Hacking Windows Functionality

I'm sick of Windows Millenium, it came with my computer.. (now I have to customize it). I like Linux... not to sure about Unix... I despise Windows.. but it is usually the only OS to offer everything I want to do... I'm a big PC gamer.. so I was wondering if I could alter the code to allow me to play popular games like Baldur's Gate II, or Diablo II.. Can someone give me a rundown on how I can change the functions of some OS's and which would give me the best features and customizing options, whether official, or hacked? Thanks.

As far as I know, there is no way to "alter" Linux to play games that are intended for Windows. You can, however, find ports of popular games for Linux -- check out linuxgames.com or Loki games. The first is a news site, the second is an actual manufacturer.

You could always dual-boot Linux and a version of Windows.

Good luck...

Either run a dual-boot, or try out WINE, (WINE Is Not an Emulator). I know one guy who got Tribes 1 (windows 3d first person shooter game) working on *nix with it. Pretty cool.

The big problem is DirectX - WINE tries to convert the DirectX calls to the equivalent Linux video calls. It does an amazing job considering the complexity of some of the games. Go to http://www.winehq.com/ and look at the application database - users all over the place try to get different Windows apps to work and then write on their success. Search for some of the games you want to play.

As far as coding something to get it to work yourself, there isn't much of a chance of that - you had better be up for a challenge because it is some pretty interesting programming. DirectX is closed - that is, Microsoft tells game developers what functions do, but they don't give them the source. WINE and other projects like SAMBA have a difficult job because it is a continuous trial and error process to get things to work exactly as Windows works.

Thanks for they help, I really would rather not partition my drive to install several OS's.. The Linux applications like "Wine" seem to make up for the loss of gameplay.. Maybe I can finally get rid of Windows and get something worthwhile.. Once again, thanks for the replies.

If you don't want to partition off your drive for a new operating system, try installing Windows 2000. It's far better than the 9x series can ever hope to be. If you do a normal install with another operating system already on, it will set up for a dual-boot automatically. This way, you have a good, stable, and secure operating system for general use, and you will only have to put up with Windows ME for games.

By the way, some of those games probably work with Windows 2000. :p

I am interested in the dual-boot system. I also spend time playing games. I have partitioned my H/D so I have 15Gig empty (should be good ):rolleyes:

remember not to enable large disk support.....that'll knock your Win partition down to 2GB......i run Win98 dualboot with RH 7.1.......nice......win is the default......get a splash screen to choose......that way.....i can play starcraft and thief....while brushing up on *nix.....

one question.....i have a winmodem......that's software......need a hardware.......33.6 or 56k compat with linux?

_______________________________________
"if the world didn't suck, we'd all fall off.."
:rolleyes:

Partitioning one drive for multiple OS's kinda sucks... because then your stuck with those proportions...

There's no reason to not enable large drive support, you can select what size partition you want.

I installed Linux on a seperate drive, and use LILO to choose,
it works exactly the same, but if you have more then 1 drive, its a way better alternative... that way, if my windows drive crashes, ill still have linux, and vice versa. It also means that you can take out your windows drive if you want to use it in another computer.

Quote:

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i have a winmodem......that's software......need a hardware.......33.6 or 56k compat with linux?

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You cant set up any winmodem for linux.
You need a real modem.

You can us pnp isa or pci stuff, but its way more of a pain.

I'd suggest finding yourself a nice isa 56k modem with all kinds of jumpers on it...

That's where im at right now... so many modems... and they all suck...

I finally found a pnp isa modem that was a real modem,
and then i found out that isapnp doesnt work with pct388 chipsets.... that the only chipset that's in the man pages to not work... and low and behold... what's my chipset... a pct388...

One of my other modems that should work has closed source... yeah... big top-secret modem drivers...

goddamn...
I hate crappy modems...

-8trak

If you partition a hard drive it is not stuck like that permently. All you have to do is boot up to a Windows boot disk and type "fdisk". Tell it to delete all partitions and create one or more partitions. Then restart and then format and you have it changed. And now you can install whatever you like. :D

Whatever you do get rid of WinME.

Win2K is cool but if your like me and turn on and off your computer everyday then Win2K sucks, it takes a long time to load. WinXP seems alright but its just a nuetered version of Win2k and loads quickly.

