Old Win98 laptop question

[Pizmo]

I recently picked up a NEC 3000 series notebook with Windows 98 installed on it off of Craigslist for free. I am planning to use this computer for MS-DOS gaming. I have a decent collection of old dos flight and space sim games like wing commander, lhx attack chopper, aces over europe, ect..

Now here is my dilemma

I want to use a joystick to play these games and I already have a Logitech wingman attack. This particular joystick uses the typical old 15pin game port connector, but the NEC notebook doesn't have a 15pin connector and it also doesn't have any usb ports.

After doing a little research I was able to come up with a solution that might work, but before I order anything I would just like some conformation that this is even possible.

My plan is to use a pcmcia card like this


https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002L5YFXA/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1515614457&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=pcmcia+usb&dpPl=1&dpID=41%2Bha3YYpjL&ref=plSrch

And a 15pin to usb game port adapter like this

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004HAX7OU/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1515614640&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=game+port+to+usb

Will this even work?

Is there a better way of doing it?

[x_wing]

Does the pcmcia card have MS-DOS drivers? USB is a way more younger tech than the last DOS version. I believe that you'll have some headaches to make it run (if it is even possible)

[Pizmo]

Messaggio originale di x_wing:

Does the pcmcia card have MS-DOS drivers? USB is a way more younger tech than the last DOS version. I believe that you'll have some headaches to make it run (if it is even possible)

Would dos drivers still be required if I am running the games through the MS-DOS prompt inside win98?

[Bad 💀 Motha]

Messaggio originale di Pizmo:

Messaggio originale di x_wing:

Does the pcmcia card have MS-DOS drivers? USB is a way more younger tech than the last DOS version. I believe that you'll have some headaches to make it run (if it is even possible)

Would dos drivers still be required if I am running the games through the MS-DOS prompt inside win98?

You usually can't run things properly that way, exit into MS-Dos instead.

If something needs a driver, this needs to be loaded via your systems autoexec.bat file, which the system loads at each boot.

Best bet is avoid all that and just run DosBox on a current system.
I play old 80s/90s game through DosBox for years; in WinXP, 7, 8, 10... no real problems.

[Pizmo]

Messaggio originale di Bad_Motha:

Messaggio originale di Pizmo:

Would dos drivers still be required if I am running the games through the MS-DOS prompt inside win98?

You usually can't run things properly that way, exit into MS-Dos instead.

If something needs a driver, this needs to be loaded via your systems autoexec.bat file, which the system loads at each boot.

Best bet is avoid all that and just run DosBox on a current system.
I play old 80s/90s game through DosBox for years; in WinXP, 7, 8, 10... no real problems.

Yea dosbox is awesome, but seeing as how I've got the computer, games, and joystick I think it would be a shame to not use them. I'm sure there is a way this can be done

[Pizmo]

Messaggio originale di Bad_Motha:

Which Joystick? It would have to be Serial or GamePort. Nothing USB is going to work in DOS.

It's a Logitech wingman attack with a 15 pin game port connector.

The problem is the laptop I picked up doesn't have a 15 pin port or any usb ports.

I looked for a 15 pin game port pcmcia card, but it doesnt look like such a thing exists. The only thing I can find is a usb pcmcia card and a game port to usb adapter

[Viper]

You used to be able to buy PCMIA Game port cards. Nobody makes them anymore however as far as I can tell. Demand is just to low. Maybe you can find a used one on EBay or something. Otherwise about your only option is what you are trying to do. Not sure if it will work or not.

[Pizmo]

Messaggio originale di Viper:

You used to be able to buy PCMIA Game port cards. Nobody makes them anymore however as far as I can tell. Demand is just to low. Maybe you can find a used one on EBay or something. Otherwise about your only option is what you are trying to do. Not sure if it will work or not.

I didn't try ebay... I guess that was kinda dumb of me

[Hatman]

Instead of using the money for adapters that may or may not work, just buy a new wingman with USB and play the games on your actual PC/Notebook through DosBox.

[Pizmo]

Messaggio originale di Pizmo:

Messaggio originale di Viper:

You used to be able to buy PCMIA Game port cards. Nobody makes them anymore however as far as I can tell. Demand is just to low. Maybe you can find a used one on EBay or something. Otherwise about your only option is what you are trying to do. Not sure if it will work or not.

I didn't try ebay... I guess that was kinda dumb of me

Yea nothin on eBay either

Messaggio originale di Hatman:

Instead of using the money for adapters that may or may not work, just buy a new wingman with USB and play the games on your actual PC/Notebook through DosBox.

Yea i know I can use dosbox and it would be easier, but like I said earlier I've got the games, I've got the joystick, and now I have the computers. So why not use them? Plus dos gaming doesn't feel right unless you are hearing an overly loud fan and the buzzing, clicking, and beeping of old hard drives

[RGX12]

I admire your determination to get this working. It can be a lot of fun and immensely satisfying gaming on old hardware, but as you've found it can also be an immense PITA.

