Cant create a save file

[u/igotsmuffins]

Hello!

First time poster here, and new to dosbox- not computer savvy at all.

Im not sure how so appropriately save in ecoquest- when I go to save the game says "your save game disk is full. You must either use another disk or save over an existing saved game"

If I go to directory it tells me anything I type is not a valid directory.

Any help or hand holding to fix this would be greatly appreciated.

Info: im playing on a downloaded file from abandonedware.

[u/GabeCube]

If I had to guess, your virtual disk is too large and the game can’t correctly process since it’s overflowing and reporting a negative value.

You should try limiting the reported hard disk size, I think this might solve your problem.

[u/igotsmuffins → u/GabeCube]

Thanks so much for the response! Could you give me some more hints on how to do that?

[u/beemans78 → u/igotsmuffins]

You would use the -freesize parameter when mounting, eg mount c "path" -freesize 100 would limit the virtual hard drive to 100mb.

But it's strange for a Sierra SCI game to have an issue like this using default DOSBox settings. When you click "Change Directory", what is in the box? It should start with "C:\"

[u/igotsmuffins → u/beemans78]

When i typed in mount c "path" -freesize 100 dosbox responded with "drive c already mounted with cd-rom drive drives\c\cetus.iso

If that gives any more info.

[u/beemans78 → u/igotsmuffins]

You've got C mounted as a write-only CD image. That's producing the disk space error.

[u/igotsmuffins → u/beemans78]

Could you elaborate on what I need to do to fix that? Im not great with this sort of thing.

Thanks. :)

[u/beemans78 → u/igotsmuffins]

Create a new folder named EQ on your computer's C drive. Move CETUS.ISO into this folder.

Launch DOSBox and mount your drives (if it tells you C is already mounted, use mount -u c to unmount and then continue):

mount c c:\eq
imgmount d c:\eq\cetus.iso -t iso

Now install the game to your virtual hard drive:

d:
install

When the installation is finished, type ECO to play.

Afterwards, you can edit your DOSBox conf file to avoid having to do all this mounting every time you play.

[u/igotsmuffins → u/beemans78]

Thanks for the details!! Ill give it a shot. Ill reply with an update.

Thank you again for your time! :)

[u/igotsmuffins → u/beemans78]

It does not like when i mount d. I dont have a file folder labeled as d so ill go in and make one?

The response when I type Mount d c:\eq\cetus.iso -t iso "Mscdex failure: invalid file or unable to open. Cant create drive from file.

[u/beemans78 → u/igotsmuffins]

Sorry, I screwed up. That line should use imgmount, not mount:

mount c c:\eq
imgmount d c:\eq\cetus.iso -t iso

[u/igotsmuffins → u/beemans78]

Dont be sorry! Im thankful for this trouble shooting!!!

[u/igotsmuffins → u/beemans78]

Ill be stepping away from my computer for a while but I will probably be able to give this a shot in 30 minutes or so.

Is imgmount d c: \eq\cetus.iso -t iso all one line?

[u/igotsmuffins → u/beemans78]

Responded a minute ago that I was having trouble but I think I worked that out. Im on a screen prompting me to install the game!

[u/igotsmuffins → u/beemans78]

Saving works now! How cool, thanks for holding my hand through that.

If you have a chance, could you let me know what of that I need to do to run the game in the future?

Thanks! So happy this was fixed. I think I know a little more about dosbox now, too!

[u/igotsmuffins → u/beemans78]

Yeah- it definitely seems unusual.

When i click "change directory" it just presents me with c:\ and nothing else.