Not really, not if you do it right....and besides, would you really notice? (one last note: I haven't played a Dos game in about a year...so I may have added too much stuff, or not enough. I'm going by faded memories, here
.)
If you have to use native Dos mode, you interupt before windows has a chance to install. It's quicker that way (especially during crashes and lockups; it'll be a Miracle not getting at least one). From pushing the Power button to the old, C prompt , it takes about 10 seconds....it'll be closer to a minute going through windows and then exiting back out,, maybe even more than a minute....that's just Too Long.
As far as playing Dos games through Windows....I find that the conventual memory is usually enough....right now I have 564K of C-memory..... I have a few games that like something closer to 600K. To get those running I can either get rid of all the REM statements and use the interupt key (F8...F9...one of those two keys) and start playing. (Haven't done it in a while, but I think I would get something like 600K of C-memory, give or take 5K) or if I want to see if Windows will handle it, I'll take off all the REM statements, except the CD-rom ones. (They usually hog up 30k or so) and give that a try (I think I would get about 585K ,going this way).
I do have a game that only work in Native Dos mode, no matter how much C-memory I have open. X-com Apocalypse is that game (at least the one I can remember). It goes into some kind of Protected Dos mode. But it's an easy game to get going, once you know how. Actually, it's easier than most.
You see, my main goal, on my system, when playing a Dos game through Windows or in Native mode, is in getting that SB16 Emulator into that upper memory. As far as the extra resources of EMM386 and Himem, these games were designed for 286 to 486 systems....your not going to notice the extra resources of those two devices. Besides, when I'm done with Dos, I just type REM in front of everything. I'm sure there is a way to make a .bat file that will edit that for you....but I'm not into programming, so I don't know how.
Simplified: it faster getting into Native Dos mode, when you edit the main files instead of Dosstart.bat.
As far as the Aluminum Case thing.... where are you getting the idea that having Aluminum is going to make your computer run colder. Your arguing that it's cooler, but I just don't see the logic in that. Yes, most CPU Heatsinks are made of Aluminum, and Aluminum is a fair conductor (gold is the best, copper is the second best), but just because the Case is made of Aluminum, doesn't mean that it's going to keep your components cool. It just means that the case is going to be more acceptable to temperature changes. It's not going to act, as a big giant heat sink.
Which in reality, means nothing, since it's going to, most likely, be in a constant, temperature (of your room). What you need to be more concerned about is the Powersupply, Airflow, and Room.
Find out what kind of Powersupply it has, and then go to AMD's website and see if it's on the approved list. If it is, you should be Okay. Really, you just need to make sure that the Namebrand is there....don't worry too much about the acutual model number. The AMD site, for the most part is showing you the over achievers on their list and/or the ones they tested. The 'Generics' are the worst of the lot and the ones your really trying to avoid .
I can't tell what kind of PS comes with the case you want....I guess you could always buy a PowerSupply seperatly, if the one in the case turns out to run out of power, or causes the system to lock up frequently. A bad Powersupply can cause all sorts of nightmares.
http://www2.amd.com/us-en/Processors/TechnicalResources/0,,30_182_869_1039%5e1053,00.htmlBest to check all your Main components with AMD...Heatsink, Powersupply, Motherboard, memory (the motherboard is fine, though).
Besides, Aluminum usually rattles...I just hate, when stuff rattles.
Why is it that the movies I rent fit on one DVD? The second DVD is almost always only filled with Special Features.....or is a TV formated edition, of the movie.
[edited] 65 2001-11-30 05:33
