Should I build a Windows XP gaming PC? - "Use virtual machine!" /thread

[HumanHive]

Operation Neptune

Hello? Based department?

 

[Slav Power]

A lot of those WinXP or even Win9x era games can be ran natively on Windows 10 if you're willing to explore the rabbit hole of wrappers and hooks such as dgVoodoo or DxWrapper. There's also DxWnd which has a shitton of compatibility settings but they are so complex it's best to count on someone that already made a config for the game you want to play.

 

[Ahriman]

Not XP related, but I am messing around with Virtualbox, setting up a kinda-sorta throwaway Win98 install on it, just to play old DOS games and use old software (Winamp 2.x).

This guide was pretty insightful, for anyone who cares: https://duncanbowring.wordpress.com...e-on-virtualbox-with-video-and-audio-drivers/ (archive: https://archive.md/96UyC)

EDIT: also, a really cool Win2k modernization guide, this one pretty much makes Win2000 usable in current day: https://w2k.phreaknet.org/guide

And also, Win2k on Docker: https://github.com/hectorm/docker-qemu-win2000

 

[Judge Dredd]

Have you tried virtualbox? It's piss easy to setup.

There was an Accursed Farms video where he talked about the problems of using virtual machines to run old games. I can't find it. I think it was a guest video with Ashens and maybe some others, but I haven't been able to find it since.

A lot of those WinXP or even Win9x era games can be ran natively on Windows 10 if you're willing to explore the rabbit hole of wrappers and hooks such as dgVoodoo or DxWrapper. There's also DxWnd which has a shitton of compatibility settings but they are so complex it's best to count on someone that already made a config for the game you want to play.

I'd heard of DxWnd, but not the others. Good to know.

 

[Sketch Turner]

A lot of those WinXP or even Win9x era games can be ran natively on Windows 10 if you're willing to explore the rabbit hole of wrappers and hooks such as dgVoodoo or DxWrapper. There's also DxWnd which has a shitton of compatibility settings but they are so complex it's best to count on someone that already made a config for the game you want to play.

Sounds pretty neat.

Isn't there a third party "WoW64-like" thing for running 16-bit/DOS applications in 64-bit Windows NT environments? Wonder what performance is like.

 

[Slav Power]

Sounds pretty neat.

Isn't there a third party "WoW64-like" thing for running 16-bit/DOS applications in 64-bit Windows NT environments? Wonder what performance is like.

Oh damn, actually there is.

GitHub - otya128/winevdm: 16-bit Windows (Windows 1.x, 2.x, 3.0, 3.1, etc.) on 64-bit Windows

16-bit Windows (Windows 1.x, 2.x, 3.0, 3.1, etc.) on 64-bit Windows - GitHub - otya128/winevdm: 16-bit Windows (Windows 1.x, 2.x, 3.0, 3.1, etc.) on 64-bit Windows

github.com

GitHub - leecher1337/ntvdmx64: Run Microsoft Windows NTVDM (DOS) on 64bit Editions

Run Microsoft Windows NTVDM (DOS) on 64bit Editions - GitHub - leecher1337/ntvdmx64: Run Microsoft Windows NTVDM (DOS) on 64bit Editions

github.com

WineVDM is based on FOSS solutions while NTVDMx64 is based on leaked MS code. Also NTVDM was a native element of Windows, except it has been removed from 64-bit versions for no good reason.

Oh yeah, one more thing. There's this audio wrapper called DSOAL which can wrap DirectSound3D in old games to OpenAL, allowing for use of HRTF 3D audio positioning and audio effects such as reverb. If you're autistic enough you can install OpenAL Soft as a standalone and make a global config and then all you'll need to do is to drop in two .dll files into a game. Then it will automatically use the master config.

There's a lot of various tools and ways to fix old games to run on modern systems, I'd recommend going to PC Gaming Wiki to learn more about patching specific games.

