MSDOS FS 5.1 runnable under Windows 2000/XP?

From: "John"
Newsgroups: alt.games.microsoft.flight-
sim,microsoft.public.flightsim,rec.aviation.simula tors
Subject: MSDOS FS 5.1 runnable under Windows 2000/XP?
Date: Fri, 09 Jan 2004 00:13:45 GMT

I've got FS5.1 loaded on a Windows 98SE and it flies off on me. I'm
going to load it on a second machine that has more ram & disk space to
see what happens.

Hi John... Thanks! Although what I am most interested in is what you see
when you fire up FS5.1 under Windows 98SE and then:

Select Options from the menubar
Select Simulator Info

Now tell me how much XMS memory is being used and how much is free. Mine
always states 0 is being used and 64MB (65535) is free. Now on this same
page, check the EMS and XMS handles. Mine always shows 0 EMS handles (used
and free) and 7 to 26 being used for XMS with 26 to 14 being free. Depending
on what graphic features you turn on and off.

So this is telling me two different things here. That there are no XMS
memory being used, but the XMS handles are telling me that it is using XMS
memory. Although everything appears to be working okay (under Windows 98SE
anyway, as Windows 2000 still won't run it), so it is only a curious thing
with me.

Another thing I would like for you to check out is:

Select Options from the menubar
Select Preferences
Select Sound

Is yours set that the sound is using XMS memory? As I remember when I ran it
under Windows 95 that this had to be off as well (as FS5.1 crashes before
you can do anything and you have to reinstall or edit the configuration file
to turn it back to off). Although under DOS and not Windows, this option
turned on was okay. Although it doesn't really matter since under Windows
98SE, one has plenty of conventional memory it can use instead anyway.

Another thing that would nice for you to check is instead of selecting the
Sound button from the Preferences menu, is to select Display this time and
now click on the Scenery Display Options. Is all of yours checked? Mine are.
But if you uncheck say Textured Sky and then recheck it, I get a warning
that this computer doesn't have XMS (expanded memory), but it does have EMS
(extended memory). And both claims are false! As I have no EMS memory and
lots of XMS memory configured.

I still have the original manual That might contain the info you are
looking for. Anyway, the good news for me is that you have been able to
get it going on 98SE. No. On initial review I did not find anything
about using DOS emulators in the manual. I'll keep looking, though.

Well I have two sets of manuals and I think I have found everything they say
about it anyway. Although if not, all I need is a page number or something
if you have better luck than I did. And I really would like to have it
working under Windows 2000. Although at this time, I don't believe it is
going to happen. Maybe MS has it listed in there compatibility list or
something. Gosh I wonder where they hide that list today?

There definitely are attractions in the FS5.1. Sometimes newer versions
make it harder to learn with the Gee Wiz technology that later editions
have added.

John

While I flown a Cessna 172 during the 70's while I was taking lessons. I
never got the hang of all of the ADT, transponder, EFIS, etc. And I still
don't. As all of this time on the flight simulators, all I want to do is to
fly and not mess around with the other stuff.

Although now I am seriously looking at all of this NAV/COM stuff. And also
now I want to learn it. So I fired up FS2002 and had taken a few lessons in
this area. Well the Instructor said that I could switch communication
frequencies if I wanted to. But he never said don't and I did. Well now
everything he was talking about didn't make any sense because I was
somewhere else. And I am not grasping the VOR thing either too well.

Although firing up FS5.1, this stuff seems so much easier to grasp, like you
say. Plus you have the paper manuals right there when you have a problem
with something. Plus believe it or not, I think the grass in Solder's Field
looks better in FS5.1 than any version I've seen to date. grin

So I look forward to hearing from you again, if you don't mind checking this
stuff out for me. And thanks in advance.




Cheers!


____________________________________________
Bill (using a HP Pavilion 8655c under 2000)
-- written and edited within WordStar 5.0