On Tue, May 17, 2022, 10:52 AM <userbeit...@abwesend.de> wrote: > Hi! > > Just out of curiosity... > > Jim Hall wrote on 16 May 2022, 19:07: > > FreeDOS pre-installed. But it's UEFI only (no BIOS) and any DOS > > requires a BIOS. > > Is there a way to load a BIOS from an UEFI that lacks a CSM? SeaBIOS > comes to mind... By loading something like a "BIOSEMU.EFI" > third-party/external CSM, FreeDOS would again be bootable, even on GPT > partitioning, because the protective MBR (PMBR) could be used for hybrid > partitioning... >
Yes, but it will not be 100% compatible. Graphics and sound are big issues. The graphics card will likely not support int10h video BIOS so that will be needed as well. Modern sound cards are an issue in themselves, with most DOS programs lacking support. USB and mice/keyboard support is another problem. A non-motherboard provided CSM lacks access to SMM so can't use some tricks to hide compatibility issues. I don't have links handy but there are a couple projects (not directly FreeDOS ones) working on this. > Alternatively, FreeDOS could learn GPT natively. > Having the kernel boot on UEFI systems is not overly difficult, but currently entirely useless as only pure DOS programs that don't talk to BIOS would work. No video mode changes, scrolling, output, etc even for text mode, no hard drive int 13h access for disk or file access. Probably no keyboard use either as it is likely a USB device. As for booting off GPT disks instead of MBR partitioned ones on BIOS based systems, that is in the works. > If anyone knows Clover > (https://github.com/CloverHackyColor/CloverBootloader) -- this would be > the reverse: Clover loads a UEFI on a BIOS system, while FreeDOS would > require to load a BIOS on a UEFI system without a CSM. > > Is there anything in the pipeline for UEFI systems? > > Thanks, > So yes there is work in the pipeline, but nothing coming soon or guaranteed to be useful. Jeremy
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