See the FreeDOS Spec [0]. OpenWatcom C/C++ (1.9?) (and by extension WASM/JWASM? for ASM??) and NASM (no version either though many are based on 0.98.x) are the reference compilers/assemblers/linker.
I was able to able to compile a recent kernel version with the non-reference compiler Borland C/C++ 4.5.2 (the last Borland C/C++ compiler to support DOS compiling executables). I had to make minor changes to the Makefiles to successfully compile the kernel. See the mailing list archives for my notes. [0] http://wiki.freedos.org/wiki/index.php/FreeDOS_Spec#Programming_tools On Wed, Jan 4, 2017 at 11:17 PM, Mateusz Viste <mate...@nospam.viste.fr> wrote: > On Wed, 04 Jan 2017 18:59:25 -0800, Ben Hutchinson wrote: >> Of all the many files in the FreeDOS sourcecode, which files will I need >> if I just want to compile the bootsector and the kernel? > > You'll need the source files present in the "KERNEL" package, > unsurprisingly. You can also fetch these sources on-line here: > https://sourceforge.net/p/freedos/svn/HEAD/tree/kernel/trunk/ > >> And also, what is the recommended free compiler (I'm >> not about to spend money to buy one) for use in compiling the FreeDOS >> bootsector and kernel? > > The FreeDOS kernel can supposedly be compiled with the following > compilers: MS C, Watcom C, Turbo C, Turbo C++, Borland C. > >From those, I have tested successfully Open Watcom and Turbo C 2.01. Both > are free (no cost). Using Turbo C requires to change a few lines of > comments though, as I wrote here the 26th November of last year (still > not fixed on SVN). > > Mateusz > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > Check out the vibrant tech community on one of the world's most > engaging tech sites, SlashDot.org! http://sdm.link/slashdot > _______________________________________________ > Freedos-kernel mailing list > Freedos-kernel@lists.sourceforge.net > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-kernel ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Check out the vibrant tech community on one of the world's most engaging tech sites, SlashDot.org! http://sdm.link/slashdot _______________________________________________ Freedos-kernel mailing list Freedos-kernel@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-kernel