In Windows, the default command window runs as a 32-bit process. In order to use the existing DOS printer driver for DOS-intrinsic commands, you must use a 16-bit command window.
This allows DOS-intrinsic commands such as COPY and TYPE to use the print driver.
The following instructions explain how to set up Windows to support this. These instructions also set up the Windows system to support the printer driver for DOS applications.
Edit the autoexec.nt file, found in the %systemroot%\system32 directory, adding the DOS printer driver for your specific printer after the following line:
%SYSTEMROOT%\SYSTEM32\VLMSUP.EXE
Make sure that you copy the printer driver to the path you specify in the autoexec.nt file.
Save a copy of the Windows\system32\config.nt file with another filename, such as config.prt.
Edit the new config file, adding the DOSONLY command to the file.
Continue the setup process using the instructions for your specific version of Windows.
Create a shortcut to the command.com program, found in the Windows\system32 directory.
Right-click the shortcut icon, then click .
On the Program property page, click and type the paths for the config and autoexec files that you created in Step 1 and Step 2.
Double-click the shortcut icon.
A DOS window opens.
Only DOS applications can be run from this window, but anything that is printed is rendered by the printer driver that you installed. Any DOS commands that affect the print driver must be specified in this window. DOS applications can be started by any method.