[amditta]

I am needing to transfer a dos program on an old dos machine to a newer computer running windows xp. The guy that created the software told me to use the "backup" cmd on the dos machine and then the "restore" cmd on the windows xp machine. And I can not figure out how to restore it on windows xp machine and I can't get ahold of the software creator and my regular computer guy doesn't know. I need help. Can someone tell me how to restore it or another way to transfer all the files. Another site told me to copy the whole folder from dos computer I wanted to a disk and then just copy it to my c: on new computer but the program wouldn't run at all, keeps telling me i am missing a .pif file.

I have backed up to a floppy disk on the dos machine which is running ms-dos version 6.22 and don't know what to do with it now.

I am not a computer wiz or anything near so please don't get to technical.

Thanks
amditta

[Advertisements]

First question to find an answer to is does this program work under Windows XP on the basis there is no native DOS support in XP and some really really old programs don't work any longer.

If the software does work the procedure is:
Copy the folder where the program is installed to to a floppy if it fits on a floppy.
Copy the folder off the floppy to a folder on the hard drive.
Under early versions of Windows you had to edit a PIF file; under Windows XP simply right click on the executable file in Explorer and select Properties. Then, select the Compatibility tab and use the options there to select the best method to run the EXE file. When you click OK, Windows will create a PIF file for the program and will use that when running the program.

[Neil Jones]

First question to find an answer to is does this program work under Windows XP on the basis there is no native DOS support in XP and some really really old programs don't work any longer.

If the software does work the procedure is:
Copy the folder where the program is installed to to a floppy if it fits on a floppy.
Copy the folder off the floppy to a folder on the hard drive.
Under early versions of Windows you had to edit a PIF file; under Windows XP simply right click on the executable file in Explorer and select Properties. Then, select the Compatibility tab and use the options there to select the best method to run the EXE file. When you click OK, Windows will create a PIF file for the program and will use that when running the program.

[amditta]

A couple of years ago it was copied to a computer that has windows 98 for another employee and still works fine and the guy who created the software swears it will work on xp but not vista. I would copy the one already on 98 but it doesn't have all the jobs on it that the other employee needs.

[Neil Jones]

Windows 98 and Windows XP are two entirely different kettles of fish.

In your original post you state: " The guy that created the software told me to use the "backup" cmd on the dos machine and then the "restore" cmd on the windows xp machine. And I can not figure out how to restore it on windows xp machine and I can't get ahold of the software creator" - contradicting statements.

So my question to you is: Do you have contact with the person who created the software and what software are we talking about here?

Edited by Neil Jones, 25 April 2009 - 03:55 AM.

[amditta]

I guess I left a word out, I meant I could not get a hold of the guy again to help me since I could not figure out how to use the restore cmd. I thought it would be pretty easy because of the way he described using it but I was wrong. The software is called "wizard" it is a dos based glass and glazzing program that bids jobs for you that was designed in the early 90's. The company that designed it closed but I have the developers cell phone number which is very hard to get a hold of him since he works somewhere else now. I have left him another message now to help me copy the software and make it run but again he has not gotten back to me. So I guess I will keep messing with it and hopefully he will call me back to help me. It has to have some kind of security feature on it that is making it not work that he has to fix first, that is the only thing I can figure out.

Thanks

[anzenketh]

amditta,

One option that you do have is to put FreeDOS into a VM like Virtualbox