Re: [Freedos-user] Question Regarding FreeDOS's fdisk
I'm back! And I got some great news! After obtaining an OEM copy of Windows XP Professional SP3 from eBay for the low-low price of $99.95 ( *awkward smile* ), I got around to installing XP today. I decided to try Boot US, and man, that is the simplest boot manager installer I have ever seen (then again, I have ever only tried to install two boot managers in my life, Boot US being the second :) ). Just downloaded the Boot US x86 installer from their website, installed it under XP, set up the boot manager on the MBR, and blam!, I can boot into Win98 and XP! Here's some proof (proof that fills me with glee!): https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4606/40243797792_4bcd9b5d2b_c.jpg On Tue, Jan 23, 2018 at 1:21 AM, Rugxulo wrote: > Hi, > > On Mon, Jan 22, 2018 at 6:21 PM, Kyle Nied wrote: > > > > BOOTMGR looks like a good candidate, Rugxulo. Boot US seems good too... > I'll > > have to think about it more. > > > > I'm putting this project on a very temporary hold, though. I'll work on > it > > some more after a few days. > > No pressure, just feel free to keep us updated on your achievements. > > > Thankfully, Jan, real DOS would not be a problem, given I have all three > > MSDOS 6.22 installation floppy images on my USB flash drive that I store > > floppy images on and of course Win98 bootdisks on there as well, if > needed. > > Just to plug my own wimpy work: > > * https://www.ibiblio.org/pub/micro/pc-stuff/freedos/files/ > distributions/unofficial/metados/ > > It's not much, but it's meant to be fairly minimal as a starting point > for further expansion. It does fit on 1.44 MB 3.5" floppy (although > only uses half) by default, to keep it simple. > > Besides kernel and shell, it does have FDISK, FORMAT, SYS, BOOTMGR, > and a few other random tools (HIMEMX, CWSDPMI, CTMOUSE, UNZIP, etc > etc). In theory, that should help you do a minimal install or at least > simple tests. > > Floppies aren't super common anymore, and the few here that still use > them seem to not have much interest in complaining or maintaining, so > we don't have a lot of "good" floppy images online anymore (except > messy old ones from like ten years ago, e.g. Joris, Balder, Odin, my > own BARE_DOS or RUFFIDEA, and a very few others that I can't > remember). > > Just for completeness, here's Jerome's FD 1.2 floppy image (but IIRC > that usually presumes CD for installing packages): > > * https://www.ibiblio.org/pub/micro/pc-stuff/freedos/files/ > distributions/1.2/FD12FLOPPY.zip > > And here's Mateusz's Svarog86: > > * http://svarog86.sourceforge.net/ > > Or his Svarog386 boot image: > > * http://svarog386.viste.fr/boot.img > > (I always feel like I'm missing something. There's always more to > support, more to rebuild, more to test. I guess it's impossible to do > everything.) > > > -- > Check out the vibrant tech community on one of the world's most > engaging tech sites, Slashdot.org! http://sdm.link/slashdot > ___ > Freedos-user mailing list > Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user > -- Check out the vibrant tech community on one of the world's most engaging tech sites, Slashdot.org! http://sdm.link/slashdot___ Freedos-user mailing list Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user
Re: [Freedos-user] Question Regarding FreeDOS's fdisk
Hi, On Mon, Jan 22, 2018 at 6:21 PM, Kyle Nied wrote: > > BOOTMGR looks like a good candidate, Rugxulo. Boot US seems good too... I'll > have to think about it more. > > I'm putting this project on a very temporary hold, though. I'll work on it > some more after a few days. No pressure, just feel free to keep us updated on your achievements. > Thankfully, Jan, real DOS would not be a problem, given I have all three > MSDOS 6.22 installation floppy images on my USB flash drive that I store > floppy images on and of course Win98 bootdisks on there as well, if needed. Just to plug my own wimpy work: * https://www.ibiblio.org/pub/micro/pc-stuff/freedos/files/distributions/unofficial/metados/ It's not much, but it's meant to be fairly minimal as a starting point for further expansion. It does fit on 1.44 MB 3.5" floppy (although only uses half) by default, to keep it simple. Besides kernel and shell, it does have FDISK, FORMAT, SYS, BOOTMGR, and a few other random tools (HIMEMX, CWSDPMI, CTMOUSE, UNZIP, etc etc). In theory, that should help you do a minimal install or at least simple tests. Floppies aren't super common anymore, and the few here that still use them seem to not have much interest in complaining or maintaining, so we don't have a lot of "good" floppy images online anymore (except messy old ones from like ten years ago, e.g. Joris, Balder, Odin, my own BARE_DOS or RUFFIDEA, and a very few others that I can't remember). Just for completeness, here's Jerome's FD 1.2 floppy image (but IIRC that usually presumes CD for installing packages): * https://www.ibiblio.org/pub/micro/pc-stuff/freedos/files/distributions/1.2/FD12FLOPPY.zip And here's Mateusz's Svarog86: * http://svarog86.sourceforge.net/ Or his Svarog386 boot image: * http://svarog386.viste.fr/boot.img (I always feel like I'm missing something. There's always more to support, more to rebuild, more to test. I guess it's impossible to do everything.) -- Check out the vibrant tech community on one of the world's most engaging tech sites, Slashdot.org! http://sdm.link/slashdot ___ Freedos-user mailing list Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user
