The LlamaPen of Warren 'Llama' Ernst - Computers & Computing

Making a DOS / Windows 98 Virtual Machine with VMWare Server

Sun, 03 Dec 2006 15:23:14 -0800

There is one other totally wild way to do download the programming into your hardware. It is filled with paradoxes and potential gotchas, but when set correctly, you won't have to reboot your computer to download your programming.

This alternative method is to run Windows 98 (or its version of DOS) inside a VMWare virtual machine running inside Windows XP. (Vista untested. Sorry.)

Don't even ask me how this manages to work, but it does. Somehow, even though Windows XP won't allow for the direct control of the keyboard port by the Thrustmaster programming software, that very same software running inside Windows 98 or DOS inside a virtual machine running inside XP can. I just did a whole bunch of testing this morning, and it definately works with the FLCS + WCS. It probably works for the other classic Thrustmaster hardware too.

Amazingly the VMWare software you need is totally free. Windows 98 SE, however, is not, but you probably have access to an old Windows 98 SE installation CD if you look around / ask around / Google around hard enough. You may even have one sitting in a box of stuff that came with your old PC.

Here's the procedure:

First, download and install VMWare Server, which is a totally free software package for emulating computers within Windows. I myself use VMWare Workstation, which is a commercial product I reviewed earlier this year for CPU Magazine. Everything I've read says that VMWare Server and VMWare Workstation should work the same way for this.

External Links and Thrustmaster Info Sources

Fri, 01 Dec 2006 16:06:51 -0800

As of late 2006, there are still many, many websites that deal with Thrustmaster's "classic" high-end hardware, which is a testament to the quality of the hardware and the devotion of its users. Not bad for a 10+ year old product set.

There are also plenty of sites that, though they may not directly deal with Thrustmaster products, are still useful for anyone trying to keep using their old hardware.

As such, here is a list of websites that you'll probably want to know about, broken down into Hardware, Software, and Miscelaneous.

Hardware

Thrustmaster
No surprise here. Thrustmaster is still in business, and they still have a "downloads" page that has the classic DOS software. You can also buy a snazzy Cougar HOTAS or a bunch of other weird, pointless hardware. They may also sell spare parts.

CH Products' Replacement Parts Store
While CH Products may have seemed like "the enemy" to Thrustmaster users in the mid 1990's, the fact is that they're the best source of certain spare parts today. For example, the $10 "Potentiometer - HP100, 100K" is basically the same "pot" as the one used for the FLCS and the WCS, and it fits perfectly, and its probably of higher quality than the original. The various springs there may be just the ticket as well.

Bob Church's Digital Stickworks Info and Issues

Fri, 01 Dec 2006 16:06:15 -0800

All: I am actively seeking a set of Bob Church's digital StickWorks chips of my own, mostly so that I can add some useful information to this page, but also to see if the setup is significantly better than what I use every day right now (currently, a FLCS and WCS Mk II, along with CH Pedals). I already have several F22 sticks and many TQS units all cleaned up and ready to go should I ever locate some StickWorks chips. If you have some StickWorks chips (or Thrustmaster hardware that already has them) you are no longer use them, please consider contacting me. Thanks in advance.

Here's a third-party review of the digital stickworks product. It is probably the last, best description of all that this upgrade.

The Windows Thrustmaster Programming Software

Fri, 01 Dec 2006 16:05:21 -0800

Booting Into DOS (or Windows 98)

Fri, 01 Dec 2006 16:03:25 -0800

Booting Into DOS page.

Making it Work: The Big Picture

Fri, 01 Dec 2006 16:02:38 -0800

This is the big picture.

Required Software

Fri, 01 Dec 2006 16:01:52 -0800

This is more straightforward. All you really need is the DOS Thrustmaster software, installed in a manner that lets you run DOS somehow. If you'd like to make programming your Thrustmaster gear easier, then you'll also want the Windows software that makes creating and editing the Thrustmaster files easier. If you go this second route, then it works like this:

   1. Run the Windows Editing Software
   2. Save the files to your DOS bootable drive
   3. Reboot into DOS
   4. Run the DOS Thrustmaster Software to download the programming.
   5. Reboot into Windows and play your game.

You're probably wondering "How the hell am I going to boot to DOS on my modern Core 2 Duo PC? And where are all these files?" No problem. Keep reading.

Required Hardware

Fri, 01 Dec 2006 16:00:53 -0800

On the hardware side, you need a working Thrustmaster joystick (and optionally, throttle and rudder pedals). I assume you already have this.

You'll also need the following:

A Gameport, or...

You also need a gameport to plug the controls into. If you use Windows XP, then this is very easy: buy a sound card that has a well-supported gameport. I use a Creative Labs Audigy LS, which is an older card that works beautifully, (check Ebay other other online retailers), and I've used a Sound Blaster Live! that works fine too, but Creative Labs sells current cards that have gameports as well.

