Need help with Config.sys and Autoexec.bat

[justacruzr2]

Awhile back I had asked for help with a problem in getting sound out of DOOM95.  I had to do a clean install of Windows 98SE retail and after applying all the updates, etc. I went through everything (all the programs on the START menu) to be sure everything was working.  When I got to DOOM95 I noticed that there was no sound and no mouse support (only the keyboard).  I searched the web for an answer to this and tried various suggestions but nothing worked.  Just the other day it occurred to me that I should look at the Config.sys and Autoexec.bat files since DOOM95 is a DOS game.  Config.sys is completely blank and Autoexec.bat has only a few system directives in it.  I'm thinking this is the problem.  With DOS based games shouldn't there be some "device = " entries that load a sound driver and a mouse driver?  I think Win 95 and Win 98 FE & SE make no assumptions for DOS and I have to specify what is needed.  When I installed the game on Win ME it worked perfect from the start without touching Config.sys or Autoexec.bat but then Win ME has DOS "sucked" into it and it probably does know what to load.  The install program for DOOM95 makes no entries in those files for you.  It might have been mentioned in the manual that came with the game but I don't have that manual.  So, if this is the problem, what sound and mouse drivers should I be using for the "device =" entries?  I did a "find files" in Explorer and it comes up with several sound and mouse drivers but which ones should I use....the ones with a ".drv" extension or the ones with a ".sys" extension?  And I should probably also add HIGHMEM, UMB AND EMM386 to give it some memory to work with.  Any thoughts?

[loblo]

Why don't you make your life easier and use a modern source port to play Doom? It's better in every way.
 

[justacruzr2]

Never mind.  I'll figure it out myself.

[pangoomis]

7 hours ago, loblo said:

Why don't you make your life easier and use a modern source port to play Doom? It's better in every way.

If we can patch/hack/port all DOS/W9x games onto modern systems, why would we run DOS/W9x in the first place?

Why would the retro thing (1999 PC's and earlier) grow into popularity in the recent years?

People have interest in running original hardware and original software.

[loblo]

I don't care about retro computing and I am not using a 9x system out of any kind of nostalgia so your generalizations don't apply.

 

There are easier and better ways to play Doom on a 9x system than using the original executables which is a pointless exercise in masochism IMO, if you want plain vanilla Doom experience and no more, use Chocolate Doom, if you want more features and the ability to play recent maps, then use limit removing engines such as ZDoom, it's that simple.

[Destro]

Do not delete my link.  Theres absolutely noway to easily teach the OP how to use dos.   Philscomputerlab is a respected website and he is a respected youtuber and member of the retro gaming community.

 

OP go to phils site and follow his instructions download his starter pack.  If that doesn't work for you than maybe you do not have a soundblaster or your hardware is not correct.  Being such a beginner I would really suggest you just make a boot disk floppy with phills files cuz i think there is a 100% chance you will not understand how to fix your windows startup.  You could add a menu item to phills menu that loads no drivers and just dumps you into the comandprompt or simply add a menu item that loads no drivers and runs the win command if you want to just run windows normally.  Thats if you dont listen to me and mod your auto exec and config sys on your harddrive and not on a floppy like i suggested.

https://www.philscomputerlab.com/ms-dos-starter-pack.html

Edited January 13, 2018 by Destro