so i just downloaded a dos box. I configured it according to the directions on the site, but when it comes to extracting and configuring games, for some reason they won't show up, even though it is saying the folders extracted to the right location.

the dos box keeps showing 0 files in the dir.
and when i hit install it says illegal command.

i have no clue what i am doing wrong. i make sure to type the right command clearly ,and it still is not working.
someone please help!

Are you mounting the directory that you extract the files to? Let's say you extract a game to C:\games\foo on your computer. In DOSBox, you need to type the following command to get it to show up:

mount c c:\games\foo

That takes the directory on your computer (c:\games\foo) and makes it available in DOSBox as drive c:. If you don't mount anything, you won't be able to play any games or do, really, anything useful.

Sometimes ZIP files include the game folder so you intended to unzip to \games\foo and it goes to \games\foo\foo. If when you type "dir" another folder name appears besides "." and "..", let's say "foo" or the name you chose, try typing "cd foo" and repeating.

Without knowing what you have exactly done and what specifically is the problem, we cannot help you.

Please post a more detailed description of your problem including any and all error messages you encountered.
Also, please describe where exactly did you unpack the games and what commands have you entered in DosBox (exact syntax, please; it's important).

i d say, he just didnt type go to the virtual drive after mounting.
so after you mount some directory as a drive (for example c:\games\foo like mirrorshades said) you have to type "C:" in to command line, to get in to the directory

We don't know that for sure. He might have as well unpacked the game after mounting the drives in DosBox (without closing the emulator), but didn't rescan the directory structure after doing so (rescan from the command line).

It seems quite obvious that he either have no clue how to use DOSBox (to which I would link the newbie guild to DOSBox for him in that case) or he needs to download the latest version of the right unarchiver to unzip the archives...

Well, take it or leave it, that's what my experience tell me. ;)