Re: [Freedos-user] Question Regarding FreeDOS's fdisk
BOOTMGR looks like a good candidate, Rugxulo. Boot US seems good too... I'll have to think about it more. I'm putting this project on a *very* temporary hold, though. I'll work on it some more after a few days. Thankfully, Jan, real DOS would not be a problem, given I have all three MSDOS 6.22 installation floppy images on my USB flash drive that I store floppy images on and of course Win98 bootdisks on there as well, if needed. On Mon, Jan 22, 2018 at 2:02 PM, Jan van Wijk wrote: > On Mon, 22 Jan 2018 07:33:16 -0600 Rugxulo wrote: > > > >Just to plug BOOTMGR again: > > > >http://www.bttr-software.de/products/bootmgr/ > > Indeed that looks to implement all you need, and only uses > the MBR-sector itself which is quite an achievement ... > > You do need a real DOS to configure it though > (could be on a floppy, if you can find one ... > > If I was going to use I would probably implement configuration logic > in my own DFSee tool, to have it available on all platforms :) > > > But the need for bootmanagers is somewhat less these days, > I tend to run a lot of stuff in VirtualBox, so each OS has its own system > > > Regards, JvW > > > > Jan van Wijk, author of DFSee; http://www.dfsee.com/dfsee/ > > > > > -- > Check out the vibrant tech community on one of the world's most > engaging tech sites, Slashdot.org! http://sdm.link/slashdot > ___ > Freedos-user mailing list > Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user > -- Check out the vibrant tech community on one of the world's most engaging tech sites, Slashdot.org! http://sdm.link/slashdot___ Freedos-user mailing list Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user
Re: [Freedos-user] Question Regarding FreeDOS's fdisk
On Mon, 22 Jan 2018 07:33:16 -0600 Rugxulo wrote: > >Just to plug BOOTMGR again: > >http://www.bttr-software.de/products/bootmgr/ Indeed that looks to implement all you need, and only uses the MBR-sector itself which is quite an achievement ... You do need a real DOS to configure it though (could be on a floppy, if you can find one ... If I was going to use I would probably implement configuration logic in my own DFSee tool, to have it available on all platforms :) But the need for bootmanagers is somewhat less these days, I tend to run a lot of stuff in VirtualBox, so each OS has its own system Regards, JvW Jan van Wijk, author of DFSee; http://www.dfsee.com/dfsee/ -- Check out the vibrant tech community on one of the world's most engaging tech sites, Slashdot.org! http://sdm.link/slashdot ___ Freedos-user mailing list Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user
Re: [Freedos-user] Question Regarding FreeDOS's fdisk
Hi, On Mon, Jan 22, 2018 at 3:13 AM, Jan van Wijk wrote: > > Right, but finding a proper BootManager might be a bit of a challenge. > > Many bootmanager need to be installed in a FAT partition (FAT32 might be OK) > so that would be the W98 one. Some install into the MBR area only, and some > require a small primary partition of their own ... > > It does not have to do much, just let you select from a menu and set the > choosen partition as ACTIVE ... Just to plug BOOTMGR again: http://www.bttr-software.de/products/bootmgr/ " For maximum compatibility with existing software, the BOOTMGR loader fits entirely in the Master Boot Record and does not occupy nor overwrite any additional disk space (unlike some other boot managers). Of course, this limited size doesn't allow defining user passwords, multiple configurations with more than four primary partitions, and other non-standard (and therefore sometimes dangerous) features. " P.S. Just for completeness, another interesting one might be this: https://sourceforge.net/projects/gujin/ -- Check out the vibrant tech community on one of the world's most engaging tech sites, Slashdot.org! http://sdm.link/slashdot ___ Freedos-user mailing list Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user
Re: [Freedos-user] Question Regarding FreeDOS's fdisk
Hi Kyle, On Mon, 22 Jan 2018 01:40:56 -0500 Kyle Nied wrote: > >I set the second primary partition as active, and the >XP setup disk manager said that second primary partition would be the C >drive! So now I am installing Win98 (after changing the "active" status >back to the 80GB primary partition) for hopefully the last time on this >time-waster of a machine, and then will install XP, choose a boot manager, >and then enjoy! Right, but finding a proper BootManager might be a bit of a challenge. Many bootmanager need to be installed in a FAT partition (FAT32 might be OK) so that would be the W98 one. Some install into the MBR area only, and some require a small primary partition of their own ... It does not have to do much, just let you select from a menu and set the choosen partition as ACTIVE ... Regards, JvW Jan van Wijk, author of DFSee; http://www.dfsee.com/dfsee/ -- Check out the vibrant tech community on one of the world's most engaging tech sites, Slashdot.org! http://sdm.link/slashdot ___ Freedos-user mailing list Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user
