> On Feb 23, 2016, at 3:47 PM, Eric Auer <e.a...@jpberlin.de> wrote: > > > Hi Jerome, > >>> - user has another OS and DOS must not kill the boot menu without asking >>> >>> - user made a virtual computer for DOS, the disk contains nothing at all >> >> - user has some old hardware they want to install and play with a newer DOS. >> >>> In the second case, it is good to automatically make a MBR from scratch. >>> In the first case, it would be a disaster for those who want dual boot. >> >> In the third case, neither solution works. MBR not blank and MBR needs >> overwritten. >> User is angry to not have w working computer. Leaves and never comes back. > > I beg to differ. Simply ASK the user whether they want to install the > special FreeDOS MBR and mention that this is not normally required but > if booting fails, it helps. > > Because if you have some old computer which already has DOS or maybe > Win95 on it, SYS will be enough to install FreeDOS, without MBR zap. > > Again, there ARE situations where you want a fresh MBR, but those are > neither autodetectable nor the universal solution to installation :-)
I agree that regardless of what is in the MBR. You cannot detect if you should update it. > > The exception is the "MBR is totally empty" case of freshly made virtual > computers and sometimes freshly bought unformatted storage media. Those > can be autodetected, if you want an extra bit of convenicence. Because > it would be totally okay to tell the user in such situations that they > most probably WANT a fresh MBR instead of 512 NULL-bytes. Still I would > ask them for confirmation before I proceed at that point of install, to > be extra polite :-) The MBR section of the boot sector may be empty. As things change, it may not be devoid of boot code. Any changes to a non blank boot sector involves risk. Once, drive is partitioned, it is no longer blank. Then on reboot to reload the tables. Since your actions are lost on reboot, you no longer know if it is safe to write the code. So, it is never risk free. > >> My understanding is that Jim wants a quick, easy, and friendly install >> process. > > Destroying all my data is NOT friendly... I might even sue FreeDOS > for not having warned me. After all, it comes from a country known > for warning labels saying "do not dry your pet in this microwave". > Why not? :-) > There is a limit in how easy the install should be. Shooting in my > own foot by simply booting some USB stick is definitely too easy. > As said, make it ASK. I am perfectly fine with OFFERING to zap MBR. > No matter which way it does it, it will upset at least 1 person. So, I think this is one of the things Jim will have to decide and we all will just have live with his choice. > Cheers, Eric ;-) > Jerome (Humm, microwave my cat..... Humm) > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > Site24x7 APM Insight: Get Deep Visibility into Application Performance > APM + Mobile APM + RUM: Monitor 3 App instances at just $35/Month > Monitor end-to-end web transactions and take corrective actions now > Troubleshoot faster and improve end-user experience. Signup Now! > http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/clk?id=272487151&iu=/4140 > _______________________________________________ > Freedos-user mailing list > Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Site24x7 APM Insight: Get Deep Visibility into Application Performance APM + Mobile APM + RUM: Monitor 3 App instances at just $35/Month Monitor end-to-end web transactions and take corrective actions now Troubleshoot faster and improve end-user experience. Signup Now! http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/clk?id=272487151&iu=/4140 _______________________________________________ Freedos-user mailing list Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user
