>>>>Not sure I understand "... setting the properties of the exe as a file" or "... on the Misc tab"
>>>
>>>Rightclick the exe and select properties from the dropdown. You'll find it there.
>>
>>Oh, OK, yes. Believe it or not this is one of the 1st times I've had occasion/need to look at such for a DOS app. I'd checked the props of general Windows app icons on my PC and not found the tab.
>>
>>Looking at that I noticed the Compatibility tab and wondered whether it might be worth setting the compat. mode combo to an earlier version of Windows, given that the system was designed back in W95 but has been lately installed fresh to an XP laptop (i.e. no history of an earlier OS on this computer).
>>
>>What do you think? The guy will be visiting us soon with his laptop and I want to be armed with as many tricks/tips/straws to clutch at as I can. :-)
>
>I've tried some of these settings over the years because of a couple of old DOS games that I still like to play. BlockOut (3D tetris) still works... well, it worked until I got this new video card, and it actually still works but it switches video modes after every key, so it's unplayable. That's how I got into that :).
>
>Can't he send you the thing to try on your own before he comes? I mean, how big can a DOS app be, couple of megs? Then you'd have a chance to be an expert in the matter when he brings the laptop.

Well hell, WE wrote the system, it runs on XP m/cs here, it runs on other XPs for other customers. As you know, you can never fully simulate the other person's performance (e.g. given your example of a new graphics card) unless you have an identical m/c in every way. Some of the suggestions from this thread bear no resemblance to what's on my m/c but could be on his.

Anyway, HE's happy to come :-)