Fractint build environment with XP under VirtualDisk
It's been quite a while since I had a build environment for the DOS fractint. My last one was lost when my oldest home-built PC running Windows XP died (though the disks are fine). So today I finally decided to do something about it. I'm not going to give all the steps because I doubt they apply to many (if any) of you, but if anyone is interested, ask. I still have my original Windows XP professional disc, as well as a service pack 2 slipstreamed copy I made many moons ago (and have forgotten how that was done) and a service pack 3 upgrade I downloaded. 1. I installed my Windows XP SP2 DVD into Oracle VirtualDisk under Windows 10. 2. I upgraded XP to Service Pack 3. 3. I validated the Windows XP copy with Microsoft even though I still had 30 days. Tedious but no problems, had to copy a lot of numbers. 4. I copied my c and assembler compiler directories c:\c700 and c:\masm611 from the dead machine hard drive. Thankfully there was no need to reinstall since the originals are on on zillions of floppies, and I don't even know if they are readable! 5. I set environment variables for INCLUDE, LIB, and PATH for both the C/C++ and MASM611 6. I copied the source files for fractint over, deleted any object code, created a DOS window, and inside the source directory invoked makefrac.bat. Voila! After about a minute, everything compiled, and the fractint.exe executable ran perfectly. All the VESA video support worked fine under VirtualDisk, even better than on the old dead XP machine. This is a terrific environment for maintaining the DOS Fractint. Flush with success, I tried the same thing on an older Windows 7 machine that has Microsoft's built in XP Mode. I could not get it to work for reasons I don't understand (makefrac.bat gave errors). I have limited scientific interest in that platform since I have virtual XP under Windows 10 working. Next step will be to get an SDL build environment working. Note that for different reasons than Jonathan, I too have limited hours to spend on fractint, so there's no telling when I'll get to this. Jonathan has a demanding job. I am happily retired, with a very full life. I guess that's a good thing. That said, the above steps rebuilding the DOS version build environment took the better part of a Saturday, and I have SDL on my mind, so will try to get to it. Tim
On 20.08.2017 05:13, Timothy Wegner wrote:
6. I copied the source files for fractint over, deleted any object code, created a DOS window, and inside the source directory invoked makefrac.bat. Voila! After about a minute, everything compiled, and the fractint.exe executable ran perfectly. All the VESA video support worked fine under VirtualDisk, even better than on the old dead XP machine. This is a terrific environment for maintaining the DOS Fractint. Thanks, Tim. ...and the virtual box has full net capacity so you can use your browser and mail from within the box. I have never seen any malware attack - the virus protection works from the Win10 installationI. I avoided the net communication with win10 for security reasons - there is a common folder for bilateral use. I have one problem though: The native reso of my Monitor/Tv is 1920/1080 which is also used by XP in fullscreen mode, but the Fractint font size is too small for reading from my ususl viewing distance. How can you increase it ?? Alt-Enter works only for one use - next time it is small again. Thanks for any help. Albrecht
Albrecht wrote:
I have one problem though: The native reso of my Monitor/Tv is 1920/1080 which is also used by XP in fullscreen mode, but the Fractint font size is too small for reading from my ususl viewing distance. How can you increase it ??
I see what you mean. One can set the font of the DOS window (right click on top bar, properties), but Fractint takes it over when it runs. If anyone knows the answer let us know.
