China DOS Union

Under XP2000, using DOSBOX and VDMS to simulate DOS version of Xianjian is, after all, just scratching the surface, always a bit off!
To truly relive the DOS version of Xianjian, it is best to be in pure DOS!
Therefore, researching how to have both pure DOS in XP and use the current PCI sound card to play the DOS version of Xianjian and reproduce the music and sound effects is more meaningful!
Now the difficulties in doing this have been basically solved!

1 DOS platform
The original Xianjian DOS version was under DOS 5.0 or above to DOS 6.22, or the MSDOS mode of 95/98 (the kind that restarts). Given the current situation, most people no longer have DOS, but some still have 98 and can restart to MSDOS mode. For users of 2000/XP, I recommend that everyone install MS-DOS 7.10 sorted out by the webmaster of China DOS Union WENGIER!
http://dos.e-stone.cn/dosbbs/dispbbs.asp?boardID=11&ID=5363&page=1
After installing MSDOS 7.10, before playing the DOS version of Xianjian, in order to have the most conventional memory, it is best to simply configure CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT as follows: (first change the suffixes of the original these two files to TXT, then use Notepad to save the following content as CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT respectively, and change them back to the original form to restore)

DOS=HIGH,UMB
DEVICE=path\HIMEM.SYS
DEVICE=path\EMM386 NOEMS NOVCPI
DEVICEHIGH=path\VIDE-CDD.SYS /D:PAL (if playing the CD version, add this sentence, not needed for the hard disk version)
(Save as CONFIG.SYS)

LH path\MSCDEX /D:PAL (if playing the CD version, add this sentence, not needed for the hard disk version)
Here, the statement to load the DOS driver of the PCI sound card is also needed, according to the driver's instructions
(Save as AUTOEXEC.BAT)

2 File system
Previously:
Old DOS only supports the FAT16 file system, and 98 generally uses FAT32 (compared with FAT16, it saves more space). 2000/XP generally, in addition to supporting FAT32, also has NTFS (has more functions, such as few file fragments, security and permissions, network functions, etc.).
Old DOS must be installed on drive C (I tried, by hiding drive C of XP and making the non-C drive become drive C, it still seemed impossible to install old DOS, but I experimented in the XP virtual machine...). In this case, to have DOS coexist with 2000/XP, DOS must be installed on drive C first (this is very troublesome). Before installation, drive C should be formatted as FAT16 (maximum 2G, which is enough for playing pure DOS games), then install 2000/XP, put the WINDOWS directory on other drives, 2000/XP will handle drive C, and a boot menu will be given at startup (using BOOT.INI, a simple partition boot manager)
But now there is a more convenient way, which is to install MS-DOS 7.10 sorted out by the webmaster of China DOS Union WENGIER! Why do I strongly recommend it?
Because in this way, the above formalities are omitted! You can directly install MSDOS 7.10 on XP 2000 with drive C as FAT32 file system, and a boot menu will automatically appear because it supports FAT32! Also has long filenames, that is, it solves the defects of old DOS!

3 Sound card
Old DOS games used ISA sound cards, and CREATIVE's SOUND BLASTER AWE 64 reached the peak! But due to the narrow bandwidth of ISA, PCI came out, but it does not provide ISA's I/O ADDRESS (input-output address), IRQ (interrupt number) and DMA (channel of direct memory access), but sound card manufacturers also found a way, one is through the SB-LINK interface (few), the other is to use software simulation. In the DOS driver of the sound card, for example, my SB PCI64<ENSONIQ AUDIOPCI> mainly *APINIT.COM, etc., corresponding statements should be added to AUTOEXEC.BAT according to the instructions of the DOS driver
Mine is:
SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 T2
SET SNDSCAPE=C:\EAPCI
C:\EAPCI\APINIT.COM
(This should be determined according to the brand and model of your sound card)

The problem is basically solved. The DOS driver of integrated sound cards may be relatively difficult to find. I recommend to everyone a foreign website I encountered that has the most DOS drivers in the world:
http://www.soundcard-drivers.com/companies/258.htm
Need to register, but it only takes a few minutes

4 CPU
When running INSTALL.EXE of the DOS version of Xianjian, RUNTIME ERROR 200... will appear, this is a historical limitation in the program design of INSTALL (CPU should be below 200MHZ). You can use Brother Baihe's correction program. If there is a problem, you can also use SLOWDOWN to slow down the CPU. The command is
SLOWDOWN /P:XX (XX represents the percentage of the CPU, such as 20, slowing down to 20% of the original CPU). To restore, it is SLOWDOWN /U, which is also very convenient
Remember, after using INSTALL to set up, you need to use SLOWDOWN /U to restore the CPU, and then run PAL, otherwise it will be like an old cow pulling a broken cart, or even a system crash
http://newdos.yginfo.net/doswarej.htm

5 XMS (extended memory)
The DOS version of Xianjian preferably needs 3MB of extended memory, but if it exceeds 32MB, it shows -1. Some people suggest using HIMEM /INT 15=XXXX. For most general players, it is easy to make a mistake. I recommend a program that is very convenient to use, XMSDSK. The command is XMSDSK X (X represents the number of KB of memory you want to virtualize into a disk, here it is actually the number of memory to subtract. For example, my memory is 256MB, then I need XMSDSK 230000)
http://newdos.yginfo.net/doswareh.htm

I think this is unnecessary. The Legend of Sword and Fairy runs very well in DOSBOX and VDMS. Why must it run in pure DOS?

