
EMUfailure.txt

Uwe Bonnes, bon@elektron.ikp.physik.th-darmstadt.de

   May 30, 1997 for dosemu 0.66.5 (and possibly earlier versions)
   
   This file list programs and groups of programms not running or running
   only partial under dosemu. The most up-to-date version of this file
   may be found on: ftp.mathematik.th-darmstadt.de:/pub/linux/bonnes/.
   Please report about possible additions to
   linux-msdos@vger.rutgers.edu. Perhaps it can be made going with the
   help others. Have a look at the dosemu-howto how to do so.
     _________________________________________________________________
   
   Table of Contents
          
   1. Fundamental problem
          
        1.1. Virtual Control Program Interface (VCPI)
                
        1.2. Programs using older Versions of the Pharlap Extender
                
        1.3. MSDOS enhanced mode Windows kernel krnl386.exe
                
        1.4. Windows programs using Win32s
                
        1.5. Does my failing program belong to these groups?
                
   2. Known bugs
          
        2.1. Things YOU may help changing
                
        2.2. Problems probably solved
                
   3. Programs not working yet
          
        3.1. dd2demo.exe
                
        3.2. bae.exe
                
        3.3. tasmx.exe
                
        3.4. xaos.exe
                
        3.5. QIC tape programs
                
        3.6. Any program using SCSI
                
1. Fundamental problem

   Programs that don't work under the MSDOS Emulator and probably won't
   ever work, because of fundamental problem. Some of these fundamental
   problems result in these programs not being runnable on
   Win3.x/Win95/WinNT in a Dosbox and under OS/2 either. These programs
   are characterized by using any of these features:
     _________________________________________________________________
   
1.1. Virtual Control Program Interface (VCPI)

   VCPI allows programs to run in ring 0. This is kernel mode in Linux
   and not sensible.
   
   Example: sim2181.exe from Analog Devices DSP Kit
     _________________________________________________________________
   
1.2. Programs using older Versions of the Pharlap Extender

   The Pharlap Extender in it's older versions needed ring 0 access too,
   so it can't me made working in the emulator.
   
   Example:Autocad Version 12c1 For DOS
     _________________________________________________________________
   
1.3. MSDOS enhanced mode Windows kernel krnl386.exe

   krnl386.exe needs Ring 0 access too.
     _________________________________________________________________
   
1.4. Windows programs using Win32s

   Win32s needs Ring 0 access too.
     _________________________________________________________________
   
1.5. Does my failing program belong to these groups?

   Check with "strings <program.exe> | less" if the programm contains
   some of these keywords vcpi, pharlap and win32s. Newer Pharlap
   programs may work.
     _________________________________________________________________
   
2. Known bugs

2.1. Things YOU may help changing

   This is a list of currently known bugs in Dosemu0.53pl58, currently in
   the process of adaptation to 0.66.5
   
     * Some documentation is known to be well out of date.
     * Sound Card emulation does not work yet
     * Some video BIOS will start very slowly with the serial ports
       enabled.
     * If you are having troubles with EMS, try moving your page frame or
       disabling umb_max if it is set to 'on'.
     * Programs (like MFT.EXE from QEMM) may crash due to inadequate
       timer resolution. A fast machine will have less problems
     * Quattro Pro for DOS is rumored not to work (anyone with a copy
       willing to look into why?)
     * Windows 3.1 will not run very well. We do NOT recommend running
       it.
     * There may be periodic "internal stack overflows" using the mouse,
       especially under Windows (correct, all?)
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2.2. Problems probably solved

   Here reported problems with older versions are listed. The current
   version should have solved them, but this has to be validated. Please
   report if you had problems in the listed areas and these problems are
   now solved.
   
     * If you seem to be getting corrupt files, try switching away from
       Linux v1.1.50-v1.1.65, since there are known disk access bugs.
     * DPMI emulation is known to be somewhat buggy.
     * There are known problems with xdos (e.g. it may not work at all
       for you.)
     * xdos sessions accessed from remote, non-Linux X-sessions (e.g. SUN
       stations and others) may not work correctly.
     * The internal mouse driver is known to have problems.
     * Running a protected mode 'make' and a protected mode compiler
       (e.g. Borland's) may not work. Try switching to a real mode make.
     _________________________________________________________________
   
3. Programs not working yet

   Here are programs listed, where someone has reported that it does not
   work.
     _________________________________________________________________
   
3.1. dd2demo.exe

   This is a game found at
    http://www.psygnosis.com/

   Reported by Hans Lermen, it kills dosemu, giving an output like:
    general protection at 0x1fba: a7
    ERROR: SIGSEGV, protected insn...exiting!

   The crash happens in DMPI Call 0x0302 At least DMPI Call 0x0506 is not
   yet implemented.
     _________________________________________________________________
   
3.2. bae.exe

   This is a demo version of an Electronic CAD programm, found at
    http://www.bartels.de/

   Reported by Uwe Bonnes, it stops dosemu with a blank screen in an
   unusable state. You have to do a remote login to kill dosemu, or hit
   reset with all it's possible fatal result. The possible reason is the
   missing implementation of DMPI Call 0x0800, as Uwe Bonnes reported it
   once working on the console with some hack.
     _________________________________________________________________
   
3.3. tasmx.exe

   Reported by vignani@mail.tin.it (Alberto Vignani): Protected-mode
   version of the Borland Turbo Assembler. It crashes with "out of
   memory" at startup. I traced it at the assembly level, no result until
   now. Maybe a DPMI problem (97/03/04).
     _________________________________________________________________
   
3.4. xaos.exe

   Reported by vignani@mail.tin.it (Alberto Vignani): Mandelbrot zoomer,
   version 2.2 under djgpp, using Allegro 2.1 library. Can be found on
   any simtelnet mirror (xaos22b.exe?) Any mouse movement (in console
   mode with a button pressed) crashes it (97/03/04).
     _________________________________________________________________
   
3.5. QIC tape programs

   Reported by vignani@mail.tin.it (Alberto Vignani): Tape is not
   supported. Worse, if you use a floppy under dosemu, you have sometimes
   to remove/reinstall the ftape module.
     _________________________________________________________________
   
3.6. Any program using SCSI

   Reported by vignani@mail.tin.it (Alberto Vignani):
   
   No ASPI support until now(97/03/04).
