Skip to content

DOSBox Pure - RetroBIOS

Type standalone + libretro
Classification enhanced_fork
Source https://github.com/libretro/dosbox-pure
Upstream https://github.com/schellingb/dosbox-pure
Version 1.0-preview5
Profiled 2026-03-23
Cores dosbox_pure
Systems dos
Verification mode sha1
Technical notes

No BIOS required. MT-32 and SoundFont support is optional for MIDI music.

ROM scanning (both modes): Recursive scan of system directory for _CONTROL.ROM and .SF2/.SF3. ref: dosbox_pure_libretro.cpp:1367-1378 MT-32 requires matched pair: _CONTROL.ROM + *_PCM.ROM (PCM name derived from CONTROL name by replacing CONTROL with PCM, preserving case). ref: midi_mt32.h:189-199 ZIP archives also supported — scanned for files by size (65536/131072 = control, 524288/1048576 = PCM), not by name. ref: midi_mt32.h:160-166 Files can also be on mounted C: drive (DOSBOX.SF2, MT32_CONTROL.ROM). ref: dosbox_pure_libretro.cpp:2760-2762 Cache file DOSBoxPureMidiCache.txt written when scan >2s. ref: dosbox_pure_libretro.cpp:1393-1413

Bundled MUNT (header-only mt32emu.h) for MT-32 emulation. SHA1+size validation at load: unrecognized ROMs rejected (Synth::open fails). ref: mt32emu.h:2982-2988,3016-3019,5183-5187 12 full control ROMs + 2 PCM ROMs supported (no split ROMs in this MUNT). TinySoundFont (tsf.h) for SF2/SF3 playback. No firmware entries in .info file — all MIDI files optional.

DBP_STANDALONE build mode exists (same MIDI logic, different I/O layer). ref: dosbox_pure_libretro.cpp:81,1558,2270

15 files | 0 required, 15 optional | 13 in repo, 2 missing | 15 with HLE fallback

MT32_CONTROL.ROM -optional, HLE available : MT-32 Control v1.04

MT32_CONTROL.ROM -optional, HLE available : MT-32 Control v1.05

MT32_CONTROL.ROM -optional, HLE available : MT-32 Control v1.06

MT32_CONTROL.ROM -optional, HLE available : MT-32 Control v1.07

MT32_CONTROL.ROM -optional, HLE available : MT-32 Control BlueRidge

MT32_CONTROL.ROM -optional, HLE available : MT-32 Control v2.03 (new MT-32)

MT32_CONTROL.ROM -optional, HLE available : MT-32 Control v2.04

MT32_CONTROL.ROM -optional, HLE available : MT-32 Control v2.06

MT32_CONTROL.ROM -optional, HLE available : MT-32 Control v2.07

CM32L_CONTROL.ROM -optional, HLE available : CM-32L/LAPC-I Control v1.00

  • Size: 64.0 KB
  • SHA1: 73683d585cd6948cc19547942ca0e14a0319456d
  • Validation: sha1, size
  • Source: mt32emu.h:5122,5139
  • Platforms: lakka, retroarch, retropie

CM32L_CONTROL.ROM -optional, HLE available : CM-32L/LAPC-I Control v1.02

  • Size: 64.0 KB
  • SHA1: a439fbb390da38cada95a7cbb1d6ca199cd66ef8
  • Validation: sha1, size
  • Source: mt32emu.h:5123,5140
  • Platforms: lakka, retroarch, retropie

CM32LN_CONTROL.ROM -optional, HLE available, missing from repo : CM-32LN/CM-500/LAPC-N Control v1.00

  • Size: 64.0 KB
  • SHA1: dc1c5b1b90a4646d00f7daf3679733c7badc7077
  • Validation: sha1, size
  • Source: mt32emu.h:5124,5141

MT32_PCM.ROM -optional, HLE available : MT-32 PCM ROM

CM32L_PCM.ROM -optional, HLE available : CM-32L/CM-64/LAPC-I PCM ROM

  • Size: 1.0 MB
  • SHA1: 289cc298ad532b702461bfc738009d9ebe8025ea
  • Validation: sha1, size
  • Source: mt32emu.h:5127,5144
  • Platforms: lakka, retroarch, retropie
  • pairs with MT-32 v2.x or CM-32L control ROMs. Lower half aliases MT-32 PCM.

DOSBOX.SF2 -optional, HLE available, missing from repo : General MIDI SoundFont (any .sf2/.sf3 accepted)

  • Source: dosbox_pure_libretro.cpp:1375,2760
  • Any .SF2 or .SF3 file in the system directory works. The core lists all found SoundFonts in the MIDI config dropdown. DOSBOX.SF2 is the conventional name and is also auto-detected when placed inside game content on C: drive.

Generated on 2026-03-25T14:56:43Z