First, let me assure you that once you get through the installation the OS
itself (FreeDOS) runs great.
If you created a bootable CD from file "fdbootcd.iso" (12.5 MB) then this
installation apparently runs ok on some systems and is a nuisance on others. I
only managed to install FreeDOS from this iso after exercising extreme patience
and determination. Here are a few tips, hopefully they will work on your
computer.
---------
1) Create FAT32 primary partition (any size) and make it "primary active"
2) Boot from Installation CD (it's full of bugs so be a little patient)
- if you have a boot manager you might have to Ctrl+Alt+Del
- screen 1 (with fish): ENT
- screen 2 (full of text): no action
- screen 3 (with two lines): hit "C"
- wait until screen 6 comes up (it will have four options). If it doesn't come
up then you are stuck at screen 4: hit ENT and wait
- select option 2 (Run from CD)
3) Run file "install.exe" (let's say CD is on drive X):
X:\FREEDOS\SETUP\INSTALL\INSTALL.EXE
- general protection fault - INSTALL - ENT - first "Graphic Option"
- full installation
- overwrite = Yes To All (use TAB key)
- disregard all errors and suggestions to abort installation
- update the boot sector: C:\> SYS C: C: /BOOTONLY
- end of setup
4) Update the following files from the web
a) command.com
- try ver. 84-pre, in case of problems use earlier ver. 82
- ver. 0.84-pre XMS swap (67 KB, date?): http://fdos.org/kernel/cmdxms.HEAD.zip
- ver. 0.82 pl 3 (92 KB, Dec 10 2003):
http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/freedos/com082pl3-xmsswap.zip?download
- to verify the version: C:\> VER - Ent
b) kernel.sys
- if you have a new computer then here is the latest "development" version:
http://fdos.org/kernel/kwc8632.dev.zip
- if you have an older machine or prefer to use "stable" version then go here:
http://fdos.org/kernel/
c) sys.com
- there are two versions, both seem to be working ok: ver. 3.6 and 3.6a. I
can't find download urls, may be someone else can help
- to check the version: C:\> SYS /?
- to check configuration: C:\> SYS CONFIG
- if you decide to change the version then update the boot sector again: C:\>
SYS C: C: /BOOTONLY
5) Update all drivers as needed. Here are a few URLs
a) FreeDOS: http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/micro/pc-stuff/freedos/files/
b) third party
- CD-ROM: http://johnson.tmfc.net/dos/
- USB: http://www.bootdisk.com/usb.htm
- http://www.geocities.com/jadoxa/
- http://www.uwe-sieber.de/english.html
6) You might also try this replacement for DIR command:
http://www.c-shore.com/maxdir/
7) Here is example of Config.sys and Autoexec.bat that includes "third party"
drivers:
Config.sys
FILES=50
BREAK=ON
STACKS=0,0
LASTDRIVE=Z
BUFFERS=20,0
NUMLOCK=OFF
DOS=HIGH,UMB
DOSDATA=UMB
DEVICE=C:\FDOS\BIN\FDXXMS.SYS BIOS NUMHANDLES=128
DEVICE=C:\FDOS\BIN\UMBPCI.SYS
DEVICEHIGH=C:\FDOS\BIN\QCDROM.SYS /D:CDROM1
DEVICEHIGH=C:\FDOS\BIN\CDRCACHE.SYS CDROM1 CDRCACH$ 12
DEVICEHIGH=C:\FDOS\BIN\TDSK.EXE 8192
DEVICEHIGH=C:\FDOS\BIN\NANSI.SYS /S
INSTALLHIGH=C:\FDOS\BIN\LBACACHE.COM 8192
SHELL=C:\COMMAND.COM /P=C:\FDAUTO.BAT
Autoexec.bat
@ECHO OFF
PROMPT $P$G
SET DOSDIR=C:\FDOS
SET NLSDIR=%DOSDIR%\NLS
SET HELPPATH=%DOSDIR%\HELP
SET PATH=%DOSDIR%\BIN
SET TEMP=%DOSDIR%\TEMP
SET TMP=%DOSDIR%\TEMP
SET DIRCMD=/P /OG /A
SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 H5 P330
SHCDX33A /D:?CDRCACH$ /V /~+ /Q+
CTMOUSE.EXE
ECHO CuteMouse Driver Loaded
FREE.EXE
Hope this helps,
Lester
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Carl Spitzer" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Subject: Re: [Freedos-user] FreeDOS beta9 sr#2 install troubles
>
> > This is silly. I have recently installed more than several versions of DOS
> > on this system and had no problems what so ever. ... FreeDOS is the only
> > one to give me trouble.
> >
> > Any ideas what I could be doing wrong?
--
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