Things to try:
- Make sure you have the latest patch installed for your version of the game (floppy or CD)
- Make sure you've run INSTALL inside of dosbox and have configured the game properly
- Try using the loadfix command in DOSBox (e.g. instead of typing 'krondor' or whatever it is you type to start the game, type 'loadfix krondor')
- Try a CVS build of DOSBox, which contains many fixes and features added since 0.63 was released; see my sig for a link to info

Type 'mem' at DOSBox prompt -- you should have close to 634K free.
a) Make sure you don't load any junk from [autoexec] section in dosbox.conf (like mouse driver, vesa tsr, etc.)
b) Run game executable -- not some batch file.

-The version of the game I have includes the patch, so I'm good there.
-I did run install from within Dosbox, although I will say it look funny. It immediately told me it was done installing, and I seem to recall it taking at least a few mouse clicks from me. 😒
-As I stated in my original post, loadfix actually makes the problem worse in that I appear to have less memory.
-I downloaded several CVS builds and tried them, but I guess they don't deal with my issue.
-There is nothing in the autoexec portion of my config file except "mount c c:\"
-I am running the Krondor.exe file.
-mem command tells me I have "637 Kb free conventional memory. 15296 Kb free extended memory. 15296 Kb free expanded memory."
-I have also tried adding emm=RAM to my config.NT file as someone suggested, with no effect on the error message.

Thanks for trying to help, but none of these things has worked. I think what is most frustrating about this is that it appears from forum posts that many people have no problem playing this game using dosbox. I've even seen people say they can play it without dosbox on XP, which of course I can't. So. Frustrating.

Try running the game with No Sound configured.

I tried to go in and disable the sound, but there is not setup executable file, only the install... and the install only lets you choose from among 5 ways of getting your sound (I have tried the game with each of the sound options--same error). I could probably turn off the sound if I could get to the options menu in the game, but it doesn't load, so that's not really helpful I suppose.

I have been reading around all morning and some people seem to think the problem is in the fact that the Sierra games used a type of convential memory that was available to pre-Athlon/Pentium processors and that XP has no way to compensate for that? (Keep in mind--I'm not a techie, I'm just trying to hack a little fix to play this one game, so I may just not understand what they're trying to say. 😁 )

They seem to think the problem can be fixed by changing the autoexec.nt file in the windows\system32\ directory, either by adding EMM=RAM or by adding "REM" before "lh %SystemRoot%\system32\dosx" under the REM Install DPMI support in that file. Neither of these worked for me, but apparently they worked for someone with very similar stats on their computer. So perhaps this is the direction the solution will lie in?

Really thanks for helping me try so far. I do appreciate all the help!

There's only only one type of conventional memory. XP and Dosbox emulate it just fine (except for the fact that it's hard to free up conventional memory in Windows XP whereas DosBox has too much which is why you need to eat up more memory with "loadfix" for some games).

But none of that matters because when you run games under DosBox you are NOT running them under Windows XP. Windows XP does not matter. This is why you need to forget about AUTOEXEC.NT/CONFIG.NT/NTVDM or any other Windows XP settings if your just using DOSBOX. THEY DO NOT APPLY TO DOSBOX.

Now if you wish to run the game under Windows XP then you can worry about autoexec.nt\config.nt.

Okay....now for the autoexec.nt settings.....

EMM=RAM does not apply to autoexec.nt. It only applies to config.nt and it's something you'll never need to mess with. Seriously. I've tested over 600 DOS games in Windows 2000/XP NTVDM and I've never had to add that to my config.nt.

As for DOSX. That is only for protected mode games. BAK is not a protected mode game so therefore you don't need to worry about DOSX. The only time you need to bother with DOSX is if you need to free up more conventional memory. That's it.

I really suggest trying to find another copy of BAK. I cannot provide websites or such since BAK is not free to distribute but if you search around with google I'm sure you can probably find another copy to test.

I just tried out my copy of BAK and it works fine under DosBox CVS 1-7-2006.

Okay, thanks, I think I understand how the emulator works a bit better now.

I'm not so sure about getting another copy, since I have the original patched version 1.02 of the game on floppy discs, which worked fine on my older system. I'll keep messing around with it awhile. Thanks for your time, hope this wasn't too irritating for you.

Mine is the v1.02 release too. 😀

I was thinking you may have confused DosBox versions so I went all the way back to DosBox 0.58 and BAK still works there too.

I finished Betrayal at Krondor two days ago. That was an experience. 😁 It works perfectly under DosBox 0.63 - I used dynamic core, 15000 cycles, and only ems memory (xms was disabled).

