I can't play Lemmings 2

[Minim]

I tried to download and play the Lemmings 2 game on the DOS. However: I received the following message, preventing me from playing:

An application has attempted to directly access the hard disk, which cannot be supported. This may cause the application to function incorrectly. Choose 'Close' to terminate the application.

I tried to extract the files and switch my colour resolution to 16 bit as the header says "16 bit MS-DOS Subsystem" as well, but still, I get this message. Could anyone help me understand what I'm doing wrong?

[ccexplore]

As far as I know, there are only 2 working ways to run Lemmings 2:
   1) directly on DOS (as in, you boot to DOS and run the game.  Running it directly in Windows doesn't count.)
   2) using http://www.dosbox.com/" class="bbc_link" target="_blank">DOSBox and a patched version of Lemmings 2.  (in case you haven't used it before, "DOSBox" is not DOS on Windows, it is an actual separate emulator you need to download from the given link.)

I strongly suggest method #2.  You can get the patched version of Lemmings 2 from abandonia.com.  Enter "L2-fix" instead of "L2" to run the patched version of Lemmings 2 in DOSBox.  If you run the unpatched version you'll hit problems like inability to save/load games, play more than 1 level, etc.

I tried to extract the files and switch my colour resolution to 16 bit as the header says "16 bit MS-DOS Subsystem" as well, but still, I get this message.

You can go ahead and switch color back to 32-bit as the "16 bit" has nothing whatsoever to do with color.

[Minim]

OK. I've understood most of what you said. The exception is where do you type the L2-fix? On the DOSBox or on the Lemmings 2 folder?

[ccexplore]

Here's a quick primer on how to run programs in DOSBox:

1) launch DOSBox.  You'll end up seeing a window that looks kinda like DOS, but with a "Z:>" prompt instead.

2) type (without quotes) "mount c c:\" in that window and press ENTER.  This basically allows DOSBox to see the c driver (replace "c" with some other letter of your choice if your computer uses something else for the system drive).

3) type (without quotes) "c:" and press ENTER.  You've now switch the current drive in DOSBox to c:  You'll notice that the prompt now reads "C:>".

4) type (without quotes) "cd <folder>" and press ENTER.  You've now switch the current working folder in DOSBox to the folder where the program you want to run is located at.  The prompt should also be updated to the full path of the folder you switched to.

For example, supposed you put Lemmings 2 in a "L2" folder under your c drive.  Then you should enter in the command in DOSBOX as "cd c:\L2" to switch to said folder.  You should see the DOSBox prompt changed to reading "c:\L2>".

Try to keep all folders in the path under 8 letters, renaming stuff if you need to.  Because DOSBox emulates real DOS, and real DOS do not support file and folder names longer than 8 letters.  This is why my example suppose you have Lemmings 2 in "L2" folder rather than "Lemmings2", the latter being too long (9 letters).

5) finally, type the name of the program you want to run and press ENTER.  This is where "l2-fix" comes in.  The unpatched version of the program was named "L2.EXE" but you don't want to run that.  The patched version from abandonia.com has an "L2-FIX.COM" program file which is the one you want to run in DOSBox, and you do so by entering "L2-fix" after completing the previous four steps above.

[Minim]

I'm almost there. It seems like I can't get it to work on the hard disk drives. I'll keep trying.
I'll try running it off a compact disc...

[Simon]

If you really want to run it natively: L2 is very picky about the file system. IIRC, you need the very first HDD partition to be primary and FAT16 formatted, and run it from there.

Use Dosbox. Either do what cc said, or give the full filename of L2-FIX as an argument to the Dosbox executable.

-- Simon

[ccexplore]

I'm almost there. It seems like I can't get it to work on the hard disk drives. I'll keep trying.

Why don't you post a screenshot of the DOSBox window just before you entered "L2-fix", and also a screenshot of what happens afterwards?  I think from the 2 screenshots I should be able to tell you what you did wrong.

[Minim]

I'm almost there. It seems like I can't get it to work on the hard disk drives. I'll keep trying.

Why don't you post a screenshot of the DOSBox window just before you entered "L2-fix", and also a screenshot of what happens afterwards?  I think from the 2 screenshots I should be able to tell you what you did wrong.

OK then. Here are the two errors I screenshotted. I decided to paste both of them into one image.

[Simon]

What's the exact procedure you were following that led to the errors?

I still have the hunch that you aren't running it in Dosbox. The Windows command prompt and even true DOS without proper HDD formatting won't run L2. The errors look like those I got when I tried these methods myself 7 years ago -- especially the unfound file. Dosbox should run L2 with no problems instead, unless you have changed a lot of Dosbox' configs.

-- Simon

[Minim]

I know what has happened. http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/wink.gif" alt=";)" title="Wink" class="smiley" /> I was missing a couple of folders in relation to the L2 file. I re-downloaded Lemmings 2 and finally managed to get it working! http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/laugh.gif" alt=":D" title="Laugh" class="smiley" /> Thanks to both of you for the advice you sent to me.

Edit: I also got past another problem of the "can't get past the first level" bit. http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/cool.gif" alt="8)" title="Cool" class="smiley" /> Luckily, I found this thread and read it carefully. The "other" mistake I made was that I renamed the L2 file into the L2-fix file, assuming it would sort the problem out itself.