Hi Jim, > On Jun 1, 2024, at 7:56 PM, Jim Hall via Freedos-devel > <freedos-devel@lists.sourceforge.net> wrote: > Jim Hall wrote: >> My CF card reader arrived, so I tried installing FreeDOS on the CF >> card. I've had partial success; I can install, but I can't boot. I >> need help. > [..] >> I've also tried running QEMU directly against the CF card, in case >> something weird happened when I was trying to write the CF card. So I >> did this: >> >> $ sudo qemu-system-i386 -enable-kvm -m 32 -hda /dev/sda -cdrom >> T2406LIVE.iso -boot order=d >> >> >> And that FreeDOS install works fine too. Same as step 3. But it hangs >> at "Loading FreeDOS" when I boot the Pocket386 with the CF card. > > > I just did another test, one I should have tried first: > > > 1. Ran QEMU directly against the CF card (same QEMU command line as above) > > 2. Did *not* run the installer > > 3. Manually ran FDISK, delete all partitions > > 4. Reboot .. run FDISK, create a single 10MB partition > > 5. Reboot .. FORMAT C: /s > > > And then I put the CF card back into the Pocket386, and it boots! > There's nothing there (I didn't install, just made a tiny partition > bootable) but at least it works!! > > So I'll do more work with this tomorrow and put FreeDOS on it, even if > I have to do everything without the installer. > > > (I don't think the installer is specifically at fault, probably something > else.) > > > _______________________________________________ > Freedos-devel mailing list > Freedos-devel@lists.sourceforge.net > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-devel
To me, it sounds like the 386 would not boot the CF, but QEMU would boot the image of the CF… Based on your messages, since the CF did not boot in the 386 at all and boots the image of the CF fine in QEMU, it has to be one of only a couple things. Let’s not forget, the installer uses the same tools to perform its installation that you would or can use. Also, the problem happens immediately on boot. So, it is not going to be a package installation issue but a very low level problem. First depending on the exact steps taken for the original install, it is possible that the original MBR was left intact. It would be weird (but not impossible) for that MBR to boot windows but not FreeDOS only on the 386. While QEMU could boot either. But, I would not suspect this was the issue. Next, it is possible that the 386 did not like the parameters of the partition or its size in the first attempt. Third, there a difference when it comes to the formatting and transfer of system files. Your post said you did a simple “format /s”. The installer does a “format /q” without transferring the system files. Later on it uses the “sys” command to transfer the system files. Like with the MBR, I think the end result would either work on both or neither. So, this is what I would do… Create and format the partition of the size you want on the image file. Copy the floppy installer directory from the CD to the imaged drive. (Be sure to put it in a subdirectory). Write the image back to the CF and verify it boots. The change to the subdirectory with the floppy installer and run that. Since the drive is already formatted and partitioned, it will skip those steps. Unlike the main installer used by the USB sticks and CD media, the floppy installer will run from a subdirectory and permit installation to the same drive. Jerome _______________________________________________ Freedos-devel mailing list Freedos-devel@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-devel
