those with an NT-kernel Windows OS to correctly play DOOM.

Funny coincidence - VMware just made VMware Server available for free, too. :)

Might be an alternative to M$...

k. Being the computer geek I am, last night and decided to play with my new toy. I'll try to keep what I found out relevant to demos and demo recording.

MS-DOS: If you cant dump enough cycles to run Doom smoothly into DOSBox this is a good alternative. MS-DOS works just like it always did, and at a decent speed. The default memory size is fine, as I doubt most of you had DOS machines with more than 32MB of RAM back in the day anyway. Doom itself works fine, with sound and everything (assuming you install drivers, this is a literal virtual PC), and it runs with an acceptable framerate.

Windows 95: NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO. If I could marquee that in big red bold text I would. More than once 95 bluescreened because I let it idle too long. I didnt get very far trying to play doom on it, I was still trying to recover from its brokedness. So I guess like MS-DOS it works like it always did :P

Windows 98: The S3 Trio Drivers are gay in windows 98. getting the actual drivers off the intarwebs fixes the problem. Also, the default ram size in 98 is huge lols, give it at least 128 or dont bother. After that Doom runs fine, just like it should, etc. I can play doom at a good framerate (not quite as good as DOS), record demos, watch them, watch them on my physical PC, and so forth.

EDIT: If I didnt make myself clear above with MS-DOS, DOSBox is still a slightly less hassle free alternative if you can run Doom in it.

EDIT2: The software in general isnt quite as friendly to transferring demos to your physical hard disk as it could be. If it were possible to open the drive in explorer or something...

interesting and informative.

to be honest, if there comes a time I can't run MS-DOS or win98 on a pc, I will probably use prboom... but I'll probably die before then, so I cool with it.

heh, yeah just this week i reformatted my 2.8gig P4 and put 98 back on it, boy oh boy does it go faster than a very fast fast thing. And because it doesnt have IE installed it's stable too (litepc.com).