help needed with XTM dos emulator and a netBook

[netBook4ever]

Hi all,

I cannot seem to get the XTM dos emulator working on my netBook. I tried with different Dos boot disks but to no avail. It is so complicated to set up!
I would be very greatfull if somebody could guide me through the process or even better, send me a copy of their IMG file for the XTM program?

Thanks,
netbook4ever!

[MikeMcC]

I had the XTM DOS emulator running on a 5mx briefly (before it expired and had to be registered). As I didn't have any DOS programs to run anyway, there was no point in registering it.

However, it was incredibly easy to set up because someone had done all the hard work and uploaded the necessary file. I'm not sure if this is what you need, but I came across these notes:

“XTM” DOS Emulator for Psion

Download the Zip archive containing the .SIS installation file from http://www.nb-info.co.uk/xtminfo.htm and install it in the Psion.

Download the Xtmdos.zip archive from http://mypsion.ru/files/xtmdos.zip extract the DRIVEA.DSK file and copy it to the C:\XTM\ or D:\XTM folder.

[netBook4ever]

Hi Mike,

Thanks! This is exactly what I needed!

netbook4ever!

[Schrobby]

Hi al,

Is it possible to run Prince of persia using XTM dos emulator??? The first version of Prince of persia ofcourse.:D :D :cool:

regards,
Roel

[netBook4ever]

I don't know about prince of persia, XTm seems to dislike any form of animation or specail graphic effects like slow fading etc, I managed to run a old sid miers game called Colonization, but as soon as I did somthing that caused a special effects picture to pop up it hanged. Also I couldnt start a new game because the intro was too graphical, I loaded old ones instead. Playability was slow but bearable.

Also I tried Civ for dos. Din't work. Got as far as the into of credits.

If someone could develop XTM further, Psion could have very attractive gaming possibilities. Maybe even windows ;-)

netbook4ever

[jgs1]

you should be able to run pop in cga mode - i've managed to run Lesuire Suit Larry 1 in cga mode on a mc218

[netBook4ever]

Hi,

I am guessing pop is Civ? because in the menu it allows for a mcga mode to be chosen. Nope that didnt work though. Still the same problem. Seems whenever I press a key it just hangs, or when the animation sequence ends in Civ. However in Mcga mode, the animation is considerably faster but more jerky.

hope somone can fix this!

netbook4ever!

[raindog]

Originally posted by netBook4ever
If someone could develop XTM further, Psion could have very attractive gaming possibilities. Maybe even windows ;-)

windows 3.0 starts with XTM. yet i can't see the profits of such... experiment.

[jgs1]

nope - pop is Prince of Persia. :o)

As far as I can tell I only get XTM to support CGA mode.

(MCGA being different)

I did try the dos version of CIV in all modes after reading the above posts and just got graphic mode not supported, however the version I had only had MCGA, EGA and Tandy 1000 modes.

[netBook4ever]

Windows works? thats so strange! does anyone have a copy? I would like to see if it worked for myself... Not that I like windows, but it would be so weird!

netbook4ever!

[psifonso]

Hi XTM users,

Does anyone manage to read your D drive? How?

[MartinG]

I don't have a copy of XTM still installed on my machine - but I did play with it a few weeks ago. IIRC, you have to add a line to the config.sys file which specifies d: drive access before you compile all the DOS files into one. It's explained in the blurb that comes with the program...

Best regards,
Martin

[Midas]

Prince of Persia runs with XTM, but I never managed to move the prince himself :(

PS. All old Sierra games (LSL, King's Quest, Space Quest, etc) runs very well with XTM, but first you need to run http://staff.washington.edu/dushaw/psion/downloads/FORCECGA.COM program (I've put it into autoexec.bat file).

[MikeW]

I have been running XTM on drive D of my Netbook for many years, primarily to run a number of MUMPS databases. Mumps is very efficient & excels at handling text & indexing data.

I could provide all the files via e-mail, although I doubt that they would work, as registration is for a specific Psion.

Mike

mike.woodward@dbh.nhs.uk

[psifonso]

May I know what is the correct/proper command line to be inserted into autoexec.bat in order to make drive D readable and to play Sierra games?

set path=D:\

or

set path=D:\forcecga.com

Please advice. Thanks.