Getting another copy is a good idea and what's more, the game is free now. Check out this website. http://www.alt-tab.net/games/betrayal-at-krondor/download/ It explains it quite clearly. I have also seen the full version in 1998 in a computer magazine demo disc but had no interest playing it at that time, but the important thing is that it is free now. Try that copy, patch it to 1.02 and it should work.

I think the problem should be in your copy. I played Betrayal at Krondor for more than a week before finishing it, and it was perfect, did not crash a single time.

the game is free now

No, sorry. The story on that site is correct, the conclusion is wrong. Sierra made the game downloadable but they did not allow distribution. That happened to quite a few games (first three Zork games, both Gateway games by Legend, etc.) and in all cases caused this kind of confusion.

I have also seen the full version in 1998 in a computer magazine demo disc

Not sure if it is the same one but there was a great cover disc for Computer Gaming World No.159 (October 1997) -- included Betrayal at Krondor, Might & Magic I, Ultima IV, Wasteland, and Wizardry VI, all full games.

Well, that's another story. First they announce it as freeware, then they say it is not and Vivendi declares that it is illegal to distribute the game.

I can do nothing about it, I have that computer magazine cd and it has some nice demos as well. Somehow I have the feeling that I am not the only person in the world that has it.

Games that were once commercially released and then released on demo disks do not mean the games are freeware. The magazines make special deals with the publishers to release the games....usually for promotional purpses.

Yeah, I remember downloading BAK directly from the Sierra website quite awhile ago.....but you can no longer do that today.

Here you go:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betrayal_at_Krondor

Contrary to popular belief, Vivendi Universal Games has stated that the game is not free to be redistributed by others. [1]

If Sierra was still Sierra then yeah the game would probably still be free. This is what buying up publishers/developer companies gives ya.

Don't worry tho, I'm sure the game will be available on a Gametape/Steam service sometime in the future. 😉

I have nothing to worry about. 😉
I have the game, I have the nice demo disc, I finished the game. No need for me to wait for the game to be available in the steam service. Steam...? Krondor? Right.

And yes, I stated in my previous post that Krondor was declared not freeware... Seems you did not read it.

🙄 The thread isn't just about you.....in fact this thread has isn't about you at all...my post was for everyone.

Yes, but your message was written in a way that addressed me. Whatever. I was just trying to help but some people want to stay on top no matter what.

Yes, I know it's not about me. But it isn't about you either. 😳

In any case, only floppy version was downloadable. Fortunately, CD version is not rare by any means. Ebay going price is close to $5 (of course, shipping will double that amount), and that's for a boxed copy. I've seen CDs going for $2.

If Sierra was still Sierra then yeah the game would probably still be free

Sierra was not exactly Sierra even then. I still remember seeing picture in CGW with fishes representing companies buying each other. Sierra was not a big fish on that picture. It was a poisonous fish -- there was some financial scandal around it. The big fish got really sick after that purchase.

I'm sure the game will be available on a Gametape/Steam service sometime in the future

Heh, we all love Steam, don't we? Seriously, unlikely in this case. The game comes with strings attached, there is an external license. Big publishers just steer clear of cases like this. 🙁 We are more likely to see Betrayal in Antara if anybody cares.

I also downloaded the floppy version from the Sierra web site when they were offering it.

I wasn't too impressed by the CD version. It seems they mostly recorded the music from a synth into CD audio tracks. I guess it's a good option though since there doesn't seem to be a way to get Sound Blaster sounds and General MIDI music at the same time in the floppy version.

Sierra moved from California to Washington in the 90s and then sold out to Vivendi (who also now owns Blizzard as well). Like Atari, Sierra is now just a publishing label used by the parent corporation when they want to use brand association to sell a game that was actually developed by a small studio (e.g. Valve before they parted ways with Vivendi).

I have little faith that old PC games will ever be re-released other than via abandonware channels. There are no commercially available emulators that are easy enough for people to set up, and there is little market for old games in the eyes of current publishers.

The reason companies try to prevent distribution of their old titles is because it makes it harder for their legal department when they decide to do a remake or sell movie rights or whatever. Mostly they don't care about the old games, but want to hang onto the rights anyways in case it becomes useful to them at some point (and right now it usually isn't).

I have little faith that old PC games will ever be re-released other than via abandonware channels

I still don't know what to make of this item on Amason: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/- … /qid=1138646928. They have a few more in this series listed. Curious, if they don't replace AGI/SCI/SCIW, those are going to be real pain to play for most users. Well, who knows, maybe Vivendi has particularly masochistic customer support department.

DosFreak: That wikipedia page you linked mentions BaK is a protected mode game. I haven't played it recently enough to know whether this is true.