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How to install and run 16-bit games on 64-bit architecture?


CadetStimpy

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This issue has always pretty much stumped me. Apparently, it easily exceeds my technical 'know-how'. Frown I have many of the old Sim games from Maxis, and would like to install some of them on my Windows 8.1 64-bit system. Of course, when I attempt to install SimCity, e.g., I get the "Unsupported 16-bit Application" error. I've researched it somewhat, and it appears I may have to install something such as VirtualBox, and then run Windows 3.1 within there, so I can install and run the games within that. I actually have a copy that's still in the shrink-wrapped box! Laugh Would I even be able to install Windows 3.1 on my system? Anyway, could anyone step me through this (if it's the best way to go), or direct me to a Website that has a thorough explanation of how to install and run these old games? The easiest method would be preferable. Smile Maybe good ol' DOSBox will come into play. Just hopin' someone out there has already accomplished this and has a workable plan. Thanks.
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Hi Stimpy, Old Windows games on later versions of Windows are consistently a royal pain. For Sim City, you'd be much better off finding a DOS version and playing it in DOSBox. There are some good DOS versions of the game. But yeah, you'd need a Virtual Machine in VirtualBox, Hyper-V, or VMware in order to effectively play the Windows version. That is unfortunately a pain to get setup and maintain, however, as you have to install and maintain a complete operating system just to run the game.
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You can't, and a Virtual Machine doesn't help. I've been trying to figure this out myself. In the 16bit exe days though either they have a 32bit variant / update, or a DOS version. Those are going to be your only two options sadly. I tried VM Software, a few different kinds with Windows 98 and Windows XP. Both of which ran ok, better with Guest Additions (its called something different with each piece of software) but the games never ran. Virtual Machines can run DirectX 9, some Open GL and have basic 3D capabilities regardless of what the host PC can do. DirectX 8 If I remember had some ok testing... but anything prior does not run at all. There were a few PC ports of console games from the time that I wanted to get working. An alternative would to also search online, see if anyone is rewriting the engine. Morrowind, Roller Coaster Tycoon, Doom, Myst, X-COM and several other game engines are being written where you just need to provide the disc or install files and it can run with updated graphical features.
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Yeah, it's "old school", that's for sure. I actually have 2 of them, back from my ol' DEC (Digital Equipment Corporation) days! I started workin' there in 1977, after Uncle Sam released me. Anyway, I should just donate them to a computer museum, or something ('course, a museum might not even want those over-sized paper-weights). It's not as if I'm using 'em, but I can't give 'em away - a 4-year-old would turn their nose up at those antiques.Smile I should probably just ditch 'em, but nostalgia is holding me back.Wink P.S. Did I mention no USB, either? Laugh
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Yeah, but it was pretty cool back in the day. I believe in the early Space Shuttle days (and for many years following) NASA used 8086's for the boosters in some way. I'm sure you remember these (I actually don't remember the huge black one)! I still have some old 5.25" floppies and a drive. 'Course, finding a modern Motherboard that it'll plug into isn't gonna happen. Perhaps I should make a mobile or collage out of 'em, or something. Guess I'm strayin' off the topic too much, but it all brings back numerous non-fond memories of monkeying around with autoexec.bat and config.sys to get so many games to run correctly. Wink Floppies.jpg Floppy-Planters.jpg
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  • 3 months later...
I found a useful site replaying.de they have a few patches for a few older games so they will work on your 32 or 64 bit OS. (you may want to put the url in google translate unless you can read German) I just installed Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit for Win 95/98. Runs no issues for me on Win 7 64 "no compatibility mode used". Did have to set affinity to 1 core though. I will keep you all posted if I find more.
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Option 1: Install Windows 3.1 inside DOSBox Initial setup is easy and quick, but trying to run the games with LaunchBox would be a pain. Guide: http://www.sierrahelp.com/Utilities/Emulators/DOSBox/3x_install.html Option 2: Install Windows XP inside VMware Player You'll need a fully-licensed copy of XP to do this. It's by far the better method. VMware Player integrates XP with your current Windows operating system, which means you can run games using LaunchBox. The only way you'll know you're running 16-bit games is that the window border will be the old fat blue XP border :) VMware Player here (you don't need the Pro features so it's free) https://my.vmware.com/web/vmware/free#desktop_end_user_computing/vmware_player/7_0 Guide here: http://www.howtogeek.com/171395/how-to-get-windows-xp-mode-on-windows-8/
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garbanzo said Option 1: Install Windows 3.1 inside DOSBox Initial setup is easy and quick, but trying to run the games with LaunchBox would be a pain. Guide: http://www.sierrahelp.com/Utilities/Emulators/DOSBox/3x_install.html Option 2: Install Windows XP inside VMware Player You'll need a fully-licensed copy of XP to do this. It's by far the better method. VMware Player integrates XP with your current Windows operating system, which means you can run games using LaunchBox. The only way you'll know you're running 16-bit games is that the window border will be the old fat blue XP border :) VMware Player here (you don't need the Pro features so it's free) https://my.vmware.com/web/vmware/free#desktop_end_user_computing/vmware_player/7_0 Guide here: http://www.howtogeek.com/171395/how-to-get-windows-xp-mode-on-windows-8/
DOSBox isn't exactly designed to run 3.11, you can but to varying degree's. It's less successful with Windows 95. Virtualization Software only slightly works. They generally don't have proper 3D acceleration nor do they emulate Direct X 6-8 calls correctly, which this era of game uses. Some slightly newer games can work... I recall getting Diablo 2 to work in an XP Machine once... but that uses Direct X 9 and it ran like crap. These pieces of software are not meant to run games. I was just playing the original Clock Tower on PC. I got lucky and its a game that runs perfect on newer systems. It's just in a small window.
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Yes Direct X required. If its a DOS game, then no, but you have DOSBox. Windows 95 however ran 16bit applications just fine and that era of PC was way more wild than it is now. Some of which used Direct X 5 and later. While it's not necessarily the issue that is most pertinent, it is an issue. Regardless of why these games wont run in Virtualization software, they most usually do not. It sucks, because I would easily run a Windows 98 or XP tailored virtual machine, but the trouble you need to go through doesn't warrant what you get out of it. I spent weeks trying to make it work. No solution was ever suitable for every game, and one or two solutions were only usable on a single game. So its really game dependent. If you know the game works in this setup, and can be easily achievable than its worth it. But you are not going to be able to do it with your whole library. Not to mention, a game running doesn't mean the game is playable either.
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