For the longest time, I couldn't figure out how to properly launch the game through DOS, or even at least with DOSBox on Windows XP (and any other system for that matter). Eventually, I figured out the problem and now it can finally be run, even without using any bells and whistles or third party files.

it was so relatively simple, that this fix is certainly a sigh of relief. I would expect that this guide would be obsolete by the time this is fixed. For now, users can try this before deciding to replace it with their fix of choice.

I had scoured the internet and didn't see an answer highlighting the real issue about running the game (with DOSBox specifically). All I know is that the game would not run on DOSBox from the Steam install without using Steam. The only things out there are various fixes that either don't fix what was wrong with the Steam install specifically, or are patches that skip it entirely by replacing the install itself (eg: Automated FIx).

It turned out none of those fixes were necessary to run through DOSBox. It runs fine, even regardless of what system you use. The problem was specifically the infinite wisdom of whoever packaged the game with DOSBox and had it sent to Steam, apparently without testing the configuration that was published, because there was a mistake somewhere down the line.

That mistake was the way DOSBox was packaged to reference a .conf file while the Steam release came with leftover .conf files. The one DOSBox was using (called dosbox.conf) had blank mounting instructions, so it only opened DOSBox. The lack of mounting instructions in the .conf file meant that DOSBox wasn't instructed to launch and run the game.

Oops!

Because of the issue I highlighted above, there are a few options to resolve it, and one could do it without trying to install other fixes (and those from dead links). Those aren't needed. Rather, it's relatively simple.

• DOSBox could be configured to use the right .conf file
  
• The offending .conf file could be edited to add in the proper mounting instructions
  
• Backup the original .conf files and replace the one DOSBox was using with the proper one with mounting instructions without needing to edit the files (You only need to rename it)

I personally opted for the latter option because it was easier to do.

And that is it! It doesn't matter what system you use. No need to download anything extra. It works straight out of the (DOS)box!

For Windows XP's case particularly, I haven't found a way to run the Windows version of the game, if that is even possible. My goal was to have a fix that was meant to make DOSBox run the game properly because the Steam release wasn't properly implemented. In the result of this fix at this point, DOSBox comparatively runs the game as if you were running a potato, practically as if it were the original game, but that would be a non-issue for the purposes of getting the game itself to run.

Using a different/better system would not affect the emulation used within DOSBox, which I think is handled within the instructions of the .conf file, or other relevant files which need tweaking. At this point, this is about being able to run it through DOSBox as is, and without Steam, so this was a starting point for getting the game to work properly with this version particularly within Windows XP. The fix incidentally just happens to also work for higher systems, so that's a bonus at this point.

While some fixes may be warranted, in Windows XP's case for my system personally, the options are limited. There is no other way to apply other fixes with third parties because either their software is only compatible with the retail CD or GOG's CD installer, and/or the installer programs used can only be run on a 64bit/higher-than-XP OS so there is no other viable option. The game also cannot run on native DOS that runs off WIndow XP's WoW system, so having the pre-installed DOSBox is handy in spite of the mistakes that was included along the way. This was just a matter of fixing some lines of code, so nothing beyond that was exactly required for the main game.

If you wanted to add the Unfinished Business bonus manually, it is possible, but there is a caveat.

For this part, you'll be adding another executable, usually named tombub.exe to your TOMBRAID folder*.

As mentioned previously, this is under consideration of dealing with the DOSBox pre-packaging issue, so your mounting changes should be reflected in that file. Therefore you can only use one iteration of dosbox.conf, so you can only launch whatever program is mounted in that file.

With that in mind, the solution to have both the main game and Unfinished Business is to basically copy the main game folder to use for Unfinished Business in a separate directory. Fortunately, the only thing in the TOMBRAID folder you'll really need is the Unfinished Business executable and the DATA subfolder from your patch.

This was discovered during some experimentation when attempting to launch shortcuts to the DOSBox program (Batch file the preferred method of execution, personally) and discovering the unfortunate side effect that it made no difference to the program without editing that very .conf file (Theoretically, using a separate extra copy of DOSBox, but one edited to use a different .conf file would also be a lifesaver to allow using the main game directory instead of splitting it as instructed above).

*YMMV. This part of the instruction is based off using the patch from here, but other sources may be just as well be similar if they work: https://soggi.org/misc/3dfx-voodoo-game-patches.htm

Again, this guide may be made obsolete if the Steam version was updated to fix the error in the future, so it can be disregarded. For now, this is just another way to resolve the pesky but simple issue if it's being run on systems from a clean install of the Steam version in its current condition. Obviously if you're able to turn to alternatives to run the game to your liking, this would not apply. But if you're curious, then this is what is needed to be done to run it on DOSBox without any fancy tricks.

Enjoy raiding those tombs!