I'm not sure that the setup you're looking at will work under pure DOS, since I'm dubious that the gameport will be recognized without appropriate drivers. As a few others have pointed out, you could proceed a lot more easily with a PCMCIA to Gameport adapter (with supporting DOS drivers), which is the method I used for many years to play DOS games on my old Inspiron 5000 with Windows 98 SE (before eventually upgrading it to Windows XP + DOSBox). At the time, joystick functionality was handled by this: https://www.amazon.com/EXP-PCMCIA-Traveler-Force-Feedback/dp/B0000512MX. As you can see, it's been long off the market. And even though that card and several others were available at the time, these PCMCIA cards have become notoriously difficult to find nowadays--even ten years ago they were very difficult to find. (Although you could keep an eye out on Ebay, as they do appear once in a blue moon).

However, there is some good news. A great number of DOS games will run under Windows 98, since the OS has access to the 16-bit DOS subsystem. Remember that Windows 98 was the last Windows OS (well, with the exception of the stillborn Windows ME) to actually be a "dual" OS, being able to boot into either Windows or pure MS-DOS. But you *don't* actually need to boot into DOS to enjoy most of your games, since you can create special DOS-enabled "shortcuts" for them by means of "PIF" files. I found I could run almost all my old games like this, with some exceptions (most notably old Psygnosis games like Lemmings and Captain Blood). So the PCMCIA to USB to Rockfire adapter may just work after all.
(Note that this also depends on your joystick model. For example, it's unlikely that a Microsoft Sidewinder Force Feedback would work, because that gameport adapter couldn't translate the custom midi signals.)

Now, if you are somehow absolutely committed to running the games inside MS-DOS proper, then I think your only other option would be to obtain a digital joystick with a USB connection and plug directly into a port on the PCMCIA card. Of course, DOS doesn't understand USB.... However, there are several hobbyist-project USB-to-DOS drivers out there that could get you rolling. There is a set at http://bretjohnson.us/ that many have reported success with. But keep in mind that there are many variables contributing to success or failure, like the adapter interface, the joystick model, and the game itself.

Good luck! Let us know how things pan out for you, or if you need further advice.

[Pizmo]

Messaggio originale di RGX12:

I admire your determination to get this working. It can be a lot of fun and immensely satisfying gaming on old hardware, but as you've found it can also be an immense PITA.

I'm not sure that the setup you're looking at will work under pure DOS, since I'm dubious that the gameport will be recognized without appropriate drivers. As a few others have pointed out, you could proceed a lot more easily with a PCMCIA to Gameport adapter (with supporting DOS drivers), which is the method I used for many years to play DOS games on my old Inspiron 5000 with Windows 98 SE (before eventually upgrading it to Windows XP + DOSBox). At the time, joystick functionality was handled by this: https://www.amazon.com/EXP-PCMCIA-Traveler-Force-Feedback/dp/B0000512MX. As you can see, it's been long off the market. And even though that card and several others were available at the time, these PCMCIA cards have become notoriously difficult to find nowadays--even ten years ago they were very difficult to find. (Although you could keep an eye out on Ebay, as they do appear once in a blue moon).

However, there is some good news. A great number of DOS games will run under Windows 98, since the OS has access to the 16-bit DOS subsystem. Remember that Windows 98 was the last Windows OS (well, with the exception of the stillborn Windows ME) to actually be a "dual" OS, being able to boot into either Windows or pure MS-DOS. But you *don't* actually need to boot into DOS to enjoy most of your games, since you can create special DOS-enabled "shortcuts" for them by means of "PIF" files. I found I could run almost all my old games like this, with some exceptions (most notably old Psygnosis games like Lemmings and Captain Blood). So the PCMCIA to USB to Rockfire adapter may just work after all.
(Note that this also depends on your joystick model. For example, it's unlikely that a Microsoft Sidewinder Force Feedback would work, because that gameport adapter couldn't translate the custom midi signals.)

Now, if you are somehow absolutely committed to running the games inside MS-DOS proper, then I think your only other option would be to obtain a digital joystick with a USB connection and plug directly into a port on the PCMCIA card. Of course, DOS doesn't understand USB.... However, there are several hobbyist-project USB-to-DOS drivers out there that could get you rolling. There is a set at http://bretjohnson.us/ that many have reported success with. But keep in mind that there are many variables contributing to success or failure, like the adapter interface, the joystick model, and the game itself.

Good luck! Let us know how things pan out for you, or if you need further advice.

Yea old tech is fun to play around with. I already own a Leading Edge 286 based pc. Unfortunately there are A LOT of dos games that just aren't compatible with the 286.

The reason I snatched this laptop off of Craigslist when I saw it was because I want to play the newer and more demanding dos games that I have in my collection of big box pc games.

I guess even if I can't get the joystick to work it will not be a total loss because it has more then adequate enough specs to run games like doom, duke 3d, ect.. I was just hoping to also run my xwing and wing commander games on it

[x_wing]

Sorry, I forgot to follow the discussion.

If the plan is to use W98SE you may have some luck to make the usb to wok. Anyway, as far I remember, I think it only supportes mass storage devices (but I may be wrong). And yet again, even if still get usb to works, you may need another driver for the usb to midi adapter.

If you want a perfect dos era games experience, I think that your best optiom is to buy an old desktop computer.

PS: there is an OS called FreeDOS. I never used it but, maybe it has some better support for the devices you want to use.