this post was submitted on 11 Dec 2023
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Gaming

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Trying to play my old CDROM games on Windows10 and about to lose my marbles. Could you help me? (beehaw.org)
submitted 11 months ago by SharkEatingBreakfast@beehaw.org to c/gaming@beehaw.org
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Okay listen: I am less than tech-savvy, but I tried so many step-intensive things on my dinky PC, to no avail.

I use Windows10 home (yes, I know, bear with me!) and am just trying to boot games I already OWN!!! No dice. Now I just sit here, arms crossed, and seethe "I hate u, computer."

Yes, I've enabled the IIS and tried to use the option to allow program to run 32-bit. No dice.

I've tried compatibility mode. Absolutely nothing (Windows, you useless-ass shitwad).

I struggled through DOSBOX as a non-tech person, managed to do the Windows 3.1 thing, tried to boot my files through there, got as far as the install screen!!! Stuck at 0% probably forever. So it was a failure.

Tried running old game files from some people who are smarter than me that emulate the D:\ drive instead of the physical disks. Zilch.

FrikkiN AHHHHH!!!!

I JUST WANNA RELIVE MY NOSTALGIA AND SHOW MY KID ALL MY OLD AND SHITTY GAMES I USED TO PLAY AS A KID!!!!!

Could anyone give a solution that won't have me downloading and installing 6 trillion new programs? Any helpful links a non-tech person could understand?

Swear to god, I'll Cashapp 5$ to the first person to give a solution I can reasonably follow & that works.

Also you will have my adoration forever. Thanks.

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[–] AlolanYoda@mander.xyz 15 points 11 months ago (1 children)

How old are these games? What OS did you play them in? Better question: which games specifically?

What are the contents of the CD? If every file has an uppercase name then it's likely to be a DOS game and DOSBox really is your best option.

If they are point-and-click adventure games, look into ScummVM, it may be easier than messing with DOSBox.

[–] SharkEatingBreakfast@beehaw.org 7 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (3 children)

1994 - 1996 and beyond. Originally played on Win98, currently on Win10. Trying out several different CDROMS, but I've been testing out an old "Learning in Toyland" CD, but I also have an old "Yukon Trail" CD I'm trying to boot up.

I've tried DOSBOX, but I keep getting messages like "requires Windows" or whatnot. Like HOE, I HAVE WINDOWS AND IT DON'T EVEN WORK

[–] SurfinBird@lemmy.ca 19 points 11 months ago (2 children)

Dosbox is for dos games ;) If they ran on Win98 then try them on Win98 again. Get something like Virtualbox and make yourself a Win98 machine to play with.

[–] rudyharrelson@kbin.social 5 points 11 months ago

Seconding the recommendation for Virtualbox. Wanted to play my old Lego Island CD a few years ago and I just booted it up in an old Windows VM. Worked like a charm.

[–] shapesandstuff@feddit.de 3 points 11 months ago

Great comment, exactly right.

Hilarious to imagine from the perspective of a non tech savy person though: your virtual machine program "something box" is for the other old windows, not the old windows you want. Get this "other box" windows thing to make the right old windows so you can play windows games on your windows pc.

[–] HidingCat@kbin.social 7 points 11 months ago

Have you tried installing a copy of Windows in Dosbox, then install the game from there? I remember doing something like that to play the original SimTower.

Very likely the game is 16 bit mode, which is why nothing in Windows 10's compatibility mode is working, as it doesn't support 16 bit programs.

[–] AnonTwo@kbin.social 6 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

Ahhh....you're trying to play Windows 3.1 games...that's why you're having issues...yeah emulation for Windows 3.1's random differences from Windows 95 and DOS are surprisingly rare still.

There's no dedicated emulator for Windows 3.1 yet. I personally installed a copy onto Doxbox, but it's not a very easy solution.

But I can tell it's 3.1 cause one of those is The Learning Company and the later versions of the Super Solver games have the same issues.