Disagree with the above, I support GOTOmsdos's research spirit.
1. After all, emulators are emulators, and the speed is greatly affected. Of course, now the computer can ignore this point.
2. The sound card and graphics card simulated are after all not comparable to the original ones. The sound of the pure DOS sound card should be better.
3. Maybe it's just a kind of challenge. It's not an easy task to make the high-speed computer PCI sound card run DOS games normally. If you can succeed after going through hardships, I estimate that only you yourself will know that kind of happy feeling.
4. Everyone's purpose of coming to this forum is to be unwilling to give up DOS. Everything that can be done with DOS should be done with DOS as much as possible. Playing DOS games with DOS is the right way. But I'm not as厉害 as GOTOmsdos. Hehe, I specially bought an old computer to play DOS, and a top - notch AWE 64 GOLD. The sound quality is beautiful, ha, although I enjoy it very happily, but there is no sense of accomplishment at all. Oh, I'll share it when the sound effect is successfully released one day. In addition, help me, I don't know which driver can successfully drive REALTEK ALC650 AC97 in DOS?

Strongly support the statement of the person above! The DOS drivers for AC97 are generally not available (except for a few like VIA). This has been explained and related content is available in the "DOS Media World/Network Technology" section of the forum.

Now there are already 64-bit processors. I really don't know how to play old DOS games in a few years.

Going to so much trouble for playing "Chinese Paladin" is meaningless, but it's understandable for delving into DOS ^_^ Indeed, "Chinese Paladin" once represented a relatively high production level of domestic RPG games, mainly the combination of the game and the plot. But in fact, the excellent reputation has a lot to do with people following the crowd. - Many people said they were moved to tears after playing this game. Hey, I don't have that feeling. If you want to be moved, it's better to revisit classic novels like "The Return of the Condor Heroes". The single-line minefield type in the game is enough to be annoying. Back then, I was quite interested in "Jin Yong Heroes", heh heh. (Personal opinion, don't take it too seriously)

Why does the screen brightness and contrast remain at the highest level but I still can't see clearly in dark scenes when I play?

Here is the speech of Xiaoxin on 2004-9-26 17:46:08:
Now there are already 64-bit processors. I really don't know how to play old DOS games in a few years.

1. Use an emulator or virtual machine (not perfect)
2. Buy an old computer (perfect)

The following is a statement from wchong on October 1, 2004 at 7:33:52:
Why can't I see the dark scenes clearly even when I adjust the screen brightness and contrast to the highest?

The original design is black, and it can't be seen by adjusting the brightness. It's strange that you can see it.

Here is the statement from Rulfengqing on 2004-10-1 2:30:38:

Wasting so much effort on playing "Chinese Paladin" is meaningless, but it's acceptable to delve into DOS ^_^
Indeed, "Chinese Paladin" once represented a relatively high production level of domestic RPG games, mainly the combination of the game and the plot. But in fact, the good reputation has a lot to do with people following the crowd. - Many people said they were moved to tears after playing this game. Hey, I didn't have that feeling. To be moved, it's better to revisit classic novels like "The Return of the Condor Heroes". The single-line mine-like system in the game is quite annoying. Back then, I was quite interested in "Heroes of Jin Yong", heh heh. (Personal opinion, don't take it too seriously)

Chinese Paladin not only has a good plot but also good graphics (for games at that time), and more importantly, the MIDI music is nice. The structure of Heroes of Jin Yong is also okay, but the re-playability after clearing the game is gone. Generally, it's completed in less than four hours. The music is also good.

Wasting effort on Chinese Paladin is actually for studying DOS?

It's not that I want to see very clearly, but I can't see anything at all, it's pitch black. What should I do?

Hehe! There are still people who leave comments on my post! Welcome.. I'm working on "Chinese Paladin" to learn DOS for fun! The ultimate goal of learning is to enjoy, right! It's more exciting to study in the fun of practice! Of course, it's also to restore the flavor of the "Chinese Paladin" era! "Chinese Paladin" itself is very classic! I just finished playing it through! (I had to use a trainer to win the final battle! There was really no other way!) I think the advantages of DOS "Chinese Paladin": 1. Rich and tortuous plot, 2. Strong human touch and realism, 3. Great joys and sorrows, 4. Chinese national characteristics, 5. Scenes are poetic, 6. Music is soul-stirring, heart-rending (especially the ancient FM synthesized music, which has a special charm and poetic quality! What later wave table synthesized MIDI music doesn't have. From this, it can be seen that technologically advanced doesn't necessarily mean artistically good!), 7. Strong sense of participation, 8. Rich technical details in the game (weapons, magic, yin and yang..). Personal regrets: 1. The same enemies are repeated too many times, and fighting such enemies makes people feel like KILLING TIME! Very boring! Even often appearing such the same enemies in a few seconds gap, which makes people very unbearable! (In this regard, "Heroes of Jin Yong" is much better), 2. Besides being emotional, labyrinths are another big selling point, but they are too complicated. Generally speaking, without a strategy guide map, it's simply impossible to play! (This has been simplified a lot in the 98 version), this is not entertainment, it's clearly self-torture, 3. Items, magic, etc., have no introduction on the game screen, which is very inconvenient! (This is available in the 98 version), 4. On PCI sound cards, there is music but no sound effects, which is very regrettable! (Other DOS games don't have this problem). Since the 98 "Chinese Paladin" has both music and sound effects, so I'm now casually playing the 98 "Chinese Paladin", listening to the sound effects, and feeling very good..

I'm using DOSBOX on Xbox with a USB keyboard, but I still prefer using the Xbox controller

Porting is the right way!
http://bspal.ys168.com
http://www.palunion.net/bbs/viewtopic.php?t=10935

Is there any download for Sword and Fairy?