If you have Windows Vista, this option won't work (apparently), since Microsoft has decided to drop gameport support for its newest OS. Only time will tell if drivers or patches re-enable it. I'm guessing someone is going to make this happen eventually.

A USB-to-Gameport Adapter, plus...

You can also get a USB-to-Gameport converter, and these work in Windows Vista. I've already tested one.

Radio Shack used to sell catalog number 26-164 "Game Port USB Adapter" that works pretty well (check Ebay or check your local store shelves, where it might still be found). It has a 4-position switch to make it compatible with different controllers. You want to set it for position number 2, labeled "Joystick A" on mine.

The DOS Thrustmaster Downloading Software

Tue, 28 Nov 2006 20:54:24 -0800

Once you have a bootable DOS disk, you need to put the DOS Thrustmaster files on it. Ideally, these files should all go in a \TM directory off of the root. For example, if your thumbdrive is E:, then you should put the Thrustmaster files into E:\TM. If you unzip the files directly onto your drive with WinZip (or similar), you'll find that they expand into the correct folders automatically.

Thrustmaster released several versions of their software. I myself have the F-16 FLCS software all zipped up and downloadable for you here. It will work with the FLCS by itself, and when hooked up to a WCS Mk II or a TQS throttle. I think it will also work the the F22-Pro, but I need to do more research.

To start the software, just change directories into the TM folder (that is, type "CD \TM" without the quotes) and then type "tm" (also without the quotes) to run the main Thrustmaster DOS front end.

Making a DOS Bootable USB Thumbdrive or Memory Card

Tue, 28 Nov 2006 16:52:42 -0800

There's no getting around the need to use DOS to download your controller's programming into the sticks.

In the olden days, I would have said something like, "Just make a DOS boot floppy, copy these files to it, and then reboot." Funny thing is, of course, that the floppy drive is getting just as rare as the gameport. There needs to be another option.

(As an aside, if you do have a floppy drive, you can still make a DOS Bootable floppy, and copy the various files you need to them, but a bootable USB thumbdrive or Memory Card will make your life easier down the road. You can also make a small bootable DOS partition on your hard drive, which is what I typically do.)

Fortunately, you can use a spare USB Thumbdrive (also called flash drives, key drives, and so forth), or if you have a built-in memory card reader, a spare Compact Flash, Secure Digital, Memory Stick, or similar memory card, to boot from.

The overall process is:

Format the USB Drive or Memory Card to be bootable
Copy over the necessary DOS files to make it boot to DOS
Copy over the necessary Thrustmaster files
Reboot from it and cross your fingers.

Let's go through it step by step.

(Warren Here. I don't have time at the moment to go over this very important step, but let me link to a site that has everything you need to make a bootable Flash Drive. I myself generally use "HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool Version 2.0.6," which you'll find on this page.)

The Book of Thrustmaster: Windows Vista and XP Edition

Tue, 28 Nov 2006 16:43:46 -0800

Do you own (or are you thinking of buying) old Thrustmaster flight controls, but are wondering how to use them with Windows XP or Windows Vista? Have you been told that they're old pieces of junk that don't work with today's operating systems, but you don't quite believe it?

If so, then you've come to the right place.

Here you'll find lots of information and resources to get your old Thrustmaster F-16 FLCS, F-22 Pro, WCS Mk II, and F-16 TQS (along with your rudder pedals), working with Windows XP and Windows Vista. Though this is a work in progress, you should be able to find some useful things here immediately.

Needless to say, you can indeed use any of these previously mentioned joysticks and throttles with your modern computer, and use them in pretty much any flightsim in Windows. Don't let anyone tell you anything else.

There are several hurdles you'll need to overcome, but none of them is that high. Some are hardware hurdles. Some are software hurdles. Some are procedural and knowledge hurdles.

Fortunately, all the software and knowledge you need is freely downloadable on the Internet, plus I'm providing some knowledge (and some downloadable files, where appropriate or necessary) too. You probably already have the required hardware, and even if you don't, odds are it's cheaper than buying a new stick and supporting hardware.

Thrustmaster Gameport Joysticks in Windows XP and Vista

Tue, 28 Nov 2006 16:04:44 -0800

I am a huge fan of older Thrustmaster products, especially their "high-end" flight controls from the mid 1990's. They are reasonably well-built, can be disassembled and repaired, and can have any of their buttons emulate a keyboard keypress via a custom programming language.

Unfortunately, all these older items, including the F-16 FLCS, the F-22 Pro, the WCS Mk II, and the F-16 TQS, are all gameport and PS/2 keyboard port -based. Also unfortunately, though the software to write the joystick programming works in Windows XP and Vista, the software to compile and download the program into the joysticks only works in DOS (and with tweaking, Windows 95 and 98.) Ironically, once a joystick is programmed, it works just fine in XP (and probably Vista too - more on that below.)

