# Scrambled DOS Screen



## TheFanatic (Apr 5, 2002)

One of the PC's I have hear at work deals with the Accounts Receivables via a DOS based data base. I log in fine and can do my thing, but if I go back to Windows to check email, surf the web, etc., sometimes when I go back to Accounts Receivables, the DOS screen is scrambled with what looks like the text on the screen overlapped upon itself a few hundred times, covering the entire screen. It almost looks like a black and white "hounds tooth" fabric design. I have to close the DOS screen and re-enter, thus losing all unsaved work. Any ideas?


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## MacFromOK (Mar 19, 2001)

What OS (windows version) do you have?

Is there a particular Windows app you're running
when the DOS box messes up (IE, Netscape, etc.)?

Also, is the machine re-booted on a regular basis?

Cheers, Mac


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## TheFanatic (Apr 5, 2002)

Here's a little background....It's an HP Brio machine with a Celeron Processor and 56 meg of RAM.T he machine is rebooted daily. I have Windows 98 2nd Ed as my OS and it doesn't matter what program I use to scramble the screen. I merely have to leave the DOS screen and return again to set it off. Exiting the program and returning sometimes fixes the problem, and sometimes it doesn't.

A new version of the problem surfaced today. Instead of the whole screen being scrambled, just the border and big letters of the intro to the program were scrambled. In fact they were scrambled, but retained their same shape, color and design.


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## MacFromOK (Mar 19, 2001)

I've never had this problem with Win95, so I
may not be much help to ya. Here's a thought
or two though...

If you're running the DOS box as a window, I'd
try running it as full screen (MSDOS properties),
or vice versa. Also, I'd try opening the DOS box
and running the DOS program from the command
line instead of a direct shortcut.

Unfortunately it can depend on the DOS program
itself as to how compatible it is to a DOS box in
Windows, and even what video card you have
could make a difference.

I'm just guessing here, hopefully someone else
has some better ideas.

Cheers, Mac


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## TheFanatic (Apr 5, 2002)

I appreciate help, but the advice didn't solve the problem. When this whole thing started I had the sinking suspision that the problem lies either in the DOS program itself or the Video Card, or both. So we agree on that one. If you, or anyone else, has any ideas, I'm all ears (or eyes considering the form of communication).


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## Rockn (Jul 29, 2001)

I would suspect the video card or the driver. Try changing your display adapter to a generic 800x600 VGA driver and see what results you get. Maybe there is some graphics acceleration that is messing up in DOS. If there is a way to run the program from DOS, bypassing Windoze entirely, give that a try too.


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## TheFanatic (Apr 5, 2002)

Bypassing Windows entirely isn't really an option. I have to multitask all the time, so I have to use Windows. I put it in 800 X 600, with no effect. Although I believe I noticed a new wrinkle. It only seems to do it when I'm in Windows and I get a pop-up notification that I have a new email. The pop up notification is rather handy since I get a lot of work via my email. Anyway of rectifying this issue without getting rid of the pop-up?


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## MacFromOK (Mar 19, 2001)

You might try another email program (such as Eudora, etc.)...


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## TheFanatic (Apr 5, 2002)

That's not really an option. I have to use Outlook since it's the company provided software.


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## mole (Aug 24, 1999)

I think its the video card or driver also. Run the DOS app from the command prompt (Windows DOS) while Windows is running your other applications. 

Try these:

1) Hit Alt+Enter to move from full screen to windowed screen or vice-versa. That might force the screen to be redrawn.

2) Exit the DOS application, but not the Windows DOS session. Try typing "mode co80" and see if that restores a viewable screen when you restart the application.

I have my doubts as to these things working, I've seen this happen before. In some cases doing as Rockn suggested with teh VGS settings will help, but apparently not in your case.

If all else fails, try cancelling the pop-up notifications and check your email more frequently manually.


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## cpuhack.com (Apr 25, 2002)

Here's one out of way left field...;-)

Try running a DOS VESA driver before launching your application. If you're using Win98, you can install the appropriate VESA driver in your AUTOEXEC.BAT. Or, create a batch file for your DOS app. and include a command line to launch the VESA driver. I remember running into these kinds of problems with DOS apps on Win95 beta's...(I was a slow Windows convert).

Now, the tricky part is...finding a VESA driver for your video card. HP Brio's probably have some late model ATI driver. Try searching the net for a generic VESA driver.

Best of luck!

-AMG


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## cpuhack.com (Apr 25, 2002)

OK, if you don't have any luck finding a VESA driver, try to find an app. called "Display Doctor". It's a few years old...but...it may be easier to locate than a 10 year old VESA driver. 

-AMG


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## MacFromOK (Mar 19, 2001)

________________________________________________
VESA is old technology, and the video cards plugged
into a special VESA slot which was different from ISA,
PCI, or AGP (I've had a couple of 'em on 486s - a WD
and a Cirrus).

I wouldn't recommend using drivers that aren't
specifically designed for your video card...

Cheers, Mac


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## cpuhack.com (Apr 25, 2002)

Yes, but I wasn't referring to video drivers needed for video cards that reside in a VESA slot. There were (back in the DOS days) "VESA drivers" (many people got them confused with the slots).

A DOS TSR display driver (i.e. the VESA driver) is going to cause you little trouble if it doesn't work right. Just close the DOS session and the problems are gone. The reasoning for my second post is...Display Doctor is a more guided way of finding and installing the appropriate VESA driver for a machine.

FYI, I don't think HP releases DOS video drivers for their Brio line.

-AMG


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## MacFromOK (Mar 19, 2001)

_________________________________________________
Sorry cpuhack, it was late and I was thinking specific
card drivers...

In fact I still have a copy of UNIVESA.EXE that shipped
with some DOS games, and it works fine in a DOS box
under Windows 95 (it's even required for some games
that did NOT need it in DOS...). I load it from a batch
that also starts the game.

However, if Fanatic's DOS program will load and run for
a while, why would ya think it needs it? My old games
that require one won't even load properly without it...

Cheers, Mac


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## cpuhack.com (Apr 25, 2002)

Hey, don't apologize dude! Nothing wrong with speaking your mind.

From what I remember, UNIVESA.EXE was *the* universal VESA driver of choice. Display Doctor was a decent solution too a few years back.

I remember running into this same problem with a DOS app. on a comrades Toshiba notebook running Win95. In his case, the addition of a VESA driver (using Display Doctor) in the DOS session stabilized the situation. If the problem isn't in the DOS session, an update of DirectX may be a good try to...(could be a DirectDraw problem).

-AMG


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## MacFromOK (Mar 19, 2001)

__________________________________________________
OK, here's a link to download UNIVESA.EXE in a zipped
file with documentation.

http://www.animatedsoftware.com/ftp/p11/uvesa32.zip

I downloaded and virus scanned it, and checked it (with
DOS FC) to confirm it's the same file I currently use.

I recommend loading it for each program session in a DOS
box (from a batch file which will load it and open the DOS
program). This way it unloads when the DOS box is closed.
If ya do it from AUTOEXEC.BAT, it will remain loaded all the
time. There is no /u switch to manually remove it from
memory.

Cheers, Mac 

[EDIT]
In case you don't know how to do this:

1. Copy UNIVESA.EXE to C:\Windows\Command folder.

2. In a text editor, type the following:

@ECHO OFF
univesa.exe

3. Add your DOS program path\filename.exe as the 3rd line
in the text editor. Enclose long filenames in quotes.
Example: "C:\Program Files\DosApp\ProgramName.exe"

4. Save the text file as [your DOS program name].BAT
Example: DosProg.bat

5. Create a link to the batch file, you're done.


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