Hi,
I've been testing FreeDOS as a Pre-build environment for server and
client Windows builds. In general, everything with FreeDOS is far better
than MS-DOS or real-mode Win95/98/ME. However, I'm now at the stage of
actually building the "real" PCs and have run into a small but
time-consuming problem related to how Windows "sees" partitions created
by FreeDOS.
The summary of the issue, is that Windows thinks there's a "previous
operating system" on the C drive, even though FreeDOS has _never_ been
installed on that C drive. It causes a "boot loader" menu to appear in
Windows every time the computer is started offering Windows or the
"previous o/s". To fix it requires changing attribs on BOOT.INI, editing
it, then re-apply attribs, but if you're building a lot of PCs this is
not ideal, as it's supposed to be "hands free". This does not happen
with MS-DOS.
Here are the steps, first with MS-DOS and then with FreeDOS
MS-DOS 6.22:
1. FDISK (zap everything) and create 2Gb FAT16 partition
2. Format it
3. Start real-mode windows setup program
4. Windows is installed and starts instantly (no boot loader menu)
FreeDOS Beta9sr1:
1. FDISK /CLEARALL
2. FDISK /MBR
3. FDISK /PRI:2000
4. <reboot>
5. FORMAT C:
6. Start real-mode windows setup program
7. Windows is installed, but now it presents a boot loader menu every
time it starts with a 30 second timeout. Windows has even "kindly" saved
the booting information from my "previous" o/s to a file called
BOOTSECT.DOS, and guess what's inside it...?
The only explanation I can think of, is that FreeDOS FDISK has created a
Master Boot Record, or Boot Sector that Windows does not recognize, so
instead of just trashing it (like wot it does with MS-DOS) it decides to
back it up for me and offer it as a boot option!
If I choose this option "Previous Operating System on C:", I see the
following text:
"This is not a bootable disk. Please insert a bootable floppy and try
again..."
Now I'm wondering ... is that text string above FreeDOS related? If so
then it seems I'm correct about what's happened.
Thing is, I never installed FreeDOS, I never used the SYS command, all I
did was use FDISK, so it should not think there's a "previous o/s" on my
C drive.
Here is the exact BOOT.INI file that Windows creates when built under
FreeDOS (beware line wrap!):
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Microsoft Windows 2000
Professional" /fastdetect
C:\="Previous Operating System on C:"
The last line should not exist, and would not be there under MS-DOS.
--
Gerry Hickman (London UK)
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