Simply DOSBOX is an emulator program to emulate a different set of programs on Windows 10 or recent operating systems. DOSBox is a very useful emulator software to run programs like C and C++ DOSBased programming software.
DOSBox is an emulator program that emulates an IBM PC-compatible computer running a DOS operating system. Many IBM PC compatible graphics and sound cards are also emulated.
DOSBOX has been written in C++ and this is really impressive during the execution of the program that you intend.
The DOSBox is used to run the DOS-based application that doesn’t support Windows 10 or its earlier version.
How to Get started with DOSBOX?
It’s very simple to use and easy software; On the official website of DOSBox, you can find tutorials and manuals to explain how you can use this software on your Windows to run your DOS-based games or applications.
First of all download the DOSBOX and open that DOSBox application on your computer.
Press on Next and Leave it as it is and Once again press next to start the process.
Now click on Install
It will take few seconds to complete the process, after that you can close it.
As it completes it’s installation, you can see the Icon on your Desktop. Double click on that icon to open the DosBox application. it will look like this.
On that command line interface you can type dos commands. You can try to mount your drives to execute the file that you wanted to.
Here I have tried to access C: just without mounting it gives me the information of commands called intro or intro mount. There you can see more details about mounting the drive.
You can check there and learn more about it on your own;
Here I would like to share some keybinders to make your work while using DOSBox;
- ALT+Enter: Go full screen and back
- ALT+Pause: Pause DOSBox.
- CTRL+F1: Start the keymapper
- CTRL+F4: Update the directory cache for all drives! swap mounted disk-image
- CTRL+ALT+F5= Save a screenshot
- CTRL+F6: Start/Stop recording sound output to wave file.
- CTRL+ALT+F7: Start / Stop recording of OPL commands.
- CTRL+ ALT + F8: Start / Stop the recording of raw MIDI commands.
- CTRL+F7: Decrease frameskip.
- CTRL+F8: Increase frameskip.
- CTRL+F9: Kill DOSBox.
- CTRL+F10: Capture/ Release the mouse.
- CTRL+F11: Slow down emulation (Decrease DOSBox Cycles)
- CTRL+F12: Speed up emulation (Increase DOSBox Cycles).
- ALT+F12: Unlock speed (Turbo button / Fast forward)
How to Mount Your Drive on DOSBox?
Mounting your drive on DOSBOX is very easy; Dosbox has commands to act for you can check them here on their official website dosbox commands.
Here I’m mounting the DOS file which I have created under the C: drive.
mount c C:\DOS Drive C is mounted as local directory C:\DOS\
Now you can change your directory by typing C: and enter, as you can see on the below figure.
Now the major question is,
How to Run DOS-based application DOSBox?
Remember at this point of time you have learned how to mount your drive on dosbox. Now you have even seen how I have mounted the DOS folder as well;
- Put Dos based games or application files on any folder or drive that you wanted to mount;
- Mount that folder or drive.
- Change Z: drive to mounted drive;
- Open the directory where you have the files to run on the Dosbox.
- Enter the name of the file
i.e mario.exe, TC.exe
6. You can see your files running under the DOSBox engine.