 

[NickDigger]

I would say yes OP, but then again I got my XP machine for free when my employer renovated their office and threw out a bunch of old electronics a couple of years ago (also got a CRT monitor to boot). Getting those games running via patches on modern machines seems nice if the game's got a heavy following and isn't too obscure, but I've ran into issues getting some Win9X games to work on 7 or 10.

A lot of those WinXP or even Win9x era games can be ran natively on Windows 10 if you're willing to explore the rabbit hole of wrappers and hooks such as dgVoodoo or DxWrapper. There's also DxWnd which has a shitton of compatibility settings but they are so complex it's best to count on someone that already made a config for the game you want to play.

Sadly that rabbit hole has gotten to be a waste of time for some games. For reference, I had an easier time installing and playing all the way through both Shogo: Mobile Armor Division and SWAT 3 five man campaign, haven't beaten 10 man yet on my XP machine as opposed to applying fan patches and dgvoodoo-ing them on my main desktop. SWAT 3 wouldn't even boot on 10 with patches.

 

[Sketch Turner]

while NTVDMx64 is based on leaked MS code.

The fact they are hosting it on GitHub is rather amusing to be honest.

 

[Sage In All Fields]

Windows 2000 has better community support than XP fyi

Windows 2000 Modernization Guide - Retrocomputing

Resources for the avid retrocomputing enthusiast.

w2k.phreaknet.org

 

[c-no]

I would say yes OP, but then again I got my XP machine for free when my employer renovated their office and threw out a bunch of old electronics a couple of years ago (also got a CRT monitor to boot). Getting those games running via patches on modern machines seems nice if the game's got a heavy following and isn't too obscure, but I've ran into issues getting some Win9X games to work on 7 or 10.

Sadly that rabbit hole has gotten to be a waste of time for some games. For reference, I had an easier time installing and playing all the way through both Shogo: Mobile Armor Division and SWAT 3 five man campaign, haven't beaten 10 man yet on my XP machine as opposed to applying fan patches and dgvoodoo-ing them on my main desktop. SWAT 3 wouldn't even boot on 10 with patches.

Yeah, it'll be hit or miss with that rabbit hole. I tried running Venom: Codename Outbreak on Windows 10 with the dgVoodoo but all it got were headaches trying to run it without graphical problems or being given some kind of error. Running Soldier of Fortune wasn't as hard but it still gave me a problem in trying to run when the game wouldn't really pop up despite task manager showed it running some times until I did a clean install for the fourth time and made sure I installed the right patch and all.

 

[TheRedChair]

If you got the parts go for it. I do have a Win2000 on hand because of the old graphic software I use.

 

[Stasi]

If anyone has suggestions for an XP era laptop for similar purposes let me know. I was thinking of doing something similar to OP but with a laptop because I don't have the space for a desktop.

Saw one of those early 2000s Acer Ferrari laptops at a flea marker recently but unfortunately the rubber around the keyboard and palm rest had turned to sticky goo so it was a no go

 

[2.D.]

Literally just run 7. It's not super secure, but way more than XP due to some kind of defender and UAC. If you really wanna be tismo about squeezing performance, run linux with proton.

 

[There Is Light At The End]

So, I screwed around with my VMware and played some old games. It works perfectly. Follow those steps
1) obtain VMware workstation by your method of choice and install it on your PC
2) click open existing virtual machine and choose file, you downloaded. Link to the file https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GrMcl90R36AoQXvJkiTp_npzxV0UESnW/view?usp=sharing
3) don't forget to set audio output and common folder with host PC if you want to browse it from virtual machine or enable drag and drop feature to just copy folder with installation files into virtual machine
@Stasi eBay. They have windows XP laptops

 

[DDBCAE CBAADCBE]

No. Build a relationship with someone you love, not some unfeeling machine.

 

[Never Scored]

I did this, but I went with Windows 98 instead of XP.

