MS-DOS application running slow under WIndows XP

Greetings to all ....

I'm using WINDOWS XP SP1 and am having a little problem getting an old
MS-DOS application to display a little quicker on the screen.

This is an old 16-bit program that has been running ok - just fine on
the WINDOWS 95/98 PCS -- however ...

When I first start the application (menu1.exe) my display goes totally
blank for about 20-25 seconds then finally the applications main
screen appears.

I have tried messing with the executable's properties memory,
compatibility, screen, misc etc etc -- unfortunately I cannot seem
to fine the right thing to do make the application load a little
quicker on the screen (display) ...


If anyone has any ideas or tips, that would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

 

It may be that the old application just isn't fully
compatible with XP.

 

DOS programs, especially old, 16-bit ones, need to run in
a DOS emulation window in OS's developed from the 32-bit,
Windows NT kernel model. The amount of overhead needed to
run the DOS emulator slows down the system. True, 32-bit
OS's include Windows NT, Windows 2000 and Windows XP. The
OS's derived from Windows 95, including 98 and ME, still
had some hybrid 16-bit/32-bit code, to afford some better
longevity to older DOS programs that were not going to be
ported over or re-written into pure 32-bit code.

 

Use an older win98 box for your older dos programs.

 

What is the program ?
Can you potentially just run it off a boot disk?
(Unless you need access to the OS with it running)..

 

Hi jose3030 .... Thanks for your response!

well, it was written in-house by some other programmer and we use
it alot -- they are just starting to write it in VB 6 -- finally!

Oh no ,... as this software package we will distribute to
over 1000 users and PC (with win xp and / or win 2000)
and cannot afford to do this - at all ...

 

MS + Gates = ANti-DOS

DOS was originally dervied from Unix, the powerful OS with its related shells. Because Unix (like Linux) is antithetical to the underlying premise of Windows and GUI's, Mr. G. has wanted to rid Windows of DOS since Windows95, but the fact is people still want it, and so it persists, finding its way even into XP. (Some say he hasn't fully gotten rid of it because that might provoke more people to seek Unix (or Linux) alternatives).

The fact that applications run slow in DOS windows in XP is not necessary - if, for example, the properties of the DOS window are modified to be Full Screen, output to the screen will list and scroll a lot faster (even though not as fast as they could). Also, having tried repeatedly to modify the properties of the DOS window, at times I've hit upon getting it to run and display outputs at lightening speed, e.g. doing a listing of a directory containing over 1800 files does it in a fraction of a second, believe it or not. It's getting these properties to persist that is challenging. (Also, isn't it interesting that 32-bit Win98SE, 2000, Milennium all run DOS windows fast?) Some believe it's been made to run slow in XP to discourage use - I wouldn't be surprised.

But because I use DOS windows a lot (they are SO useful), I'm determined to get them running fast, and will persist in my search for a remedy, and will post here when I find one. In the meantime, you might try setting DOS window properties to Full Screen. To get out of Full Screen, hit the (no surprise) Windows key.

Good luck,
Dr. Tom

 

Greetings to all ....
>
> I'm using WINDOWS XP SP1 and am having a little problem getting an old
> MS-DOS application to display a little quicker on the screen.
>
> This is an old 16-bit program that has been running ok - just fine on
> the WINDOWS 95/98 PCS -- however ...
>
> When I first start the application (menu1.exe) my display goes totally
> blank for about 20-25 seconds then finally the applications main
> screen appears.
>
> I have tried messing with the executable's properties memory,
> compatibility, screen, misc etc etc -- unfortunately I cannot seem
> to fine the right thing to do make the application load a little
> quicker on the screen (display) ...
>
>
> If anyone has any ideas or tips, that would be greatly appreciated!
>
> Thanks in advance!

 

Possible answer

Check your Autoexec.nt. There may be some startup options specified that are looking for nonexistent programs, and you have to wait for them to time out, or they are slow loading and you are waiting for them to load. For me it was soundblaster.