I have Win98 SE on one partition and Linux Redhat on the other.
I use Partition Magic.

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Quote:

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If you partition a hard drive it is not stuck like that permently. All you have to do is boot up to a Windows boot disk and type "fdisk". Tell it to delete all partitions and create one or more partitions. Then restart and then format and you have it changed.

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hahaha,
well, i didnt mean that it ruined the drive or somthing,
haha... thats great...

I meant without losing your data.

I dont know if you've ever set up a linux system...
But re-partitioning, re-formatting and losing all my data
would suck soooo bad....

It's not so bad with a windows system... but still... it takes a while to get the feel back to a gui.

Re-formatting sucks...

I only re-formatted my box against my will once...
And that had to do with a motherboard failure,

My old motherboard had a Phoenix bios, and I dont know what mode it used for my drive... but it sure as hell wasnt LBA... And it wasnt large either...

I ended up editing my partition table with diskedit,
And got access to my data again...
but that confused LILO to a great extent.

I ended up re-partitioning and re-formatting.
Luckily, it was my windows drive that was effected.
I had to set up windows again, but for linux, all i had to do
was run LILO...

If linux was on the same drive...
It would have been ALOT more setting up to do.

That's my story.
The moral of this story is this:

Put linux on its own drive!
haha... otherwise you might be... stuck!

hahaha....

-8trak

Quote:

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Originally posted by explotion
Whatever you do get rid of WinME.

Win2K is cool but if your like me and turn on and off your computer everyday then Win2K sucks, it takes a long time to load. WinXP seems alright but its just a nuetered version of Win2k and loads quickly.

I have Win98 SE on one partition and Linux Redhat on the other.
I use Partition Magic.

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I've never hear of it described like that.. I'll be sure to make fun of my XP friends as neutered... hehe.. as for redhat.. what can/can't you do with it? I'm familiar with it vaguely, as I've never installed it on my own comp to play around with it.. but I'm very interested in getting started.. and Partition Magic? Is that a d/l utility?

=]: ~®¥ÅÑ~

As far as i know partition magic is not downloadable...
But you can do everything with fdisk anyways...

RedHat is just like any other distribution of linux.

Personally I have Win98SE on one drive, SuSE Linux on another.

-8trak

As far as XP being 'neutered'

While it may be a relatively small OS, it has drivers included in it to do about anything you need to. Burning media, playing dvd's, networking, etc.

While I'm not a big fan of 'wizard$', XP is very adaptable.

Besides, it runs win9x and nt apps equally well. They finally caught on at Mickey$oft that it was a good idea.

:rolleyes:

yup.....my presumptousness cost my mp3s.......lost em all......wasn't too happy.....shure i had dualboot......but i spent many o' nite d/l them again........

i don't have any isa slots on my spacewalker (shuttle) board.......is there a good compat modem for pci that runs with RH 7?

:rolleyes: :confused:

javaboy said:

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i don't have any isa slots on my spacewalker (shuttle) board.......is there a good compat modem for pci that runs with RH 7?

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YES!!!!
We use an ActionTec PCI 56k v.90 Call Waiting modem. It's great. Once you put it in all you have to do is check the information on it via the instructions and do a setserial. We have call waiting and the modem rings when someone tries to call us while we are on line. We have a 7 - 10 second window to see if it is important or not before the modem disconnects from the internet. We got it from Circuit City, but we have seen it at Wal-Mart, as well. Hope this helps.
Happy Hacking

Okay, so it has become important to install linux on a seperate HD.. how large does this have to be? Hehe.. I have a couple of leftover HDs.. But they aren't very large.. Also, what are the different versions of linux? What do they do? And what about unix? Also....If I install linux on a seperate drive as... insisted.. I still have a rather large.... HD.. for the windows.. can I partition that one, and just install 2k and 98se, and then have linux.. whichever version I decide on after looking into them... on the other HD? Also.. What do the different linux OS's cost.. and can I d/l them for free anywhere?

You're only a fool if you do not ask.
=]: TeKRoMaNCeR

do a search in Google for.......slackware, Red Hat, Suse, Mandrake......and openbsd.....if you want some windows on your linux....winlinux(spelling?)

most importantly.....it won't cost you time....jes some bandwidth....ftp sites......

as for you gaxprels......indebted to thou I am.....

:o