HOW TO LOAD DOOM AND DOOM II WAD FILES
======================================
(Note to Macintosh users: The file instructions here are
primarily for IBM-PC based systems and games.)

To load WAD files into your Doom/Doom II game, first copy
the WADs into the main directory or folder where your game
is located.
If you're using a "front-end" program, you'll find controls
within that program that will let you select and load WADs.

Click below for instructions on:
Loading WADs into all Doom games using Doom 95
Loading Doom 1 or Ultimate Doom WADs from DOS
Loading Doom II (or Final Doom) WADs from DOS


TO LOAD WADS WHEN USING DOOM 95
-------------------------------
1. Copy your DOOM.WAD (or DOOM2.WAD, PLUTONIA.WAD, TNT.WAD,
   etc.) file into your Doom95 folder, if you haven't
   already done so.

2. Start Doom 95, and in the "Doom for Windows 95 Launcher"
   window, select the correct "Game WAD file" (DOOM.WAD,
   DOOM2.WAD, etc.) in the pull-down menu at the upper
   right corner of the window.

3. Select the WAD you want to load in the "Custom WAD File"
   pull-down menu.  (If the WAD is not located in your
   Doom95 folder, click the [Browse] button to navigate to
   the WAD's location.)

4. Select the Skill Level you want to play at, then select
   the Episode and/or map that want to begin the game on.

5. Click on the [New Game] button to begin the game.
   Note that not all external WAD files replace the first
   map of the game's normal internal map set.  If you
   loaded in a new map WAD but the game looks normal, the
   WAD probably replaces maps which come after (or before)
   the starting map that you selected.

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TO LOAD DOOM 1 WADS OR ULTIMATE DOOM WADS FROM DOS
--------------------------------------------------
Quick info (see below for more detailed instructions):
In your Doom directory, at the DOS Command Prompt, type
doom -file WadName.wad

1. Copy the WAD file(s) into your Doom directory, if you
   haven't already done so.  ("Directory" is the DOS term
   for "folder".)  Note that if you are using Ultimate
   Doom, then your directory may be called "doom", or may
   be called "doom_se", or something similar.

2. Switch into MS-DOS mode if you haven't already.  (To do
   this from Windows 95/98, look for a "Command Prompt"
   icon or "MS-DOS" icon on your desktop and double-click
   on it.  If this icon isn't present, click on your Start
   button, which brings up a list of items to choose from.
   Highlight "Programs", which brings up a second list,
   then click on "MS-DOS Prompt" or "Command Prompt".)

3. Once in DOS mode, switch into your Doom directory.  If
   you already know how to do this, skip down to step 4.
   Examples of DOS commands:
   In DOS, to switch to a different drive (if necessary)
   type the drive letter, followed by a colon, and press
   Enter.  Typing
   d:
   for example, will switch to your d: drive.
   To switch to a different directory, use the CD command.
   ("CD" is for "C"hange "D"irectory.)  To switch to your
   current drive's root (main) directory, you would type
   cd\
   and press Enter.  Remember to use a backslash "\" when
   using the cd command, not a forward slash.
   To switch to a directory called Doom, located off of
   your drive's root directory, you could type
   cd\doom
   and press Enter.
   Note that if you have Ultimate Doom, your directory may
   be called "doom_se", or something similar.
   Use the complete path name of the directory or folder
   that you want to switch to.  For example, if your Doom
   directory is in a subdirectory called Games, you'd type
   cd\games\doom
   and press Enter.
   To get a list of the files and subdirectories that are
   accessible from your current directory, use the "dir"
   command.  Type
   dir/p
   and press Enter.  The "/p" (with a forward slash) is not
   necessary, but including that will "p"ause any long list
   of files before it scrolls off the top of the screen.
   Also try
   dir/w
   for a "w"ide list of files.

4. Once in DOS mode, and in your Doom (or Ultimate Doom)
   directory, you're ready to start a new game.  Type
   doom -file WadName.wad
   where WadName.wad is the name of the additional WAD
   file you want to load.  For example, if you want to load
   a file called D1MAPS.WAD, type
   doom -file d1maps.wad
   and press Enter to start a new game with the specified
   WAD loaded in.
   Note that not all external WAD files replace the first
   map of the game's normal internal map set.  If you
   loaded in a new map WAD but the game looks normal, the
   WAD probably replaces maps which come after (or before)
   the map you're currently on.
   (For information on specifying the starting map in DOS
   mode, click here.)
   Multiple WADs may be loaded into one game by specifying
   the filenames and separating them with a space.  For
   example, typing
   doom -file castles.wad moonbase.wad fortress.wad
   would start the game and load all 3 specified WADs.
   (Note that multiple WADs will be loaded in the order you
   specify, and if two or more WADs replace a given map,
   only the last-loaded version of that map is used.  For
   example, if A.WAD, B.WAD and C.WAD all replace map 1,
   and all three WADs are loaded in alphabetical order,
   then only C.WAD's version of map 1 will be used during
   the game.)

