It could be a setting in WIn 7 where it didn't give DOSBox admin access to that folder. Also, you could try the D1x/D2x Rebirth versions. I use these on Win 7 64bit without any issues and no need of DOSBox.

Unfortunately I have read the manual in vanilla Descent, and tried their keys with no success. I have tried installing DX! Rebirth (which looks awesome btw) and still had no luck. I honestly have no clue as to whats going on.

How are you trying to save/load the games?

The default is SHIFT+F2 I believe for save and SHIFT+F3 for load.

First I tried ESC, but realizing that didn't work I looked up in the manual that it was ALT-F2 to save and ALT-F3 to load. Nether has worked.

When you tried Rebirth, did you run the game from the exe or did you use DOSBox first?

The .exe, I had it downloaded in a folder and had to copy over certain files from the original game into it.

And what exactly happened on Rebirth? You just couldn't save the game?

And just to make sure, you're hitting alt+f2 right? You have to hit f2 almost immediately after alt (but not at the same time).

As in both Rebirth and the DOSBox, the game would almost blink, as in it would freeze for less than a seccond and then continue as if nothing would happen. No interface came up to save or anything, and when I exited out there was no save game data to load.

And, yes, I hit the alt-f2 buttons just like that as well.

I think it's a setting in DOSBox that you have ALT+F2/3 set to something else.

How can I alter that command if thats possible? There is no in-game way to do it...

Having you installed Descent to the default (Program Files\Descent)? In Windows 7 program Files is a protected directory, and things need heightened privileges to write to it. Try installing to a different directory, and see how you go.

Just so I understand you, by installing it to a different directory say....Desktop/Games? (I.e. a games folder in my desktop) I can get around the permissions on my C:/ and it should work that way?

Yes, that's right - I install all my games to a C:\Games folder (or D:\Games now that I have a secondary drive) rather than C:\Program Files - any other folder will do, the "Program Files" folder in Vista, Windows 7 & 8 requires heightened privileges to write to.

I don't get it. I have tried the reinstall, but for some reason its like the game that I have doesn't have the mechanics to save. I uninstalled and reinstalled into a folder on my desktop, and it still will not save with the alt-f2 command. I wonder if its because of the function of the function keys that I have since its a laptop and not a regular desktop.