Thanks for the report on your successful installation of Win XP into Oracle VirtualDisk under Windows 10, Tim. And your being able to restore your DOS Fractint build environment! - Hal Lane ######################## # hallane@earthlink.net ######################## -----Original Message----- From: Fractint [mailto:fractint-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Timothy Wegner Sent: Saturday, August 19, 2017 11:13 PM To: Fractint and General Fractals Discussion <fractint@mailman.xmission.com> Subject: [Fractint] Fractint build environment with XP under VirtualDisk It's been quite a while since I had a build environment for the DOS fractint. My last one was lost when my oldest home-built PC running Windows XP died (though the disks are fine). So today I finally decided to do something about it. I'm not going to give all the steps because I doubt they apply to many (if any) of you, but if anyone is interested, ask. I still have my original Windows XP professional disc, as well as a service pack 2 slipstreamed copy I made many moons ago (and have forgotten how that was done) and a service pack 3 upgrade I downloaded. 1. I installed my Windows XP SP2 DVD into Oracle VirtualDisk under Windows 10. 2. I upgraded XP to Service Pack 3. 3. I validated the Windows XP copy with Microsoft even though I still had 30 days. Tedious but no problems, had to copy a lot of numbers. 4. I copied my c and assembler compiler directories c:\c700 and c:\masm611 from the dead machine hard drive. Thankfully there was no need to reinstall since the originals are on on zillions of floppies, and I don't even know if they are readable! 5. I set environment variables for INCLUDE, LIB, and PATH for both the C/C++ and MASM611 6. I copied the source files for fractint over, deleted any object code, created a DOS window, and inside the source directory invoked makefrac.bat. Voila! After about a minute, everything compiled, and the fractint.exe executable ran perfectly. All the VESA video support worked fine under VirtualDisk, even better than on the old dead XP machine. This is a terrific environment for maintaining the DOS Fractint. Flush with success, I tried the same thing on an older Windows 7 machine that has Microsoft's built in XP Mode. I could not get it to work for reasons I don't understand (makefrac.bat gave errors). I have limited scientific interest in that platform since I have virtual XP under Windows 10 working. Next step will be to get an SDL build environment working. Note that for different reasons than Jonathan, I too have limited hours to spend on fractint, so there's no telling when I'll get to this. Jonathan has a demanding job. I am happily retired, with a very full life. I guess that's a good thing. That said, the above steps rebuilding the DOS version build environment took the better part of a Saturday, and I have SDL on my mind, so will try to get to it. Tim _______________________________________________ Fractint mailing list Fractint@mailman.xmission.com https://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/fractint --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus
you were still able to legally register WinXP at this late date ?? if so, i have an unused installation disk and maybe i can try all this stuff you guys are doing now with DOS box etc. .
762X39, DOS box directly provides the DOS environment that DOS Fractint requires, so no Win XP is required for DOS box running Fractint. Oracle's free virtual machine environment can be installed in a variety of operating systems, and needs to have some full operating system installed *into* it, that can then run programs. Win XP has been a great environment for running DOS Fractint, because of the DOS environment it has built in, so it's an OS of choice to install into Oracle's VirtualBox to run DOS Fractint. I presume/hope you have the license key for your WinXP... If you install your copy of WinXP onto a bare machine by itself, you should not connect it to the internet, since WinXP has insufficient protection against today's malware and ransomware. - Hal Lane ######################## # hallane@earthlink.net ######################## -----Original Message----- From: Fractint [mailto:fractint-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of 762X39 Sent: Sunday, August 20, 2017 12:19 PM To: Fractint and General Fractals Discussion <fractint@mailman.xmission.com> Subject: Re: [Fractint] Fractint build environment with XP under VirtualDisk you were still able to legally register WinXP at this late date ?? if so, i have an unused installation disk and maybe i can try all this stuff you guys are doing now with DOS box etc. . _______________________________________________ Fractint mailing list Fractint@mailman.xmission.com https://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/fractint --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus
On 20.08.2017 21:29, Harold Lane wrote:
If you install your copy of WinXP onto a bare machine by itself, you should not connect it to the internet, since WinXP has insufficient protection against today's malware and ransomware. Hal, I must contradict you here. Used VirtualXP with internet (Firefox) and email (Thunderbird) since a long time - without special proection - and I have not seen a single malware attack. But I suffered some blue screens and crashes since I installed the Creators Upgrade resulting from malware attacks, also severe hardware damages on my disks. I use Windows defender and Bitdefender with TrafficLight and Quickscan by bitdefender. But like I said, I avoid direct communication between VirtualXP and Win10. Albrecht
Thanks for the report of your experience with WinXP running under Oracle VirtualBox. I was trying to warn about an installation of WinXP installed directly onto a bare computer connecting to the internet. - Hal Lane ######################## # hallane@earthlink.net ######################## -----Original Message----- From: Fractint [mailto:fractint-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Multifrac@t-online.de Sent: Sunday, August 20, 2017 4:15 PM To: Fractint and General Fractals Discussion <fractint@mailman.xmission.com> Subject: Re: [Fractint] Fractint build environment with XP under VirtualDisk On 20.08.2017 21:29, Harold Lane wrote:
If you install your copy of WinXP onto a bare machine by itself, you should not connect it to the internet, since WinXP has insufficient protection against today's malware and ransomware. Hal, I must contradict you here. Used VirtualXP with internet (Firefox) and email (Thunderbird) since a long time - without special proection - and I have not seen a single malware attack. But I suffered some blue screens and crashes since I installed the Creators Upgrade resulting from malware attacks, also severe hardware damages on my disks. I use Windows defender and Bitdefender with TrafficLight and Quickscan by bitdefender. But like I said, I avoid direct communication between VirtualXP and Win10. Albrecht
_______________________________________________ Fractint mailing list Fractint@mailman.xmission.com https://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/fractint --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus
participants (4)
-
762X39 -
Harold Lane -
Multifrac＠t-online.de -
Timothy Wegner