Forgotten Homebrews Part 2: PSP DosBox
Ever wondered what it would be like to time travel? To see how computers were designed (software wise) and performed back then? DosBox allows your PSP to do that. Outdated may mean ‘meaningless’ to some users, but this homebrew has proved that wrong. PSP DOSBOX is a PSP port of the popular MS-DOS emulator. This emulator allows users to run DOS programs and games on their PSPs. While most users may not like the feeling of using such an outdated version of windows, some users are still interested with the whole ‘retro look’ from the dos series. Mind you, the PSP has a limited amount of ram and cpu speed. This means you won’t able to do everything dosbox can, but there are still quite a few things out there you can try out. The PSP 1000 has a 333 mhz max cpu, and 32mb ram, while the slim (2000+) and other variations has a 333mhz cpu and 64mb ram. Thus, depending on which PSP model you are using, the performance will vary. Down below I’ll give you the instructions on running DOS on your PSP.
Installation:
- First download the program from here. http://www.pspdosbox.co.uk/
- Extract the files and just copy over the “PSPDosbox” folder to PSP/GAME.
- Naviage to Dosbox on your PSP, and launch it.
As simple as that. You can also have a look at the compatibility list on that site above.
To experience what DOS is like, you’ll need some DOS programs and games. PSP Dosbox has it’s configuration file (“conf” file) in the Dosbox folder. By default it loads the programs from ms0:/PSP/GAME/dosbox. You can also edit this to suit your needs, and it’ll load programs from that said location.
By default the emulator keys are:
- R => Click left mouse button.
- L => Click right mouse button.
- Pad => move mouse.
- Select => Escape key. (Esc)
- Start => Enter Key.
However you also might want to consider reading this bit that I found from the DOSBox wiki.
It is also advisable to create a bat file to launch your program, as the psp’s buttons are quite limited, and it can be a chore to use it without first setting your keys. To set the keys you use “INPUTMAP PSPKEY keyboard key “. So if you were to, say, map the up key on your psp to the up on the keyboard you would have “INPUTMAP up up”. You can set this up to anything you like, but the default settings are:
INPUTMAP up up/
INPUTMAP right right
INPUTMAP down down
INPUTMAP left left
INPUTMAP triangle d
INPUTMAP square lshift
INPUTMAP cross lctrl
INPUTMAP circle lalt
Once you have everything set up with whatever that floats your boat, copy over your dos programs to the folder pointed out by the configuration file. Okay so I’m not gonna say much after this because I don’t wanna ruin it for you. Go ahead and download windows 95, and 98 or whatever DOS games or apps that you want to try out. Also take note that you can not windows 3.11 on your PSP. A maximum of 10 files can be open at the same time, and the windows 3.11 install needs way more. The best way to get windows 3.11 on your psp (pointed out by the DOS Box wiki) would be to load up the install in dosbox on your computer, install it, and then copy over the windows folder. Windows 95 and 98 also “can” be done this way, but they are extremely slow, not that Win 3.11 isn’t.
I’ll conclude this post by recommending some games might want to take shot at:
Alone It’s a bit slow, but its playable.
Wolfenstein 3D
WarCraft (Recommend setting frameskip to 3)
Crazy Cars
Have fun, and don’t forget to tell us what you think in the comments below 🙂
Sorry there wasn’t much to say about this, the next one will be much better I promise. Can anyone take a guess what the next homebrew might be? I won’t be answering cause you’ll see soon enough 🙂
I’d assume IRshell will be in there somewhere, was amazing in it’s time 😀
Uhh my bad, that was part one back in July
i think it was a nice read! please keep posting articles like this
lets keep the psp alive
1st!
*sits back and grabs the popcorn waiting for the “F**k you!” comments.*
The only reason people might say what you said they would say is because you said they would. Several people have said “first” in the past and they received no vulgar comments. Although, no vulgar comments might be made at both you and I because of what I just said or they might be made but not at you, but at both of us. Yes, let’s wait and see. I covered all possibilities.
