Synchronet v3.21e-Win32 (install) has been released (Mar-2026).

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faq:win [2022/01/07 18:35] – Add mentions of NTVDMx64 for 16-bit DOS program support on x64 versions of Windows digital manfaq:win [2026/03/16 22:00] (current) – Clarify when those 16-bit MS-DOS subsystem error popups may happen (not when running doors from the BBS) digital man
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 There are 2 new requirements for 16-bit DOS programs to work under Synchronet-Win32 on //Windows Vista+// 32-bit (x86) operating systems: There are 2 new requirements for 16-bit DOS programs to work under Synchronet-Win32 on //Windows Vista+// 32-bit (x86) operating systems:
   - You must have ''SBBSEXEC.DLL'' rev 38 or later (this is included in SBBS v3.14a).   - You must have ''SBBSEXEC.DLL'' rev 38 or later (this is included in SBBS v3.14a).
-  - You must copy ''SBBSEXEC.DLL'' to your Windows ''System32'' folder.+  - You must have a copy of ''SBBSEXEC.DLL'' (from your Synchronet ''[[dir:exec]]'' directory) in your Windows ''System32'' folder.
  
-Beginning with Windows 8, Microsoft disables support for 16-bit (DOS) programs by default. Search for "16-bit Application Support" in the Windows Control Panel and enable that setting. This setting only exists in 32-bit versions of Windows 8 and Windows 10.+Beginning with Windows 8, Microsoft disables support for 16-bit (DOS) programs by default. On Windows 8, Search for "16-bit Application Support" in the Windows Control Panel and enable that setting. 
 + 
 +In Windows 10 (32-bit), this setting is found under "Turn Windows features on or off", "Legacy Components", "NTVDM". 
 + 
 +{{:faq:windows_ntvdm_setting.png?500|}} 
 + 
 +On Windows 10 (32-bit), you also need to right-click on the title bar of a ''cmd.exe'' window, select Properties and then enable "Use legacy console": 
 + 
 +{{:faq:windows_10_legacy_console.png?500|}} 
 + 
 +If you do not enable this setting, you may get 16-bit MS-DOS Subsystem error popup messages when attempting to run 16-bit DOS programs from a command prompt: 
 + 
 +{{:faq:dos_subsystem_ntvdm_error.png?500|}} 
 + 
 +These settings only exists in 32-bit versions of Windows 8 and Windows 10.
  
 Stock 64-bit (x64, amd64) editions of Windows (without [[http://www.columbia.edu/~em36/ntvdmx64.html|NTVDMx64]] installed) cannot run 16-bit DOS programs from Synchronet. See the next FAQ item for the details. Stock 64-bit (x64, amd64) editions of Windows (without [[http://www.columbia.edu/~em36/ntvdmx64.html|NTVDMx64]] installed) cannot run 16-bit DOS programs from Synchronet. See the next FAQ item for the details.
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 64-bit operating systems, by default. Synchronet for Windows relies on NTVDM for 64-bit operating systems, by default. Synchronet for Windows relies on NTVDM for
 16-bit DOS program support, so you need to either run a 32-bit Windows version 16-bit DOS program support, so you need to either run a 32-bit Windows version
-(e.g. re-install, use dual-boot, or run in a Virtual Machine) or install [[http://www.columbia.edu/~em36/ntvdmx64.html|NTVDMx64]] to gain 16-bit DOS program support in your 64-bit Windows install. Yes, you can run 32-bit Windows versions of Synchronet on a 64-bit (x64) system.+(e.g. re-install, use dual-boot, or run in a Virtual Machine) or install [[howto:NTVDMx64]] to gain 16-bit DOS program support in your 64-bit Windows install. Yes, you can run 32-bit Windows versions of Synchronet on a 64-bit (x64) system.
  
 As of March 12, 2014, you can disable DOS program support in a single instance of Synchronet with the ''NO_DOS'' option in the ''Options'' value of the ''[BBS]'' section of your ''[[config:sbbs.ini]]'' file. Or uncheck the "DOS Program Support" checkbox in the "Terminal Server Configuration" dialog of the [[monitor:sbbsctrl|Synchronet Control panel]]: As of March 12, 2014, you can disable DOS program support in a single instance of Synchronet with the ''NO_DOS'' option in the ''Options'' value of the ''[BBS]'' section of your ''[[config:sbbs.ini]]'' file. Or uncheck the "DOS Program Support" checkbox in the "Terminal Server Configuration" dialog of the [[monitor:sbbsctrl|Synchronet Control panel]]:

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