windows XP DOS Limited

Hi

I have been reading a few sections on this forum about 'assembler' language.
Its always a bit hard for me to grasp but I am determined to learn it.

The latest problem I have come up with is when I use examples in DOS , it locks up.
I read that XP DOS (the simulated DOS), does not allow you to manipulate register bits.

Im guessing this is why it kind of 'locks' up.

I have tried both versions of DOS on the computer (the one that supports long names and the older one), with the same result.

I also realise that as a novice I could crash my system using real DOS.

I have MASM which has an protection for code errors built in.

Which I will use , but after using HTML text editiors the command line is fun.

Does anyone have any ideas and advice on if I could or should try to install a DOS program that allows this or just skip this type of thing in DOS and use MASM.

Cheers

A novice trying assembler.... Maybe you should try learning your OS before you try programming it. And what exactly does this have to do with security? You posted it to a security question part of this forum, and it's programming and DOS...

you may have a few replys to this with words of incouragement, but don't let them lie to you, Assmebler and novice aren't even supposed to be in the same sentence.

As gore suggested, I have moved your thread to where you may get some more, and more prompt answers :)

I would suggest that if you want to get into ASM (assembler language) you should either get an old machine running Win 98Se or ME. Or you look at dual booting.

Win 2000 and XP do not really support ASM development environments ;)

Cheers

Thanks
thats all i needed to know.

thanks for the replys

It does help somtime for me to get a bit of direction here and there from people who know.

cheers

Quote:

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The latest problem I have come up with is when I use examples in DOS , it locks up.
I read that XP DOS (the simulated DOS), does not allow you to manipulate register bits.

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Altough Windows (NT and above) command prompt isnt a "dos prompt", you can think that command prompt is similar to "Dos Protect Mode". So you cant change or even observe some registers and/or some storage arear, nor access directly I/O hardware.

I advise you to try your ASM programs on a Dos environment. (MS-DOS)

As cacosapo correctly stated.. some registers are "off limits" for "user space" programs.. So I'm wondering which registers dan_in_au is manipulating that would cause the command shell (or is it XP itself?) to lock up.. Wouldn't NT (and above) just generate an exception?

You should be able to write assembler progs in the XP
dos window, if you are sticking to the 8086 instruction
set, and don't attempt any direct disk access.

examples