Jerome Shidel wrote: > > > Eric Auer wrote: > > > >> The FreeDOS Interim Test Build T2603 for March is now available for > >> download at: > >> https://www.ibiblio.org/pub/micro/pc-stuff/freedos/files/distributions/test/ > > > > Ibiblio seems to be a bit slow at the moment? > > As I mentioned before, anyone can fetch the releases from my server at: > > https://fd.lod.bz/releases/ > > But also as I said, I do not want it listed as “Official mirror".
:-) Yes, the Ibiblio server is running very slooooooooow today. I know that a lot of websites are getting hammered by AI scraping bots, so that might be what's happening at Ibiblio. Or they could be doing maintenance -- Ibiblio is hosted at a university and many universities do maintenance on Sunday mornings. (As I write this, it's noon in US/Eastern, which is where Ibiblio is located.) I was able to download T2603 from the website during a brief window when things were running quickly, and I've been mirroring files & other cleanup on the Ibiblio server (actually, they have a separate SSH host for Ibiblio, and a separate web host .. so I'm logged into the SSH host). So the Ibiblio server is up, but the website is running slow. > > As this is the second release with the new kernel, I assume > > people have been happy with it? Do you know download counts? > > I believe that Jim mentioned in a previous message that those > tools to get information regarding download counts are no > longer available since IBIBLIO switched its hosting over > to the new machine. (That switch over was also when connection > and download speeds starting having issues.) Correct, Ibiblio told me that the stats service (to track number of downloads) was retired some time ago when they moved to the new server hardware. They don't even have historical stats. > > However, as described in my 2026-01-23 mail, it is almost > > IMPOSSIBLE to 1. find and 2. test the interim builds on real > > hardware :-( Jim, can you work on 1.? Thank you :-) I'm planning to wait a bit for Ibiblio to settle down, then I'll post a news item on the front page that announces T2603, with additional information and links to download it directly. However, last month I added a note to the "Download" page on the website, to encourage people to try the new test release. I just updated it today: :: Want to help test the next FreeDOS version? :: Download FreeDOS T2603 (March 2026) > > Jerome, how complex would it be to make the ISOs suitable for > > use as USB boot images? Or to build a LiveUSB from the LiveCD? > > As I mentioned before, there are issues do either of those. And > either may or may not be possible. There is Zero chance that > I will even look into doing either until I resume working on the > RBE4. To me, the RBE3 has reached end of life and will only > receive critical bug fixes at this point. I cannot afford to invest > time into the RBE3. [..] Out of curiosity: if you want to use a USB boot image, why not use the USB image? For example, on the "Download" page on the website, we've had this note: :: If you want to install FreeDOS on real hardware without a CD-ROM :: drive, use the FullUSB instead. The LiteUSB installs the same :: version of FreeDOS, but contains fewer of the extra programs. I've actually switched my install method (on QEMU) to use the USB image, because all the packages are there and I can simplify my QEMU command line. I do this to boot FreeDOS in QEMU: qemu-system-i386 -enable-kvm -m 32 -rtc base=localtime -hda /opt/freedos/T2603/freedos.qcow2 -hdb /home/jhall/virtualmachines/files.qcow2 -hdc /opt/freedos/T2603/T2603FULL.img -audiodev pa,id=snd -machine pcspk-audiodev=snd -device sb16,audiodev=snd -device adlib,audiodev=snd -global i8042.kbd-throttle=on (I keep the install media and my C: virtual disk in /opt/freedos so it doesn't get captured in my desktop backups. No point in backing up those files, I can just download & reinstall if I need it.) Installing is faster when using the USBFull image, and all of the packages are available at once in the E: drive when I want to install new packages with FDIMPLES. To do this with CD images, I usually would connect both the LiveCD as E: and the BonusCD as F: and then use FDIMPLES with a drive letter to install packages from either CD image. _______________________________________________ Freedos-devel mailing list [email protected] https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-devel
