FRACTINT (old DOS program) Anyone here able to use it?

edited March 2015 in Software
Hi. I just joined and Search doesn't work for me so I'll se if I can Post.

Anyone here a FractInt aficionado? I used it in the 90s but am having trouble running it now.
It's is a DOS-based fractal-image generator and it runs best on DOS, but also will run well on Win9x. In rare instances it will run on WinXP, but not on my WinXP machine.

I have a Win98 install disk but it won't install on my PC (My PC: Dell OptiPlex 740 Athlon 64.) In the Dell Forums they say my PC is too modern; that for instance Win98 can not see SATA, etc. That forum says the last Dell that would run Win98 is an Optiplex GX260, which I don't have.)

So I downloaded a DOS ISO from WinWorld and want to try to run Fractint on it...

My question to you is: What hardware will DOS 7.1 run on and what will it refuse?... Will DOS 7.1 install and run on my OptiPlex 740 with 2GB RAM, SATA, etc?

[Note: Yes, I did force Win98 & Fractint into Oracle VirtualBox, but it didn't work well. I'd prefer a "real" OS for Fractint if possible.]
Thanks for any help, suggestions!

Comments

  • Considering DOS 7.x is what runs behind the scenes of Windows 95-98, I think you would run into the same hardware compatibility problems.

    That being said, there really shouldn't be any reason you couldn't install Windows 98 on that computer if you wanted. If the SATA controller will run in compatibility/IDE mode instead of AHCI, which it almost certainly should provided the option is available in the Dell BIOS, Windows 98 should be able to run on it.

    What error/problem do you run into trying to install Windows?

    EDIT: I just did some quick research, and it seems 98 has issues with RAM above 512-768MB as well as hard drives larger than 137GB. So 98 is probably a no-go. DOS might be less finicky and run, but I don't know for sure.

    You could always try running it on FreeDOS or some other modern DOS clone.
  • Have you tried running in DOSBox?
  • The big issue you will have with Fractint is the video resolution. It supports some vesa modes, but I'm not sure if those will always work on "modern" video cards. Additionally it might not do the native resolutions needed for your "modern" shortscreen monitors.
  • I would really recommend running in a VM. On modern hardware post-P4, Windows 98 is more trouble than it's worth.

    I really found VirtualBox to be problematic - VMware is a safer bet.
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