Setting up your MiSTer FPGA for DOS Gaming - AO486 Core

Oh wow! That sounds interesting seeing I love those DOS Games growing up Lu. This will be a real treat for sure. 8^)

Anthony..

awesome, thanks for putting this together 👍🏻

Fantastic video. I've been meaning to rebuild my AO486 image from scratch and this video covers everything. Thanks!

Nice video,

Exemplary tutorial video, long, detailed and nearly impossible to get a step wrong. Being versed in DOS myself, I of course knew most of this but having no knowledge of and contemplating getting a MiSTer, it's a good watch.

I did however notice that both Black Cauldron and Ultima ran too fast. Is there a setting to deal with this?

Great video, very clear and well made. Will try it out later today. Greetings from the Nerherlands

The best video so far, you explain step by step and very easy to understand. I got it running thanks to you. Thank you

Dude's hating on Wacky Wheels and Hocus Pocus :(

Where can I find ready to use .vhd files?

When I save my "MyPC" vhd file, it defaults to a zipped up disc image file, not a VHD file even though I am saving it that way. I am following step by step. Any idea why that would be? My "temp" vhd just saves as a zipped up package of the three files inside of it.

did you tried some MS-DOS benchmarks to compare with a real PC hardware, then estimate whats its hardware counterpart ?

How to get Duke Nukem to work?

I am stuck at EMS step. After my edit the file config.sys looks exactly as yours, modifications in 3 places are saved. Run option 1 and get same error - no EMS. What may be wrong?

If you put
DEVICE=C:\DOS\EMM386.EXE NOEMS
into the XMS config sections, it’ll free up some more conventional memory.

Yay Ultima6!

Hi, I'm getting a black screen every time although I've followed your guide, I can always get into the MiSTer menu but I see nothing else other than a black screen.

Thank you!

"Mem /c |more" gives you more info. If you add another DIR to the path (something like Utils), you can just make a batch file there called m.bat with that command & be able to easily call it at will.

Excellent tutorial BTW!

Super helpful thanks!

Thank you so much for this!

You have to do the same but for the Amiga core ! :)

MiSTer is ripe for a book - MiSTer, The Missing Manual

I've a question
I've Sony multiscan G220 with a Scan rate of 31 kHz..It can display Only From 31 kHz To UP..
Is MISTer on AO486 limitated on 15khz via analogue output VGA?

You refer to Adlib/FM synth & music in DOS games generally as MIDI throughout this video and unfortunately that's not accurate at all. MIDI is a standard for organising musical instruments amongst devices, FM synth does not conform to that standard and does not use it. Some DOS games could use some proprietary MIDI devices, most famously the MT-32 but that is separate to FM. Further General MIDI is not compatible with non-GM devices like the MT-32 either, but I guess I can't say you said that - I was just throwing that in as a bonus fact. Also for games where MIDI devices are available, you will find General MIDI with a good sound font or an MT-32 emulator might be preferable to Adlib/Soundblaster FM for music - but some people might find the FM more nostalgic or charming

Are you in the camp that believes there will be a future project that replaces Mister?

I wonder if it is to be if they will be able to run a high end Pentium MMX with a Voodoo 3 ish level 3D accelerator. That would almost replace my window 98 machine since I imagine anything that needs more would run fine in XP and newer computers.

Some talk about it being able to handle a PS2 and if that is the case I think it would be enough for such a system.

The Boot Roms Link Is NOT AVAILABLE.... 404 Error
EDIT: Nevermind,Found Them Under RELEASES...

How does Warcraft2 work on it?

When I run the "misterfs f" I get the f: prompt but when I type dir it says "file not found". It did create a shared folder. when I put a dos game folder (doom2) in the shared folder it does not show up in the f: directory and I get the same "file not found" I am unable to copy it over.

thanks for the great tutorial. Only problem is when i get to putting the game in the shared folder on the moster its showing the directorys as empty. not sure how to fix this

man, I know at the time most of the cool games where using DOS, not Windows 3.1
But you still had really, really awesome AAA Windows games, like Sim Tower or Civilization 2!

This is too old, you're only using 4MB of ram, and it has 256MB available. EMM can only handle 64MB I believe but it's probably worth using. There's also multiple configs flying around using FRAME=E000 and FRAME=D000, with absolutely no documentation on which is correct. You can easily create a menu that allows for all configuration options, but no one seems to have done that.

Dude you are awesome thank you for this

Thanks for posting this !

As an alternative to AOMEI Partition Assistant, I was able to use Minitool Partition Wizard to format my VHD files as FAT with no issues. Minitool also has a free version just like Partition Assistant. With your help I got DOS all set up and was playing Raptor Call of the Shadows in no time. Thanks Lu!

Why didn't you use ctmouse?

Dude thanks, this was super helpful!

The starter pack isn't showing up on my VHD.

Any ideas on how to get a mouse to work? My mouse acts like a joystick. If I move the mouse forward/backward playing Doom, I move forward/backward.

Incredibly helpful video, thanks for that! I wouldn't have made it without you. Seems like the core does not need re-allocating virtual memory like back then where literally every game needed different configs. I remember there was a game I have spent three days to figure out the right configs

Is there a way to get game saves working? I was able to save King's Quest 4 but not Secret of Monkey Island or Loom.

I don't understand where the media/fat/AO486 is... the only 486 folder i have is in games. I can't find the fat folder.

I got be sick to do 😂all that for playing games Feel like when loses your car key and trying opening. Toothpick 😆. Thanks your patience and time

Whacky Wheels is AMAZING!! How Dare You!!

One hint is that the osd is circular so to reset just click up and apply rather than multiple scroll downs!

I can't even begin to express how helpful this video was for me. Thank you so much for taking the time to make these amazing setup videos!

Aladdin gives an XMS error