Win95 vs 98/ME(patched ME) Dos-Prompt interrupt access

[awkduck]

I've been meaning to look into this, probably going to this weekend.  Maybe, it is just a matter of clicking a check-box preference, for the Dos-Prompt?

Anyway, in Win3x and Win95, you can install a packet driver (at boot) and then target that drivers assigned interrupt, from a DosBox; for example, with the mTCP Dos applications.

I never looked in to why, or if there was a configuration for it, but you don't seem to be able to do this "out of the box" with 98 and ME.

Anyone know if it is just a simple setting, or rather something more intrinsic? 

[jumper]

What is "Dos-Prompt interrupt access"?

 

[awkduck]

Hi @jumper,

Software interrupt vector (example 0x60) established in "Real" dos, accessible to Windows Dos-Prompts/Dosbox (not DosBox emulator).

As a basic example, you would install a network card packet driver, via AUTOEXEC.BAT (real dos). Then from inside windows, you would open a dos-prompt and use mTCP's SSH (or any packet driver dependent application) over the "real-dos" packed driver vector.

I haven't had an issues doing this in Win3x(enhanced/standard) or Win95. In Win98/ME the dos application (like mTCP SSH or Telnet) seems to target the interrupt vector, but it does not actually function. For example, mTCP's DHCP will give a false MAC address (55:55:55:55:55:55) and acquire no IP.

Before anyone asks, the driver for the Ethernet card (Win98/ME) is not installed, as is duplicated in Win95/Win3x.

I don't even know if this is possible in Win98/ME. Something may have changed.

But I never really looked into it, and thought perhaps it was just an option/preference/configuration I overlooked. I do tend to overlook things easily, from time to time.

It wouldn't normally be testable, in ME, without some patching.

[jumper]

Under Windows, DOS apps run in a virtual machine that has a command console user interface. That VM can make software interrupt calls into the BIOS. DOS drivers usually install as Int21h sub-functions.

 

[awkduck]

@jumper Yes, that sounds right.

Have you used a Dos Ethernet packet driver, before?

I could expand on this a bit.

When you install a packet driver, it creates a software interrupt vector. You specify that vector to the Dos application you'd like to use; either in a config file or as an command line argument. This all in real Dos.

So with Win95, the Dos VM can reach that vector, having been setup at boot time (the packet driver installed at boot via Autoexec.bat).

With Win98 (and above) this does not seem to be the case. I have tested it with different packet drivers and different machines (also Qemu).

Another example would be trying to use Trumpet Winsock 3.0d with Win98 (or above). It seems Trumpet cannot access the Dos Ethernet packed driver, either.

Trumpet Winsock 3.0d is not a Dos application. Trumpet is designed to provide a Winsock (16/32bit) to Windows, for Windows applications.

I've noticed there is a Trumpet Winsock v5 (provides IPv6) that is specified for Windows 95/98/ME. It uses an Installed Windows Ethernet driver.

So, this is a gentle suggestion that "maybe" Win98 (and newer) cannot use Dos packet drivers. However, this isn't truly confirmed; as Trumpet v5 came out later, and Windows Ethernet device drivers likely seemed like the "more" logical target (for a 3rd party Winsock).

Note, in case it isn't already clear, I am successfully using packet driver dependent Dos applications, from Win95 DosPrompts(VMs). I can also use Pktmux, and share that packet driver with multiple dos applications simultaneously (VMs/DosBoxes/DosPrompts); as can also be done with Win3x(enhanced) and Desqview.

Unless there is a option to allow the functionality, it seems Win98, and newer, are unable to do this.

EDIT:I am aware of tools to emulate a packet driver, for Dosboxes/DosPrompts. So, if you have an installed Windows device driver (for your Ethernet device) you can run multiple Dos applications, with packed driver emulation over the stock Windows Winsock. I'm just more curious about the change between 95 and 98, concerning real dos packet drivers.

Edited 19 hours ago by awkduck