Skip to content

Updates for VirtualXT 1.3 #1053

New issue

Have a question about this project? Sign up for a free GitHub account to open an issue and contact its maintainers and the community.

By clicking “Sign up for GitHub”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy statement. We’ll occasionally send you account related emails.

Already on GitHub? Sign in to your account

Open
wants to merge 1 commit into
base: master
Choose a base branch
from
Open
Show file tree
Hide file tree
Changes from all commits
Commits
File filter

Filter by extension

Filter by extension

Conversations
Failed to load comments.
Loading
Jump to
Jump to file
Failed to load files.
Loading
Diff view
Diff view
2 changes: 1 addition & 1 deletion docs/development/licenses.md
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ See below for a summary of the licenses behind RetroArch and its cores:
| Video Processor | [BSD-2-Clause](https://github.com/jaredmcneill/libretro-v4l2/blob/master/LICENSE) | |
| [Vircon32](../library/vircon32.md) | [BSD-3-Clause](https://github.com/vircon32/vircon32-libretro/blob/main/LICENSE.md) | |
| [Virtual Jaguar](../library/virtual_jaguar.md) | [GPLv3](https://github.com/libretro/virtualjaguar-libretro/blob/master/docs/GPLv3) | |
| [VirtualXT](../library/virtualxt.md) | [zlib-acknowledgement](https://github.com/andreas-jonsson/virtualxt/blob/develop/LICENSE) | |
| [VirtualXT](../library/virtualxt.md) | [zlib](https://github.com/andreas-jonsson/virtualxt/blob/develop/LICENSE) | |
| [XRick](../library/xrick.md) | [GPLv3](https://github.com/libretro/xrick-libretro/blob/master/README) | |
| [YabaSanshiro](../library/yabasanshiro.md) | [GPLv2](https://github.com/libretro/yabasanshiro/blob/master/yabause/COPYING) | |
| [Yabause](../library/yabause.md) | [GPLv2](https://github.com/libretro/yabause/blob/master/yabause/COPYING) | |
58 changes: 45 additions & 13 deletions docs/library/virtualxt.md
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -2,15 +2,15 @@

## Background

VirtualXT is an IBM PC/XT emulator that runs on modern hardware and operating systems. It is designed to be simple and lightweight yet still capable enough to run a large library of old application and games.
VirtualXT is a Turbo PC/XT emulator that runs on modern hardware and operating systems. It is designed to be simple and lightweight yet still capable enough to run a large library of old application and games.

The VirtualXT core has been authored by

- [Andreas T Jonsson]

The VirtualXT core is licensed under

- [zlib-acknowledgement](https://spdx.org/licenses/preview/zlib-acknowledgement.html)
- [zlib](https://spdx.org/licenses/Zlib.html)

A summary of the licenses behind RetroArch and its cores can be found [here](../development/licenses.md).

Expand All @@ -19,19 +19,20 @@ A summary of the licenses behind RetroArch and its cores can be found [here](../
The core has no external dependacies. You only need to load the .so/dll file and preferably install the .info file and you are good to go.

The default system emulated is a XT class machine with an Intel 8088 CPU. This means that most DOS games form the 90's wont run. VirtualXT is intended to run older CGA games and applications from the 80's, like PC booters.
There is also optional support for 80186 CPU's and VGA adapters if you want to try some more "modern" software.

## BIOS

BIOS is integerated in the core and can currently not be replaced or changed.
There is an option to use [GLaBIOS](https://github.com/640-KB/GLaBIOS/) or [TurboXT BIOS 3.1](https://www.phatcode.net/downloads.php?id=101). Both are included in the core.

## Extensions

Content that can be loaded by the VirtualXT core have the following file extensions:

- .img
- .zip

(Zip archives are read-only and any state will be lost after reboot.)
- .exe
- .com
- [.ini](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/virtualxt/virtualxt/refs/heads/develop/tools/config/basic.ini)

## Features

Expand Down Expand Up @@ -79,31 +80,62 @@ The VirtualXT core has the following option(s) that can be tweaked from the core

Settings with (Restart) means that core has to be closed for the new setting to be applied on next launch.

- **NEC V20 (Restart)** [virtualxt_v20] (enable|**disable**)
- **Reset default disk (Restart)** [virtualxt_reset_default_disk] (true|**false**)

The default disk image will be reverted to it's original state upon boot.

- **Boot priority (Restart)** [virtualxt_boot_priority] (**FD**|HD)

Set preferred boot device.

- **Video standard (Restart)** [virtualxt_video] (**CGA**|VGA)

Emulate an NEC V20 CPU with the 186 instructionset.
Selects default video adapter.

- **CPU Frequency** [virtualxt_cpu_frequency] (**4.77MHz**|6MHz|8MHz|10MHz|12MHz|16MHz)
- **CPU Frequency** [virtualxt_cpu_frequency] (**4.77MHz**|7.15MHz|14.3MHz)

Set the CPU frequency. If this is set to a higher value then the host system can emulate
the time will appear to go slower in the guest environment.

- **186 instructions (Restart)** [virtualxt_186] (**true**|false)

Enable emulation of 186 instruction.

- **286 flag register (Restart)** [virtualxt_flag_286] (true|**false**)

Pull the high nibble of the flag register low. This will trick most software that a 286 CPU is installed.

- **EMS memory (Restart)** [virtualxt_ems] (**true**|false)

Emulate the Lo-tech EMS Board.

- **BIOS (Restart)** [virtualxt_bios] (**GLaBIOS 0.2.6**|TurboXT 3.1)

Select system BIOS.

- **RTC type (Restart)** [virtualxt_rtc] (**GLaTICK 0.8.4**|none)

Enable RTC and BIOS extension. (This is not supported in freestanding builds.)

- **Host RIFS2 (Restart)** [virtualxt_rifs] (**true**|false)

Enable direct file share with host system. (Defaults to Z:)

## Device types

The VirtualXT core supports the following device type(s), bolded device type(s) are required:

- Joystick - Analog
- **Keyboard** - Keyboard
- Mouse

## Compatibility

This core emulates a Intel 8088 CPU running at 4.77 Mhz just like the original IBM 5150/5160. This is quite a slow system and the original 8088 only operates in real-mode. This means that no protected-mode or 32 bit applications will run. Most DOS software from the 90's requires a VGA card and a later CPU.
This core emulates a Intel 8088 CPU running at 4.77 Mhz just like the original IBM 5150/5160. This is quite a slow system and the original 8088 only operates in real-mode. This means that no protected-mode or 32 bit applications will run.

Try software released in the 80's, like classic PC booters.

## External Links

- [VirtualXT Homepage](https://virtualxt.org)
- [VirtualXT Repository](https://github.com/andreas-jonsson/virtualxt)
- [VirtualXT Issues Here](https://github.com/andreas-jonsson/virtualxt/issues)
- [VirtualXT Repository](https://github.com/virtualxt/virtualxt)
- [VirtualXT Issues Here](https://github.com/virtualxt/virtualxt/issues)