Hi Felix: Since you’re usig DOSBox, and the description of your setup, I think you have everything you need to run FreeDOS. If you want to try it, you can get VMWare Player for free and install it. I put together a version of FreeDOS 1.3 RC2 a couple months ago. Here is the instruction files I posted back then. If you’re using the Talking DOSBox package, I believe it is configured for com9 as one of the ports. If that’s the case, just substitute com9 for the reference to com3. Anyway, here is the instructions file I put together along with links that should get you on the way. You probably don’t need to download com0com or the virtual Braille ‘n speak program, but, it just depends on what you want. Reply to me off-list at: if you have any questions: |
You can download this CD-Rom image and run it using VMWare Player or another virtual machine environment that can direct serial output to a virtual comport pair such as the Com0Com package.
On this page, I have included links to all the files needed to run this on a modern PC running Windows 10.
You can also try this with Windows 7, but, I'm not sure how well it will work.
First, here are the packages you will need. After each link, I'll give brief instructions for setting up the programs.
Com0Com for Windows 64-bit. Note: If you already have Talking DosBox set up, you probably don't need this file.
To set this up, run the executable and follow the prompts. If your system seems to freeze, alt-tab and look for a security dialog and click on "Allow" and it should install the program.
By default, the program sets up 2 virtual pairs of serial ports. Out of the box, it sets up COM3 and COM4 as the second pair, and this setting can be left alone if your computer doesn't have those com ports installed. Many modern systems no longer come with serial ports.
Note: If you already use the "Talking DOSBox" package, you probably set the second pair up as com8 and com9. If so, see below.
Next, you will need a way to have the computer speak the output that comes from ASAP.
Click here to download a virtual Braille -n Speak package.
Unzip the file into your home folder, and you will have a folder under that called "vbns-espeak".
Under that folder, you will find a program called "EMU.EXE".
Find the file called "EMU.EXE" and press the applications key (or you can hit shift+f10 on it. Down arrow until you find Send to. Press right arrow and use the down arrow to find "Desktop, Create Shortcut" and press Enter on it.
Now, close out of that window and go to your Windows desktop. On your Windows desktop, find "EMU Shortcut". Press ALT-Enter on it. You will be on a line with the path to the "EMU.EXE" file. Go to the end of that line and add a space, followed by COM3. Tab over to OK and press Enter on that.
Next, you will need VMWare Player.
Click here to download VMWare Player 15.
Run the executable and follow the prompts.
After you set it up, you will have a link on your desktop called "VMware Workstation 15 Player". it's not quite time to click on it.
Next, you will need a copy of the FreeDOS installation CD-Rom with built-in ASAP.
Click here to download the zip file containing the .iso image.
Unzip the file and you will have a .iso file called "FD13LIVE.ISO" which is the CD image you need. Make sure you know the path to it, since you'll need to supply it shortly.
Now, go to the desktop and find the VMWare Workstation Player shortcut and press Enter on it. Go ahead and accept the agreement that you are not a commercial user. You may be prompted for a download of the trial of WorkStation pro". Click "Skip this version" and you should go to the main screen.
You should be in a dialog where "Home" is shown as the only entry.
Press CTRL+N (for New Virtual Machine>.
You will be asked where you want to install from. Select "Installer Disc Image". Tab over to where it asks for the filename, If you know the full path, you can type it here. Otherwise, tab over to "Browse" and press Space on that. You will be in a standard Windows file find dialog where you can find your .iso file. When you do, press Eneter on the .iso file you unzipped.
Tab over to the "Next" button and press Space on it.
VMWare Player will then ask you what kind of machine you want to create.
select the "Other" radio button, tab over, and select "MS-DOS" and click "Next".
you will be asked for a machine name. The default is MS-DOS, or you canchange it to what you want. You will also be able to specify the location for the virtual machine, which is usually a folder called "Virtual Machines" under your default Documents folder. Tab over to the Next button and press Space on it.
Next, you will be given choices about the size of your hard-drive. By default, it will be 2gb in size, but you can change the size here. Press Enter or tab to the Next button and press space on it.
Next, you will be at the summary screen, where you can review the default settings for your virtual machine.
Tab over to the Customize Hardware button and press Space on it.
The first thing you will see is a place where you can specify the amount of memory to alocate for your virtual machine. By default, 16 megabytes is selected, but, you can change this.
You can change it to something like 512 megs so you can play around with the live system on the ISO before actually installing it. But, this is optional. If you leave it at 16 megs, you will have a minimal FreeDOS system running directly off the CD image.
After you type in the amount of memory you need, shift-tab and you will be back in the list of things you can change.
Down arrow until you get to network adapter. Press Tab twice and change the choice of network connection and press up arrow to go to the "Bridged" option.
Next, press alt-A to add a piece of hardware.
You will be in a list of virtual peripherals you can add. Press "S" until you hear "Serial Port" and tab to the Finish button and press Space on it.
Next, press Tab until you get to the connection properties and make sure the radio button that says, "Use physical serial port" is selected. Press Tab and select "COM4", unless you use another port. If you have already installed the Talking DosBOX suite, you will probably want to select "COM9" instead. However, by default, com4 is probably the best option.
Tab over to the "Close" button and press Space on it.
Finally, tab over to the Finish button and press Space on it.
You're almost ready to go into FreeDOS.
Next, press Windows+D to get to your Desktop.
Go ahead and press Enter on the EMU.EXE shortcut. If all goes well, you will hear eSpeak say "Ready".
Now, alt-tab back to VMWare Workstation Player.
Tab over to the "Play Virtual Machine" button and press space on it.
Your virtual machine will start up.
Next, you may hear a prompt to press CTRL+G to go into your virtual machine. Go ahead and press CTRL+G.
Press enter to select the default menu option to start up from the CD-Rom. In a few seconds, if everything is set up, ASAP should start speaking through eSpeak.
If you have selected a large amount of memory, say 512 megs, you will actually hear the network driver start up and your virtual machine will be given its own IP addres.
you can play around with the stuff there, or you can type setup to start setting up FreeDOS on the virtual hard-drive.
Mostly, you can just press Enter on the default options, but, there are three options where you will need to press up arrow then Enter. Those are where you are offered the option to partition the hard-drive, the option to format the drive, and the option to begin installing at the very end.
During formatting and installing, you can press the alt key twice to hear clicking to let you know output is being sent to the screen. Otherwise, ASAP will talk you to death as it formats or installs software. When the clicking stops, press the zero key twice on the numeric pad to read the entire screen.
The ASAP manual is under the \ASAP directory in a file called "ASAP.TXT".
Later on, if there is interest, I will try to put together an audio tutorial showing me going through these options, so you can follow along. Let me know if you are interested by emailing me at joseph.nor...@gmail.com
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