So looking around for other IBM PC emulators, I came across this one, PCEm. Now what’s really cool about this one is the old models it can emulate, including the IBM XT, the IBM AT, and it can even run the AMI BIOS for a 286, 386 and 486!
PCem 486
So not only can it run the BIOS but some ‘fun’ stuff like Windows 3.0 & 3.1 in standard mode, (386 enhanced is busted.. )
Setting up Windows 3.1 on EGA
I find the 486SX mode works the best… And naturally fastest as it’s cycle accurate emulation. An interesting mode is the IBM 386, which appears to be the IBM AT’s BIOS patched to run on a 386 CPU.
PCem MSD report
What is cool though, is the 386 protected mode is complete enough for DOS4G/W executables to run…
Loading DooM!
And yes if your CPU is set to low enough Mhz it will take a minute or two to load as it did back in the day…
PCem running DooM
And away we go! I should add this is Doom 1.1 shareware, which I did manage to get the sound working on OS/2 2.1, and it’s great to hear that PCEm’s soundblaster emulation works great!
For DOS games, this emulator really has a wide range of machines, and with the actual BIOS it sure gives the original ‘experience’.
*NOTE you’ll need disk images, and lots of them… or some scheme to mount the raw disk image. Also the UI is touchy I’ve already lost one disk to it….
MS-DOS 3.31? Where did that come from?
I think it was after the MS-DOS 4.00 fiasco as 3.3 people wanted to read 4.00 disks.. Although I think everyone went to 4.01 and suffered what everyone says was one of the worst MS-DOS releases ever….
Shades of Windows ME / Vista I guess.