Lemmings Forums

here is a screenshot of my Lemmings DOS folders.

note:  I have already set up virtual C mount correctly. It says so anyway.
When I use DOS box I type (after c: ) Lemmings2\L2.exe  The folder names are correct. It says Illegal command.
I don't understand because Lemmings 1 loads up fine that way. Lemmings 1 doesn't work either however, after the PC compatibility selection screen the game crashes. It says; failure to load.

(I have windows 7 and pretty sure I got the correct version of DOS box)

When I use DOS box I type (after c: ) Lemmings2\L2.exe  The folder names are correct. It says Illegal command.

DOSBox emulates DOS, which never supported filenames or directory names longer than 8 letters (longer filename support did not come until Windows 95).  Rename your "Lemmings2" folder to something shorter like L2 or Lem2, and you shouldn't run into this problem.

As for Lemmings 1, try the copy on abandonia.com.  Where did you get your copy from btw?

thanks!
I don't remember exactly where I got that one, a site with a dark blue background I think...
I'll try Abandonia thanx

I've been trying to install Lemmings 2 now. That worked but now I'm facing the next problem. First simply entering folder\L2.exe doesn't work, which makes sense;; I need to install it.

So I entered the install.exe and install screen came up. I don't know which soundcard to select, mine isn't on there anyway, and after the installation options (the screens are colored) it goes back to black and says;
Lemmings 2 NOT installed
L2.INI preferences file modified,
Change directory to C:\Lem2\
Then type 'L2' to play

  Everything is already in 'C':\Lem2\
Nothing else works after that.

[btw, entering L2.exe (both before AND after I "installed") brings up:

"Lemmings 2 loading... copyright etc...
xxxx bytes free in expanded memory
xxxx etc.
...then nothing and new prompt.
[and nothing after that works]

Remove write protection from all files if present. (From outside Dosbox.)

Try to install into a new directory, then run it from there.

Sound card: Use Soundblaster or Soundblaster 16. Go with the Dosbox default, address 220, IRQ 7, DMA 1.

-- Simon

"Lemmings 2 loading... copyright etc...
xxxx bytes free in expanded memory
xxxx etc.
...then nothing and new prompt.
[and nothing after that works]

I also got my copy of Lemmings 2 from abandonia.com, which at least gets you into the game when you run it in DOSBox, which is apparently more than we can say of your copy.  That copy comes with a "L2-fix.com" program, which does a sort of patching to make the game work better (IIRC, if you don't use L2-fix, loading and saving games don't work properly).  Go get that copy of the game from abandonia.com and run L2-fix instead of L2, and see if you get better results or not.

thanks for the help, but nothing worked at all.
I can't get L1, Oh no, or L2 to work.

If I enter in the L2-....com fix thing it just brings up a "made by somebdy..." message. and nothing. Typing anything after that brings up: "<<< EXEC ERROR >>>"


does any of what I went through sound familiar? I mean do you do the same thing and it works or is my computer doing something different? Because it was always like this for me-- it's why I haven't used DOS box. Doing something different works for a minute but eventually runs into another problem.

Okay, I figure out what you're doing wrong.

You must first change the current directory to the folder containing your game files, and then run your program from there, otherwise the game is not smart enough to work out where the files are and will lead to the problems you see.

To change current directory in DOSBox (and real DOS for that matter), use the "cd" command after you change drive.  So for example, if Lemmings 2 was installed in c:\lem2, instead of trying to directly run the EXE via command "lem2\L2.exe", please first execute command "cd lem2" to change directory to "lem2", then just run the EXE via command "L2.exe".  The same applies whether you are trying to run L2-fix or one of the other DOS Lemmings games.

does any of what I went through sound familiar?

Incidentally, try visiting the DOSBox website and find a FAQ section or similar.  I strongly suspect that there are enough people out there making similar mistakes as you did, that the website probably has something that covers the proper way to run a game.  The mistakes you've made are entirely understandable for someone who hadn't use DOS before.

  thank you, thank you finally got it working.

I think I did visit the website a long time ago and it wasn't helpful but that could've changed by now obviously. It depends on who's there I guess, what I remember is a forum so...

(also in the instruction that come with DOSbox, it doesn't mention that last step. At least in the one I read)

I think I did visit the website a long time ago and it wasn't helpful

To be fair I have no idea how helpful that website would be, I was kinda hoping yours would be a common mistake but guess not.  Maybe it just means that most people who uses DOSBox to run necessarily old games, are us old farts who still actually remember what it's like to use DOS.