Tried later version of freedos package as suggested for Bug #52857 by Mantas Kriaučiūnas.
Downloaded and installed package dosemu-freedos_0.0.b9r5a-3_i386.deb (from Debian unstable or testing). More detailed instructions if anyone needs them:- Browse to Debian mirror list for package http://packages.debian.org/cgi-bin/download.pl?arch=i386&file=pool%2Fcontrib%2Fd%2Fdosemu-freedos%2Fdosemu-freedos_0.0.b9r5a-3_i386.deb&md5sum=dbdb9b3d6d70d2713611969eb50a3f9c&arch=i386&type=main Download package from one of the mirrors. Uninstall dosemu-freedos version b8p-4, eg. using Synaptic Package Manager. Install downloaded package, eg. right-click file and select 'Open with "GDebi Package Installer"'. Remember to uninstall the Debian package when official Ubuntu version available. Afterwards dosemu seems to work properly both in terminal window and after text mode login. This seems to cure both this Bug #53384 and also Bug #52857 Suggestion to maintainer: please change Dapper to use the above version, there does not seem to be much reason to keep the current unusable version. -- dosemu won't start, ERROR: coopthreads: lowmem heap + stack are too big https://launchpad.net/bugs/53384 -- ubuntu-bugs mailing list ubuntu-bugs@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-bugs
