I have a NUMBER of old DOS programming language programs and C++ libraries that I would like to archive and use, e.g., Turbo C++, Turbo Pascal, MASM, LISP, Ada, etc. I bought a new hard drive and formatted 100 MB with FAT and installed MS-DOS 6.22 with no problems. However, I cannot get the programs to install. When I try to install, e.g., Turbo C++ 3.1, the floppy drive will run but NOTHING will happen and I get the "C:\>" prompt back. With other APPLICATIONS, e.g., Microsoft Assembler, the machine will hang. I can look at the directories on the disks and perform other DOS functions. If I try to install MASM from the "A:\>" drive, I get a "Divide overflow" message. The most puzzling thing is that I successfully installed the programs going to the command prompt in Windows XP home edition, and they seem to work in the LIMITED amount I have played with them, but would like to run in DOS (or at least know why it doesn't work). It must be something in the way Windows emulates the 16 bit environment.

My computer is an HP model a1340n, Pentium 4, 3.2 GHz, 2 GB RAM, BIOS ver. 3.03 11/18/05. The hard drive is a Samsung 250 GB SATA. The floppy drive is 3 1/2" with USB connection.

The AUTOEXEC.BAT is:
C:\DOS\SMARTDRV.EXE
@ECHO OFF
PROMPT $P$G
PATH=C:\DOS

The CONFIG.SYS is
DEVICE=C:\DOS\HIMEM.SYS
FILES=30
STACKS=12,256
BUFFERS=30

There are not many things to try in the BIOS: Block (Multi-Sector Tranfer), PIO Mode, DMA Mode, and 32 Bit Data transfer. I have tried every combination without success.

I have tried installing "MO-SLO", a program to slow down DOS applications, but this does not affect anything.

I have tried copying the files from the installation under the Windows XP cmd prompt installation to a floppy disk and then copying them to the hard drive. The copying is successful, but the programs will not run.

Initially, I used PartitionMagic 8.0 to create DOS 6.22 and Windows XP partitions. When I was not able to install the DOS programs, I though it might have something to do with the partitioning or booting up process, so I bought a new hard drive just for DOS.

I was able to install a GENUS GRAPHICS library with no trouble.

I have tried connecting the hard drive with DOS installed to a Gateway 3.0 MHz Pentium 4 machine. It was able to install the first Turbo C++ disk but did not recognize additional disks as correct.

If anybody has any suggestions, I would love to hear them.