VBox freezes when launching 16bit DOS application

[Nordi]

I use Windows 7 64 bit with a Windows XP Home 32bit in VirtualBox. It is obvious that a 16bit DOS application will never run on a 64 bit Win7 so I tried to run an old but precious DOS software (ECCEliza) in VB which is available here for download: ​http://drlisznyai.hu/misc/eliza.zip

After unzipping, the run-me.bat file is the one to launch the program. Following several attempts, when the program finally starts and displays the welcome screen with the message 'press any key to begin', at this point the entire VB window freezes, the mouse pointer doesn't move any more. It also appears that VB loses keyboard control as well:

• i am unable to start the the software by pressing any key
• so am i unable to do anything within VirtualBox XP, close it shut it down, etc. thus I have to shut it down using Win7 Task Manager finally.

Otherwise it stops at 'processing RAM', trying to attach a screen-shot, and freezes the same way as described above.

Tested another 16bit DOS software in VirtualBox: the good old Norton Commander 5 and it works like a charm, none of the above problems occurs at all.

[Grzegorz Kucner]

I have similar problem when running 16-bit DOS program written in Basic.

Host: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
Guest: Windows XP 32-bit
Problem: DOS program written in Basic running very poorly comparing with VMWare and hangs guest operating system when it is going to finish its work.

[Grzegorz Kucner]

Replying to gkucner:

I have similar problem when running 16-bit DOS program written in Basic.

Host: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
Guest: Windows XP 32-bit
Problem: DOS program written in Basic running very poorly comparing with VMWare and hangs guest operating system when it is going to finish its work.

VirtualBox Version: 3.2.6

[aeichner]

Please reopen if still relevant with a recent VirtualBox release.