Isn’t psychology fun?
Brother, when it takes you over 4 sentences to say nothing, something has got to change.
LMAO
Pathetic…
no! A lot of people (including me ) grew up playing dos games, and appreciate the ability to bring back those memories. Also if you like the challenge of fiddeling arround with configs and getting stuff to work, this is for you! ( i know that’s just another way to say “It can be a pain in the *** to setup”)
Yes the games are outdated but a game of jetpack or commander keen still holds up today!
ARCHON: THE LIGHT AND THE DARK IS BEST GAME DOS LOAL
So funny that you would inevitably have to explain about DOS on a video game website, since the majority of people here are too young to have ever used it.
Actually quite a lot of people do know about DOS. Well the kids these days don’t, but most teenagers around 16+ do.
If you actually tried to explain DOS to a iPhone-tapping Generation Z kid, their head would explode.
Most of the teens my age and over knows what DOS is. But yeah you got a point, exceptif you were to study about computers in school you’d definitely come across DOS at some point
Yeah and as soon as you understand a little about it and its instructions and syntax, you will begin to like it. Its straight, it does what you tell it, if you tell it correctly, not like other OS.
DOS is still one of the mightiest OS out there due to its low level hardware access.
DOS can do things that other and newer OS just can’t.
And if we look at newer OS like win7/8/8.1 there is still a “tiny” fragment of DOS in there, command shell anyone? Its not a real DOS, but comes close to it and still has certain power left in it.
lmao
i have only ever heard of dos i never actually knew what it was till reading this article and i’m 22 -.-
whoops by know I don’t mean like they know how everything about but, just ‘heard of it’.
Uh if you know DOS then you would know it’s not Windows.
“While most users may not like the feeling of using such an outdated version of windows”
Windows started as just a GUI for DOS ya know, The modern NT based Windows versions didn’t start till a bit later and even then they where enterprise only at first.
Opps, should’ve done more research. I was just stating its a part of Microsoft, I didn’t actually mean ‘DOS is Windows’. I know, I know from what I wrote it does say that it’s a version of windows. But yeah, sorry for my mistake.
Well I’m 14 & I know all about DOS. 😛
Especially the crazy vaporwave-loving, aesthetic teens.
I have been using the dosbox turbo on android because all games run 100 percent speed. But I did also really enjoy the psp version back in the day.
old days, some times its nice to remember. back to when win98 was on, programs like norton commander was really useful mostly when windows stops working and u need to back up stuff, fast and simple :). as for games think always worth to mention dune 2, wolfenstein, supaplex and so on. lots of hours spent on those. By the way don’t wanna spam or something but since its about running dos, wanna share video link, some may find it interesting 😀 don’t know how, or even if its real but looks like someone managed to run doom on a printer XD https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLHx3vO7KJM
Doom on a printer OMG I was busting up laughter
XD
what about danzeff osk from controlling games in dos on psp ?
what about running dosbox on vita ?
lol i used to use this all the time. mostly for windows. you can run almost any version up to like 98
Who else remembers PSP Hacking 101’s video on this? A *** classic I tell you, back before Youtube was big:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPsJL0iw3hA
one homebrew i came across, but seems no one cares to mention it. FuSa GamePad. super handy app i have on my psp where it becomes a controller that can be used on pc, ps3, (maybe 360), and just about anything else that can take a usb gamepad
sounds great only i have my DS3’s for that 🙂
I used to use this to play Minesweeper on my PSP
All top dos games have eboots made
Yes but with this you can emulate the original.
I managed to put windows 95 on psvita 3.18 thanks to you
This homebrew works in the Vita exploits? Thank you!! 🙂
I’ve been having issues installing this bad boy. I keep getting a Bus error (instr) screen on all different builds. If anyone has a work around, I’d love to hear it.
Thanks
Same problem here 🙁
Solved.
Edit core=dynamic to core=auto 🙂
Bye