Project Manager Workbench

Paolo_R

I used this software back in the day and would like to try it again. However the Installation Instructions state:

"Important: This software is copy protected, and no unprotect is known to exist. To run it, you must either recreate a copy protected disk with the images provided, or run in an emulator that supports copy protected disks such as PCE.

Note: This software checks the DOS version at startup and refuses to run on DOS 5.0 or later. To work around this, add an entry to setver with the command "SETVER PMW.COM 3.30".

I have no idea how to recreate a copy protected disk or run PCE. Can anybody help please?

Paolo_R

If it helps: https://winworldpc.com/product/project-manager-workbench/220-advanced

jonirob

@Paolo_R
It runs fine in 86Box, on MS-DOS 3.30.

Paolo_R

@jonirob
Thanks for your reply. I'm not familiar with 86Box so unsure how to set it up 'AMI486 clone - i486SX/16' as your screen shot nor how to install MS-DOS 3.30.

Also in https://winworldpc.com/product/project-manager-workbench/220-advanced I've no idea what Kryoflux or SCP files are. Should I just download the 5.25-360k file?

Then, of course, how do I format this as, presumably, a floppy disk so that I can install PMW?

Sorry for all the questions - I didn't think this would be so compliated - for me :-)

jonirob

@Paolo_R
Hi, first you need to familiarise yourself with 86Box, there's plenty of online tutorials, likewise with MS-DOS installation.

Once you have MS-DOS 3.30 installed in 86Box, download just the 5.25-360k file (top one), go to the ImageDisk folder and place disk01 in the Floppy 1 drive, then switch to A: and type pmw and you're good to go!

SomeGuy

In THIS case the ImageDisk files are sufficient for use, which makes thing much easier for you. This is not the case for many copy protected files. In PCE the procedure it to convert a KF or SCP dump to PCE's proprietary PSI sector image file. 86Box has something similar.

Paolo_R

@jonirob
Having downloaded 86Box and the roms, when I start 86Box it boots into IBM Personal Computer Basic Version C1.10 - I haven't selected any particular machine. Presumably there is a version of MS-DOS or PC-DOS already installed. However I can't find out how the exit the BASIC app and check the operating system version

Paolo_R

@SomeGuy
This is all getting too complicated for me. The .imd files aren't recognised by WInImage and I have no idea how to convert them.

SomeGuy

It can't be converted to a raw sector image. That is the entire point of copy protection - to keep you from copying it. You are treading in complex waters.

BTW, you have to boot a DOS disk first and then run the program. Program disks rarely had DOS on them, as vendors would have had to license it from IBM or Microsoft.

Paolo_R

@SomeGuy
"You are treading in complex waters" - yes, way too complex for me. I'll retire gracefully, defeated.

Paolo_R

Well, this is a surprise. It appears I raised this issue - i.e. PMW - on this forum 5 years ago and, reviewing the messages, I have now been able to load PMW in DOS drive a: and drive b: in the PCE emulator and run it. Basically renamed the .imd files to fd0.img and fd1.img and added them to pce-5160.cfg. Seems a hell of a lot simpler than 86Box.