Ever heard of the “Doom-on-anything” movement? It’s a subculture where people run the classic 1993 game Doom on anything remotely resembling a screen, from pregnancy tests to fridges. I’ve always admired the creativity of this niche community, so when I found myself in a lab with access to a Sysmex hematology analyzer—a device meant to analyze blood, not demons—I figured it was my turn to contribute. I had a few hours to kill at the Sysmex Academy in Hamburg after a biomedical chemistry exam, so why not try installing Doom?
First Steps: Emulators, MSDOS, and McAfee as My Arch-Nemesis
Doom typically runs on MSDOS, but the analyzer’s system wasn’t exactly MSDOS-friendly, so I had to dig into my toolkit of emulators and find a workaround. I started installing a DOS emulator but immediately hit a roadblock: McAfee Solidifier, a security software that apparently didn’t appreciate my creative flair. It put up a solid (pun intended) defense, blocking my emulator at every turn. I managed to bypass it with some shell commands, but it wasn’t without a few choice words directed at McAfee. Once that was done, I connected a USB keyboard and mouse—surprisingly simple for a medical device.
Troubleshooting Galore: VGA Compatibility and Sound Setup Shenanigans
Getting Doom to run was one thing; making it look and sound good was another. The analyzer’s display didn’t play nice with VGA, which led to a good amount of tinkering before I could get any graphics on screen. And then there was the speaker setup. Originally, the sound was out of phase, leading to a bit of a hiccup where the device blared Doom’s 8-bit soundtrack across the lab. Let’s just say it wasn’t the quietest of installations—I had people from neighboring rooms coming over to check if I’d officially lost it. It took me a full 60 seconds to figure out how to stop the music while trying not to laugh at the sheer chaos I’d created.
Victory! And the Photo-Op That Followed
Finally, I got Doom up and running. I wasn’t sure how long the analyzer would hold up under its newfound gaming burden, so I quickly grabbed my phone and captured both a video and a photo as proof. The analyzer, intended for precise blood diagnostics, was now rendering demons and corridors in pixelated glory. My peers and the Sysmex Academy staff were thoroughly amused—they wanted their own photo ops with the machine-turned-gaming-console, and I was more than happy to oblige.
Skills in Action: Superuser to the Rescue
I don’t have many formal computer certifications, but I’ve been working with PCs long enough to know my way around any system. Years of practice taught me how to deactivate unnecessary services, tweak system processes, and make underperforming tech function at its best. To keep Doom from crashing the analyzer, I used Sysinternals Process Explorer to manage the analyzer’s limited resources. I disabled things like the print spooler and updater bloatware, optimized interrupt priorities, and effectively turned a specialized medical device into a fully operational gaming rig.
Beyond Doom: What Drives Me to Attempt the Absurd
I’ve always loved pushing technology beyond its intended limits. Running Doom on an analyzer may not serve any practical purpose, but it’s a fun reminder that tech doesn’t have to be all serious and structured. Whether I’m optimizing PCs, troubleshooting systems, or finding unusual ways to make software work, I find joy in the challenge itself. My experience with OS manipulation and finding creative solutions made this project possible. And honestly, if you leave me alone with any tech long enough, I’ll probably find a way to run Doom on it. Consider it a specialty.
The Real Lessons Learned: Engineering, Curiosity, and Just Plain Fun
Aside from Doom, my time at Sysmex taught me all about the analyzer’s intricate electronics and hydraulics. I got a deep dive into the inner workings of a device designed to provide life-saving blood analysis, and it gave me a new appreciation for biomedical engineering. But after hours of coursework and examinations, installing Doom felt like a victory lap, a fun way to wrap up an intense week. Sure, it was useless in terms of functionality, but it was also cool as fuck!
Advice to Fellow Tinkerers: Just Go For It
If you’re feeling the itch to test boundaries, here’s my advice: just go for it. Worst case, you might have to deal with an error message or two (or call the fire department if things really go south). Best case? You end up with a one-of-a-kind story and join the ranks of those who proudly say, “Yeah, mate. I installed Doom on that!”