This is what I am doing to get Windows 7 (in 32 bits) to work like the DOS operating system for running the old old Lotus123 spreadsheet program.
1. Reboot Windows by clicking on a reboot shortcut
2. When shut down has completed, press F8
3. F8 brings up a list of choices
4. Click ↓ ↓ ↓ down arrow three times
5. That brings cursor to Safe Mode with Command Prompt line
6. I press enter on this line and this prompt appears, C:\Windows\system32>
7. Now I annex to this prompt my old dos batch file, autoexec.bat, thus C:\Windows\system32>c:\autoexec
8. That brings up my old old Dos Lotus123 spreadsheet program.
If only I can produce the procedure as described above, with one click on a shortcut file in Windows, that should be terrific!