Hey after giving up on DOSbox, I just found a download that contained an already set up daggerfall and it's pretty awesome and old school so far but something is bothering me. When I'm in crypts and stuff, I see piles of loot on the floor and equipment but when I click on it I can't go into the screen where I collect it. Sometimes it works with one pile of loot but not all the time. Are these piles supposed to be merely cosmetic and serve as a tease or is it actually collectable somehow?

Depends on what do you mean by "piles". Scattered pieces of equipment - shields, quirasses, books, etc. - aren't collectable unless there's an according quest item (that looks different from generic items, so don't worry that you may miss it). Treasure-looking piles are supposed to be collectible, though.

Well yeah it's like a small pile with a sword and some potions or armour close together. Sometimes it looks like there is some gold in the pile but I can't pick it up even though it looks like loot.

Well... What to say... Welcome to Daggerfall!

Maybe this goes without saying, but try to click it from different directions and distances. Crouch, stand up and look down and click the pile and click around the pile etc. At times the spot to click doesn't make much sense at all. You may stand around clicking on the loot for a long time without ever being able to collect it, just to have the loot menu brought up when you click far away from the object itself.

Not able to take weapons and armor laying about? Ahh, this smells like the good ol′ days of computer games!

Of course, if you do grab everything you see, then when that Daedric Dai-katana shows up, you'll be too encumbered to take it.

So if you really want one, just walk around with one point of encumbrance to spare and dare the game to do it!

Yep Usually when I pick up piles, I click slightly below the pile rather than on it.