PC (MS DOS) roms not showing

Dochartaigh

I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure there's no such thing as a MS-DOS ROMs...unless you're talking about an image of a MS-DOS compatible CD which has game data/software on it (which usually has some files that need to be installed to the C:\ drive). The files also need to be unzipped - they won't load from .zip files I'm pretty positive.

The roms/pc folder in RetroPie is akin to the C:\ drive of a MS-DOS computer. Even if you copy files for a certain game to that drive you commonly still have to use the DOSBox program to run the DOS installation program to get the game ready to be launched (just like you had to do on your old MS-DOS based computer).

If you're talking about running MS-DOS games through Ports, now that is more like using ROM's like how we're used to with systems like Nintendo/Super Nintendo/N64/Genesis/Etc. as you usually only need to move a single file (like Doom or Quake's .PAK file or whatever) to the correct subfolder in roms/ports and it'll run (very similar to how we use actual console game roms) - but this is ONLY after you've installed the correct software package in the RetroPie Setup menu which in essence has all the other files that specific game needs to run.

markyh444

@Leo If you read the Wiki there is a guide for how to set this up so you can load games direct from EmulationStation, otherwise you have to load dosbox then the game from within that.

Leo

I'm just a little confused, previous versions of retro pie allowed you to simply cut and paste the unzipped folder containing the pc games and dos box ran them no problem, so what's changed?

Leo

"If you are new to Retropie 3.0, then simply add your game files to the ~/RetroPie/roms/pc folder (check the first tutorial if you're unsure how to do this). You can then launch them directly from Emulation Station by selecting the executable file (.EXE, .BAT, .COM) in the game folder. You can still use the mapper file you may have created for your game controller from an earlier tutorial."

http://dosonthepi.blogspot.com.au/2015/04/retropie-30-update.html

done that, doesn't work?

markyh444

@Leo I followed this guide and it works perfectly http://dosonthepi.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/run-dos-games-in-retropie_15.html?m=1#add-dosgames

It's linked from the Wiki, and though it does mention zip files, it says to unzip and install the games. It then goes on to say that you need to write a shell script to get it loading directly from ES.

Dochartaigh

@Leo said in PC (MS DOS) roms not showing:

I'm just a little confused, previous versions of retro pie allowed you to simply cut and paste the unzipped folder containing the pc games and dos box ran them no problem, so what's changed?

Yes, if that folder you unzipped has the actual running files (and NOT the install files - which is what's commonly found on Adandonware MS-DOS game sites). But you had said "didn't earlier versions of pie recognise .zip extensions", meaning that DOSBox would run directly off .zip files (like MAME files are all .ZIP's for example) which isn't the case.

Glad you got it sorted out!

Leo

@Dochartaigh Got what sorted? I downloaded the exact same games from the exact same site as before and now I have to load them onto retro pie instead of simply cut and pasting into the PC folder?

Leo

@markyh444 The problem with these guilds is it assumes way too much knowledge. It lost me on "do this and that" but WTF is "this and that?

dudleydes

@Leo If .EXE files are not appearing in EmulationStation when they were previously, I would check my es_systems.cfg file to check the permitted extensions. I would also see if there is a copy in /home/pi/.emulationstation/ as this one takes precedence over the one in /etc/emulationstation.

markyh444

@Leo I really didn't find these guides hard to follow.

Dochartaigh

@Leo said in PC (MS DOS) roms not showing:

@Dochartaigh Got what sorted? I downloaded the exact same games from the exact same site as before and now I have to load them onto retro pie instead of simply cut and pasting into the PC folder?

It IS copy and paste - and after a reboot you'll see all the folders you dropped into the roms/PC folder show-up in the DOSBox/MS-DOS menu item just like Nintendo or SNES or N64 ROMs show up in RetroPie. The only difference is you then have to go into these folders, and click on the DOS executable file (usually a .EXE or .BAT or sometimes a .COM) to launch the DOS game.

EXCEPT when the files you downloaded are installation files instead of the working game files. So just like if you had an old MS-DOS computer, and were using floppy disks, you would have to install the game off the floppies (or CD), to a folder on your hard drive. Then AFTER you do that, you can again reboot and go into the DOSBox/MS-DOS RetroPie menu item and launch the executable file to launch the game.

Another exception is games that use a CD rom along with the installed files on your hard drive. The most common example is probably Warcraft II. It needs files installed to your hard drive, AND a CD-ROM to be able to play the full game. This takes some coding ad you have to setup a little script file to mount the CD in DOSBox.

Also, you might be confusing this process with the RetroPie Ports. On those, I think you can simply drop the files into the directory and it'll just run. Most common examples are Doom, Quake, Duke Nukem 3D, and Wolfenstein 3d. These need to be installed from the optional packages in RetroPie setup BEFORE you drop those files into the correct folder. ScummVM is also another drag and drop platform on RetroPie that plays old DOS games which is very much drag and drop....so you have options.