5. To quit the game and exit back to DOS, hit the F10 key,
   and then press Y.

6. To exit DOS and return to Windows, type
   exit
   and press Enter.  Or hold down the Alt key and tap the
   Tab key to switch back to Windows (or other application)
   while leaving DOS mode active in the background.

For more information on WAD commands in DOS, click here.

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TO LOAD DOOM 2 (OR FINAL DOOM) WADS FROM DOS
--------------------------------------------
Quick info (see below for more detailed instructions):
In your Doom2 directory, at the DOS Command Prompt, type
doom2 -file WadName.wad

1. Copy the demo file(s) into your Doom2 directory (or TNT
   or Plutonia directory, as appropriate).  ("Directory" is
   the DOS term for "folder".)

2. Switch into MS-DOS mode if you haven't already.  (To do
   this from Windows 95/98, look for a "Command Prompt"
   icon or "MS-DOS" icon on your desktop and double-click
   on it.  If this icon isn't present, click on your Start
   button, which brings up a list of items to choose from.
   Highlight "Programs", which brings up a second list,
   then click on "MS-DOS Prompt" or "Command Prompt".)

3. Once in DOS mode, switch into the appropriate Doom2, TNT
   or Plutonia directory.  If you already know how to do
   this, skip down to step 4.
   Examples of DOS commands:
   In DOS, to switch to a different drive (if necessary)
   type the drive letter, followed by a colon, and press
   Enter.  Typing
   d:
   for example, will switch to your d: drive.
   To switch to a different directory, use the CD command.
   ("CD" is for "C"hange "D"irectory.)  To switch to your
   current drive's root (main) directory, you would type
   cd\
   and press Enter.  Remember to use a backslash "\" when
   using the cd command, not a forward slash.
   To switch to a directory called Doom2, located off of
   your drive's root directory, you could type
   cd\doom2
   and press Enter.
   Use the complete path name of the directory or folder
   that you want to switch to.  For example, if your Doom2
   directory is in a subdirectory called Games, you'd type
   cd\games\doom2
   and press Enter.
   To get a list of the files and subdirectories that are
   accessible from your current directory, use the "dir"
   command.  Type
   dir/p
   and press Enter.  The "/p" (with a forward slash) is not
   necessary, but including that will "p"ause any long list
   of files before it scrolls off the top of the screen.
   Also try
   dir/w
   for a "w"ide list of files.

4. Once in DOS mode, and in your Doom2 (or TNT or Plutonia)
   directory, you're ready to start a new game.  Type
   doom2 -file WadName.wad
   where WadName.wad is the name of the additional WAD
   file you want to load.  For example, if you want to load
   a file called D2MAPS.WAD, type
   doom2 -file d2maps.wad
   and press Enter to start a new game with the specified
   WAD loaded in.
   Note that not all external WAD files replace the first
   map of the game's normal internal map set.  If you
   loaded in a new map WAD but the game looks normal, the
   WAD probably replaces maps which come after (or before)
   the map you're currently on.
   (For information on specifying the starting map in DOS
   mode, click here.)
   Multiple WADs may be loaded into one game by specifying
   the filenames and separating them with a space.  For
   example, typing
   doom2 -file castles.wad moonbase.wad fortress.wad
   would start the game and load all 3 specified WADs.
   (Note that multiple WADs will be loaded in the order you
   specify, and if two or more WADs replace a given map,
   only the last-loaded version of that map is used.  For
   example, if A.WAD, B.WAD and C.WAD all replace map 1,
   and all three WADs are loaded in alphabetical order,
   then only C.WAD's version of map 1 will be used during
   the game.)

5. To quit the game and exit back to DOS, hit the F10 key,
   and then press Y.

6. To exit DOS and return to Windows, type
   exit
   and press Enter.  Or hold down the Alt key and tap the
   Tab key to switch back to Windows (or other application)
   while leaving DOS mode active in the background.

For more information on WAD commands in DOS, click here.

Back to Top
Back to DoomHelp page

Back to ClassicDOOM home page