Hi there, I was wondering if anyone knows how or if I can run a game like Fallout from DOS. I want to do this so I am using less resources to try and improve the gameplay quality. Thanks in advance!

What computer have you got that will run DOS natively and support Fallout?

I don't KNOW if it'll run it from DOS, that's what I want to find out. Its a massively upgraded 6 year old Dell.

Well. I'm going to assume it's an XP build, then? Yes, it can probably boot to DOS. Hit F8 a lot when you're booting. But you won't have most of the nice things like DirectX and the other video requirements.

Yes I'm running XP, its outdated but works fine for me. So how would that affect the video performance in the game if I am able to run straight from DOS... and how would I boot it from there anyway? I haven't used DOS since original Doom came out ... twenty years ago.

If it uses DirectX or pretty much any graphics from after 2000, it almost certainly won't work in DOS. Like I said. Reboot and hit F8 a lot. You'll have to navigate to the .EXE and try to run it I suppose.

Type C:
Type CD .\Program Files

And so on to the right folder. Then see what you can do.

Sounds like a plan, but its Fallout New Vegas and yep it uses directx so ... I just want to close as many applications as possible so I can get it to run without freezing and crashing every two damn minutes. Which it literally does most days.

You might be best served by generic upgrades. Clean startup list, more RAM, clean up disk, check drivers.

Posted by Olaf Fallout New Vegas / DOS

System reqs require windows:

CPU: 2.4 Ghz Intel Pentium 4 or equivalent processor
RAM: 1GB System RAM (XP)/ 2GB System RAM (Vista)
VGA: Direct X 9.0c compliant video card with 256MB RAM (NVIDIA 6800 or better/ATI X850 or better)
DX: Direct X 9.0c
OS: Windows XP/Vista
http://gamesystemrequirements.com/





Note: *Supported Video Card Chipsets: * NVIDIA GeForce 200 series * NVIDIA Geforce 9800 series * NVIDIA Geforce 9600 series * NVIDIA Geforce 8800 series * NVIDIA Geforce 8600 series * NVIDIA Geforce 8500 series * NVIDIA Geforce 8400 series * NVIDIA Geforce 7900 series * NVIDIA Geforce 7800 series * NVIDIA Geforce 7600 series * NVIDIA Geforce 7300 series * NVIDIA GeForce 6800 series * ATI HD 4800 series * ATI HD 4600 series * ATI HD 3800 series * ATI HD 3600 series * ATI HD 3400 series * ATI HD 2900 series * ATI HD 2600 series * ATI HD 2400 series * ATI X1900 series * ATI X1800 series * ATI X1600 series * ATI X1300 series * ATI X850 series Fallout 3 is not an officially supported title of Windows 7.

use "msconfig" (think this shipped with XP) or ccleaner (freeware) to clean up your startup items to free up resources.

My experience is that Adobe, Apple, and Google tend to dump junk into your startup. Most of the time its just so that they launch a bit faster. If you dont care about that, they dont need to be in startup. Best do it a few items disabled at a time, just to see if its going to hurt your system as opposed to helping it. Make sure you Google startup items before disabling, just to ensure its not something critical.

You can also disable your AV as well, they can be a bit of a bottleneck -- but might want to consider unplugging your machine from networking if you do so.

Direct X provides the interface for the game to communicate with the video cards. In the old days of DOS, games would have to provide a driver for each video card, which was a huge pain in the ass. Direct X was created to simplify this. The only way for you to run a modern Direct X game in DOS would be to write code that would act as an interface between them, convincing both the game and the video card that it was Direct X, and handling all of the inputs and outputs of both as direct X would.

Damn, I think its time I just get something new that can handle the requirements without question and have less hassle than try to "fix" all the inadequacies of the machine I have now. I'll try some cleanup and see how that helps first but it looks like, even in its continuously upgraded state that it just needs to be retired. Thanks folks

A DirectX game (or any Windows app) cannot run from DOS. XP does not have any DOS built into it, other than being able to create a DOS boot floppy. Unless you have specifically created a dual boot setup, XP cannot boot to DOS.

Update your video drivers and UNINSTALL (not disable) your AV and any security software. If the game still freezes or crashes then you likely have some kind of hardware issue. If it only happens during games then overheating of your CPU and/or video card is likely. Make sure your CPU and video card fans are clean and spinning properly. Your power supply could also be a culprit. If it is a crappy brand or old it may not be able to deliver enough power when both your CPU and video card are running full tilt. Running a memtest is a good idea too, but bad memory would crash other things as well.

Yep it only freezes or crashes when the game is running. Would it help if I took off the side panel and placed a small external fan blowing in there do you think?

A fan might help, but no normal computer should require that kind of cooling to operate properly. If it fixes the problem then there is something in the cooling system that needs repair.

While you have the side panel off take a look at the capacitors on the motherboard and video card. If any have bulging tops or are leaking (looks like a leaking battery) then your hardware is toast.