[Midas]

psifonso,
To access C: and D: drives, you should add next lines to CONFIG.SYS file:

device=epocfs.sys c:\
device=epocfs.sys d:\

To run old Sierra games, you shoud add next line to AUTOEXEC.BAT file:

forcecga.com
(or c:\forcecga.com if you placed it on C:).

[psifonso]

Thanks Midas ;) ,

Btw, could anyone guide me how to run a *.DCK files on a Spectrum Emulator?

Setup
- Timex 2068 emulation
- CGA video
- dock a file
- press F10

Nothing happen. Have i miss something here?

Fyi, i'm a newbie on spectrum and using Warajevo Spectrum Emulator from http://www.worldofspectrum.org/warajevo/

Thanks.

[twigdip]

great stuff.!! im excited about this xtm possibility. have now installed it and all.
I don't quite understand how i actually run a program though. i have copied something onto the psion in a folder on D:
how do i actually run the prgrm with xtm>?

and help would be much appreciated...
I have restarted an ancient thread here!!

ian

oops wrong forum...i have a psion 5mx...but maybe you know anyway??

[Jonas]

You could run a program (.exe or .com) via Newton Commander (?) or via command line (don' t know how, though...)

[MikeW]

Ian

I assume you have installed the software & created an MS-DOS image, in which case you probably have a directory called XTM which contains some files ending in .DSK along with a directory called Drive C.

Run XTM via the Extras icon & you should see some text saying XTM is loading then MS-DOS, before clearing the display & showing the A:\> prompt.

You can now navigate to drive C by entering C:<Return> & display any files or programs by entering DIR<Return>

You can now run MS-DOS programs located in the Drive C directory mentioned above, you can also copy any files including MS-DOS programs into/from this directory from within EPOC.

Hope this helps.

Mike

[twigdip]

thanks for your reply.
Now i try and run the program and it says:

Stub error (2001): needs at least 286

what the H does this mean? and is there any way of figuring this out>
please help!!

thanks very much

ian

[MikeW]

Looks as if you are trying to run a program that requires a 80286 CPU, XTM only emulates the 8088 or 8086 CPU, you may also get away with running software intended for the short lived 80186 CPU.

You have a couple of choices:-

Find alternative software that provides similar functionality
Find an earlier version of the software that failed, that works on 8088/8086

Mike

[twigdip]

thanks for your help mike,

how do i run a program off the D: drive? at the moment i only know how to run off C...

thanks again
ian

[MikeW]

Ian

The Psion drive is completly separate from the XTM drive.

You can use whichever Psion drive you wish by installing XTM on that Psion drive, the drive shown when using XTM is just a folder within the XTM folder, mine is D:\XTM\DriveC.

Mike

[lgp]

I have 2 images A:\ and B:\ and also can access the entire C:\ and D:\ as well. I also have linux elks images and it will run a very basic form of linux.

You just use to normal old Dos commands to navigate.

[dushaw]

Windows 3.0 will indeed run on XTM - I installed it once. Windows 3.0 install disks used to be able to be found on-online somewhere for download, but it took a bit of searching (I don't think it is quite legal to post such things). The main problem after installing was that the mouse seemed not to work, or rather I was warned off of using a mouse for fear of burning out the netBook's serial port. And Windows 3.0 without a mouse is non-functional.

Since then I have used a serial mouse on my netBook regularly in linux without any problems, so I think perhaps the fear was misplaced. (The burn out may have occured on an earlier Psion 5 model. The netBook's serial chip is supposedly designed to handle mice.) I have been meaning to go back and try Windows 3.0 again sometime, and install a driver for the serial mouse. XTM provides access to the netBook's serial port. Note that to try this you need to be sure you have an honest serial mouse, and these are getting harder to find (look for a bin of mice at your local computer hardware recycling store...). You will also need a null modem adapter for the serial port.

But, why would one do that? Its kind of cool (to some people, at least) and you can then use Word, and other Windows utilities.

For applications/games, you must look for 16-bit only - these are very old DOS programs. There are archives around, and you can find things like old fortran compilers, etc. And spend days and weeks doing it...

Elks will also run, as just noted. This is 16-bit linux, more or less. The problem here is that there are no useful applications that I know of - Elks development has stalled out.

I have had a few helpful, constructive exchanges with the XTM people - I think highly of the company.

B.D.

[Jonas]

It was this link:
http://www.btinternet.com/~woofgbr/
As you said, the mouse doesnt work and the graphics do not look good, too...