I have a huge supply of old Thrustmaster hardware, and plan on using it for as long as possible. (In fact, I'm using my FLCS and WCS Mk II almost every day in Windows XP Pro right now, which is something a lot of folks say is impossible.) As such, it seems to me I need to collect all the software and document the process while I still can, and put it all in one place, both for myself, and for anyone else who wants to keep using this old (but still great) stuff.

As such, I present to you the The Book of Thrustmaster: Windows Vista and XP Edition. It is a work in progress, of course, but I hope people will find it useful. It should include downloads, links, instructions, and recommended hardware to buy to keep your gear going.

Ubuntu Linux 6.06 - Finally, a Worthy Windows Alternative, Part 2

Wed, 30 Aug 2006 12:05:24 -0700

Here's a question that my wife keeps asking me: "Why does the screen on this notebook of yours look funny?" Of course, she says this when Ubuntu is running instead of Windows XP, so I think she's vocalizing the more general question: "Why use Ubuntu instead of Windows?" Fair question, especially for someone whom I will call the "Average Windows User," or "AWU" for short. Up until recently, I had a hard time justifying Linux generally, or Ubuntu specifically, for the AWUs in our lives. But now, I can. Sort of. And the Mac users of the world are gonna want to kiss me for this too.

What does the Average Windows User do all day? What does the AWU really need? Let me boil it down to the following tasks: Web Browsing, Email, and Word Processing. Toss in iTunes/iPod music management and Digital Photo Management/Photo Printing for the slightly more advanced Windows user. That's 80% of all Windows users right there.

A Macintosh, complete with its OS X operating system, can do these all AWU tasks brilliantly, and without the virus or spyware problems that make up maybe half of all my billable consulting hours. Though easy to use, OS X is different enough from Windows to require some user training before an AWU feels comfortable enough to use it daily. This last fact is important to my argument here, so I hope you believe me when I assert it.

As it turns out, Ubuntu can be described pretty much the same way. It too can handle Web Browsing, Email, and Word Processing brilliantly thanks to Firefox (browser), Thunderbird (Outlook Express-like mail) or Evolution (Outlook-like mail), and OpenOffice (MS Office-like "productivity" applications). Picasa has got all the digital photo stuff down. In fact, the only gaping hole here is iTunes, since there's no Linux-friendly way to use the iTunes Music Store. (That said, if iTunes purchased music is not involved, then Banshee works brilliantly.) As with OS X, Ubuntu Linux is more or less invulnerable to the Windows virus and spyware scourge, and isn't really any tougher to train an AWU to use it than OS X. Trust me, I've done this, folks...

Ubuntu Linux 6.06 - Finally, a Worthy Windows Alternative, Part 1

Mon, 28 Aug 2006 13:23:12 -0700

I always feel like a battered wife when I talk about my experiences with Linux. Don't know what I mean by this?

I have installed and used Linux many times over the years, starting with RedHat 6, Mandrake 7, then Debian Woody, and then finally Ubuntu, starting with Warty Warthog (4.10) up to the current Dapper Drake (6.06). I've used them as both the base for my servers, and as my "daily workstation OS" for whatever notebook I'm using this year. And keep in mind, I'm not a total dummy when it comes to non-Microsoft operating systems, or computers in general.

And with all these Linux Distros, things were great. At first. It was a like a honeymoon in the beginning, learning to perform new tasks in new ways with the new operating system and new software. Sure, there were little hiccups, but what new relationship doesn't? Who cares if it takes 8 hours to get network printing working? The OS is free, new, and exciting!

But then things start to get burdensome. Spending an average of 5 hours to get one major feature working, and pouring over and mentally combining many different and incomplete "HowTo" documents to figure out what are simple tasks in Windows and MacOS, makes for a tiring relationship.

Then there's a big blowup. Some major function refuses to work anymore, and no amount of counseling by outside parties, or no amount of work, seems to be able to get it working again. Or there's a breach in security, because some module you didn't know you had needed a vital security patch, and now I'm hacked.

There's fighting. There's teeth gnashing. There's defeat. I cast off Linux, swearing never to waste my time on it again. Linux isn't mature enough. It isn't ready.

Yet 8 months later I find myself missing Linux. "Maybe the problems I had with Linux last time were my fault," I think. "I can change. Things will be better this time. I can make this relationship work." And then I take Linux (at least, the latest and greatest Distro) back, blow away the old installation (if it's still there) and install from scratch.

Lather. Rinse. Repeat. Classic "Battered Wife Syndrome," if you ask me...

More Advice to Mac Switchers / Windows Refugees

Sat, 13 May 2006 09:06:49 -0700

While this isn't my advice, per se, I recently ran across some very good advice for any longtime Windows user who now finds themselves owning a brand-new Macintosh.

Ed Thomson's professional blog has about a dozen well-thought-out tips for any new Mac user, and even if you aren't switching, it's interesting to see how the other half lives.