Hello everybody!

I've been running 16 bit bbs doors on my Windows 11 Pro 64 bit system for 2-3 years now, and just setup a new PC that came with Windows 11pro 64bit again. I thought I'd share my process to get it working.

REQUIRED FIRST STEP (DO THIS BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE)
Follow this guide completely BEFORE installing NTVDMx64 or making any other changes:
https://peter0x44.github.io/posts/windows11-legacy-console/

This step forces Windows back to the correct console environment. If you skip this or do it later,
NTVDMx64 may fail with errors such as 4001h.
Remaining Setup Steps (in order)
1 Enable Developer Mode (Settings Privacy & Security For Developers)
2 Install NTVDMx64 AFTER completing Step 0
3 Disable Memory Integrity (Core Isolation)
4 Disable Hyper-V / Virtual Machine Platform (if enabled)
5 Reboot system
Testing
1 Run: edit.com
2 Run: command.com
3 Run: your DOS application (example: lord.exe)
4 Expected: no 4001h error
Troubleshooting
1 4001h error Step 0 was not completed first
2 Program closes instantly run manually in CMD
3 Works on one PC but not another console settings mismatch
4 No output ensure Windows Console Host is active
Important Notes
1 This setup is not officially supported
2 Windows updates may break compatibility
3 Keep backups of your system
4 Use DOSBox-X or DOSEMU2 as fallback if needed


RickV

--- SBBSecho 3.37-Win32
* Origin: Live Wire BBS [livewirebbs.com:1025] (1:154/110)

To: Sabre
Re: Running 16bit Doors on Windows 11 Pro 64bit setup
By: Sabre to All on Wed Apr 01 2026 04:33 pm

From Newsgroup: FidoNet.DOORGAMES

Hello everybody!

I've been running 16 bit bbs doors on my Windows 11 Pro 64 bit system
for 2-3 years now, and just setup a new PC that came with Windows
11pro 64bit again. I thought I'd share my process to get it working.

REQUIRED FIRST STEP (DO THIS BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE) Follow this guide completely BEFORE installing NTVDMx64 or making any other changes: https://peter0x44.github.io/posts/windows11-legacy-console/

This step forces Windows back to the correct console environment.
If you skip this or do it later, NTVDMx64 may fail with errors
such as 4001h. Remaining Setup Steps (in order) 1 Enable Developer

dont you think it would be better to run a 32bit windows os in a vm instead?

i just feel safer doing that because a software update or whatever could
break that ntvmd hack


--
"Before using Wildcat....This Company did not have a convenient way of
looking after some of the richest clients in the world...Now we do!"


President of BBS Sysop's Union +++ https://bbses.info/union
--- SBBSecho 3.11-Win32
* Origin: *The Gate BBS*Shelby, NC USA*thegateb.synchro.net* (1:3634/27)

Hello Jas!

17 Jul 70 03:45, you wrote to me:

To: Sabre
Re: Running 16bit Doors on Windows 11 Pro 64bit setup
By: Sabre to All on Wed Apr 01 2026 04:33 pm

From Newsgroup: FidoNet.DOORGAMES

Hello everybody!

I've been running 16 bit bbs doors on my Windows 11 Pro 64 bit
system for 2-3 years now, and just setup a new PC that came with
Windows 11pro 64bit again. I thought I'd share my process to get it
working.

REQUIRED FIRST STEP (DO THIS BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE) Follow this
guide completely BEFORE installing NTVDMx64 or making any other
changes:
https://peter0x44.github.io/posts/windows11-legacy-console/

This step forces Windows back to the correct console environment.
If you skip this or do it later, NTVDMx64 may fail with errors
such as 4001h. Remaining Setup Steps (in order) 1 Enable Developer

dont you think it would be better to run a 32bit windows os in a vm instead?

On my Intel NUC with lots on space and memory I have had that PC running 16 bit doors for about 4 years now, I've update Windows all the time without a problem. Now I have a new PC, Ryzen 7, also lots of mem and space. I got it update to also run 16 bit doors on my Synchronet BBS system. Works fine.

i just feel safer doing that because a software update or whatever
could break that ntvmd hack

It's possible, just have to wait and see if that creates a problem.

RickV



--- SBBSecho 3.37-Win32
* Origin: Live Wire BBS [livewirebbs.com:1025] (1:154/110)