DOSEMU
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DOSEMU, alternatively rendered dosemu, is a compatibility layer software package that enables MS-DOS software to run under Linux on x86-based PCs (IBM PC compatible computers).
It uses a combination of hardware virtualization features and strategic emulation. It is thus able to achieve nearly native speed for 8086-compatible DOS operating systems and applications on IA-32 compatible processors, and for 32-bit DPMI applications on IA-32 compatible processors as well as on 64-bit IA-32e processors. (8086 virtualization is not available in IA-32e's 64-bit mode, so DOSEMU includes an 8086 processor emulator for use with 16-bit applications.)
From the dosemu HOWTO:
DOSEMU is an option for people who need or want to continue to use their old DOS software. To quote the manual, "dosemu" is a user-level program which uses certain special features of the Linux kernel and the 80386 processor to run MS-DOS/FreeDOS/DR-DOS in what people in the biz call a `DOS box.' The DOS box, a combination of hardware and software trickery, has these capabilities:
- the ability to virtualize all input/output and processor control instructions
- the ability to support the word size and addressing modes of the iAPX86 processor family's "real mode," while still running within the full protected mode environment
- the ability to trap all DOS and BIOS system calls and emulate such calls as are necessary for proper operation and good performance
- the ability to simulate a hardware environment over which DOS programs are accustomed to having control.
- the ability to provide DOS services through native Linux services; for example, dosemu can provide a virtual hard disk drive which is actually a Linux directory hierarchy.