It's a fun project, but I wouldn't put any huge amount of money into it. I found my PC on the side of the road and fixed it up. I bought an adaptor to use a CF card as the HDD, bought the ram, old video card and sound card off eBay, and I still ended up sinking ~$100 into it. If you start from scratch I could easily see the project balooning to $250-300. I have no doubt since the pandemic, those retro parts have balloned even higher. Like, just poking around ebay, I got a brand new aopen dos/Windows 98 compatible PCI soundcard for like $20 new in mid 2019, they're up around $60 with shipping now.

And like, I won't mince words here. I set everything up, track down the drivers, etc and had all these grand designs to play old DOS and Windows 98 games, but it's been sitting in a corner since late 2019 at this point and I just end up using DOSbox or Wine to play old PC games.

If you can track down some shit for free, I say do it, if not, I wouldn't, personally.

 

[Smaug's Smokey Hole]

Yeah, it'll be hit or miss with that rabbit hole. I tried running Venom: Codename Outbreak on Windows 10 with the dgVoodoo but all it got were headaches trying to run it without graphical problems or being given some kind of error. Running Soldier of Fortune wasn't as hard but it still gave me a problem in trying to run when the game wouldn't really pop up despite task manager showed it running some times until I did a clean install for the fourth time and made sure I installed the right patch and all.

Did you check this?

Codename: Outbreak - PCGamingWiki PCGW - bugs, fixes, crashes, mods, guides and improvements for every PC game

www.pcgamingwiki.com

"Copy D3D9.dll,D3D8.DLL,DDRAW.DLL from the \MS\x86\ folder to the game install directory"

I do not remember the old DLL situation fondly.

dgVoodoo is pretty good and it is interesting to run old games and see what modern things they support. I played Rally Masters(great DICE game from when they were a racing game studio) and it supports 16:10 no problem. Back then I played it with a weird controller because all controllers were sort of weird on PC, now I played it with my 360 one, no problem. Same goes for their other fantastic racing game, Motorhead. Maybe I didn't play it with the 360 controller and played it the classic way: keyboard for digital throttle and mouse for analog steering.

 

[The Ugly One]

Sounds like a fun project...IIRC, a Radeon 9800 Pro will absolutely crush anything from the XP era and not give you any compatibility issues, and you should be able to find one for about $150, or whatever that is in "quid" or "shillings" or "ha'penny" or whatever.

 

[c-no]

Did you check this?

Codename: Outbreak - PCGamingWiki PCGW - bugs, fixes, crashes, mods, guides and improvements for every PC game

www.pcgamingwiki.com

"Copy D3D9.dll,D3D8.DLL,DDRAW.DLL from the \MS\x86\ folder to the game install directory"

I do not remember the old DLL situation fondly.

dgVoodoo is pretty good and it is interesting to run old games and see what modern things they support. I played Rally Masters(great DICE game from when they were a racing game studio) and it supports 16:10 no problem. Back then I played it with a weird controller because all controllers were sort of weird on PC, now I played it with my 360 one, no problem. Same goes for their other fantastic racing game, Motorhead. Maybe I didn't play it with the 360 controller and played it the classic way: keyboard for digital throttle and mouse for analog steering.

Going back at it, it all gives me the following

*************** EXCEPTION CAUGHT ! ********************
ExceptionMessage = Error occured while Direct3D objects initialization.

Pl:
:ease set video configuration properly.

InitD3D -> lpdd.QueryInterface(IID:
:_IDirect3D,lpD3D)

Unrecognized error value.
DDRVAl = Unrecognized error value.

I wouldn't be surprised if at this point, some update I had on Windows 10 borked it all, especially since the engine the game runs on is likely some form of Slav jank.

 

[Celebrate Nite]

There's also DxWnd which has a shitton of compatibility settings

DxWnd is great because it allows you to play PC games that are forced full-screen on a smaller window so it doesn't fuck with you display settings (A lot of older PC games on full screen only have resolutions like 320x240 or 640x480)