DBASEIV - DOS on XP system

by genewise Jun 8, 2006 9:21PM PDT

I've been using DBASE for 20+ years and have lots of applications on my WIN98 desktop computer. I copied all files to my HP Pavillion Media Center 3500+ computer, running XP Media Edition, using parallel crossover cable. When I try to open the program, I get a DOS window saying [Inactive dBASE IV version 1.5] across the top and what appears to be my serial # in the middle and copyright info. from Borland International below that. Sometimes it shows "control file dbase415.acc not found" but that file is a 96 byte file in the same folder as the execution files.
I have the original disks, but they are 5 1/4" floppies dated March 1992, I believe, and this new computer doesn't have any floppy drives. I absent-mindedly junked my only computer with a 5 1/4" drive last year.
Can I make this program work on the new computer?

Discussion is locked

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This is likely to happen.

by r. proffitt Forum moderator Jun 9, 2006 12:41AM PDT

But I'll pass on the particulars and offer this link.

http://www.webservertalk.com/message1037058.html

In the last post there, David notes he has posted about this before.

This and Google.com finds other similar discussions, fixes, etc. I, as a rule don't duplicate that information but point at it, and suggest a little research.

My old dBase work migrated to Clipper which hung in for a decade and then they moved on to other solutions. But I know the fun issues with Windows.

Bob

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using dbase-iv on xp plotform

by manju-udupa May 15, 2010 12:08AM PDT

I have changed my pc from win-98 to win-xp, copied dbase-iv to new pc
while generating reports i got the msg "file already open"

pl help me

man-udpa

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FOUR YEARS AGO.

by r. proffitt Forum moderator May 15, 2010 12:14AM PDT

You may want to not post a new question to old posts. But to lead off this issue is DISCUSSED. Please see what you find with google.com

And you can't reliably COPY DBASE IV from to machines. I found very odd failures unless I INSTALLED IT ON THE NEW MACHINE.
Bob

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Not the OS...

by ramusson Jun 5, 2010 8:25PM PDT

My experience with dBaseIV Version 2.0 is different. I think Win XP SP2 can run dBase4. Its the Hardware and the CPU that might cause trouble.

I have upgraded my hardware to a MSI motherboard with a AMD Athlon II processor and I get a response " The NIVDM CPU has encountered an illegal instruction ...." when trying to run dBase4.

I have tried dBase4 on various computers running Win XP SP2. On some it runs fine, on others it aborts giving some error message.

Ramesh

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Say.

by r. proffitt Forum moderator Jun 5, 2010 10:13PM PDT

Did you want to discuss this one? It sounds like the old "too fast a CPU for dBASE IV" issue. Do you remember that one? Did you keep a copy of that patch for this?

Burrowing a post with no question in some old discussion means you are not asking for help. Think about it.
Bob

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using dbase IV on xp

by viewmont Aug 11, 2010 6:50AM PDT

I have the same msg as the previous posting. "File already open"
It appears to be a dbase msg rather than a windows msg. Are there settings I can change in windows or dbase to alleviate the problem?

Computer profile is:
Windows XP Pro; version 2002; Service Pack 3.
Pentium 4; 1500 mhz; 1.48Ghz; 128 Mb ram

Is there a solution or I go back to earlier version of Windows...
it works fine on my Windows ME computer

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Pentium 4; 1500 mhz; 1.48Ghz; 128 Mb ram

by r. proffitt Forum moderator Aug 11, 2010 7:21AM PDT

That's low on ram but not a cause.

Did you try DOSBOX?

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See if you can install Windows 98 ...

by Kees Bakker May 15, 2010 7:16AM PDT

in a virtual machine under XP and get that old program running there.

Kees

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Just for info

by ramusson Aug 15, 2010 2:36PM PDT

In my case, I had to run a Dos Virtual machine under Win XP to overcome the problem. It would not run under VM Win98!

Ramesh

DBASEIV - DOS on XP system

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