Re: [Freedos-user] Question Regarding FreeDOS's fdisk
Good news, everyone! FreeDOS's Free FDISK does support multiple primary partitions! I finally did a little test of what that VOGONS member laid out (using Free FDISK that ships with FreeDOS), and man it is magical compared to the original FDISK provided by Microsoft. It correctly detects the size of the HDD I am using, and skips the annoyingly slow "checking drive integrity" bullcrap that takes forever. And, the reason I tried it to make sure it did do what the VOGONS member said it did, I was able to make 2 primary partitions! I was able to create a 80GB primary partition for Win98 "in the front" as the first partition, and then the rest of the space (150GB) for a second primary partition for XP! Finally, to make sure it was all about that "active" status, I set the second primary partition as active, and the XP setup disk manager said that second primary partition would be the C drive! So now I am installing Win98 (after changing the "active" status back to the 80GB primary partition) for hopefully the last time on this time-waster of a machine, and then will install XP, choose a boot manager, and then enjoy! On Sun, Jan 21, 2018 at 10:15 PM, Felix Miata wrote: > Eric Auer composed on 2018-01-22 03:14 (UTC+0100): > > >>> dual-boot system, and Win98 *has* to be on the first partition. > > >>That was never the case for me. e.g. > > > I agree that most operating systems happily boot from ANY primary > > partition (not necessarily the active one), I seem to remember that > > DOS and Windows are less happy to boot from LOGICAL partitions? > > > If you have more specific information, I would be happy to read it. > > AFAIK, neither MS-DOS nor PC-DOS nor Windows can ever boot from a logical. > I was > not describing booting from a logical. I was describing use of a single > small > (as little as ~32MB for 9x) FAT primary partition (that need neither be the > first primary nor active) for Windows (NT/9x/2000/XP/Vista/7/8/10) to boot > M$ > from, along with all operating system installations on logicals. Having > learned > this with 9x, I can't recall ever installing XP anywhere but (logical) E: > on any > of my own BIOS PCs, (virtually?) all of which for 25 years or so have been > and/or are multiboot. I do own a working PC with XP on C:, but I didn't > create > that installation. > > W7 (probably Vista, which I never installed anywhere, too) and newer > apparently > insist on calling the system partition C: even when it is a logical. > -- > "Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Whatever else you > get, get wisdom." Proverbs 4:7 (New Living Translation) > > Team OS/2 ** Reg. Linux User #211409 ** a11y rocks! > > Felix Miata *** http://fm.no-ip.com/ > > > -- > Check out the vibrant tech community on one of the world's most > engaging tech sites, Slashdot.org! http://sdm.link/slashdot > ___ > Freedos-user mailing list > Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user > -- Check out the vibrant tech community on one of the world's most engaging tech sites, Slashdot.org! http://sdm.link/slashdot___ Freedos-user mailing list Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user
Re: [Freedos-user] Question Regarding FreeDOS's fdisk
Eric Auer composed on 2018-01-22 03:14 (UTC+0100): >>> dual-boot system, and Win98 *has* to be on the first partition. >>That was never the case for me. e.g. > I agree that most operating systems happily boot from ANY primary > partition (not necessarily the active one), I seem to remember that > DOS and Windows are less happy to boot from LOGICAL partitions? > If you have more specific information, I would be happy to read it. AFAIK, neither MS-DOS nor PC-DOS nor Windows can ever boot from a logical. I was not describing booting from a logical. I was describing use of a single small (as little as ~32MB for 9x) FAT primary partition (that need neither be the first primary nor active) for Windows (NT/9x/2000/XP/Vista/7/8/10) to boot M$ from, along with all operating system installations on logicals. Having learned this with 9x, I can't recall ever installing XP anywhere but (logical) E: on any of my own BIOS PCs, (virtually?) all of which for 25 years or so have been and/or are multiboot. I do own a working PC with XP on C:, but I didn't create that installation. W7 (probably Vista, which I never installed anywhere, too) and newer apparently insist on calling the system partition C: even when it is a logical. -- "Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Whatever else you get, get wisdom." Proverbs 4:7 (New Living Translation) Team OS/2 ** Reg. Linux User #211409 ** a11y rocks! Felix Miata *** http://fm.no-ip.com/ -- Check out the vibrant tech community on one of the world's most engaging tech sites, Slashdot.org! http://sdm.link/slashdot ___ Freedos-user mailing list Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user
Re: [Freedos-user] Question Regarding FreeDOS's fdisk
Hi Felix, >> dual-boot system, and Win98 *has* to be on the first partition. >That was never the case for me. e.g. I agree that most operating systems happily boot from ANY primary partition (not necessarily the active one), I seem to remember that DOS and Windows are less happy to boot from LOGICAL partitions? If you have more specific information, I would be happy to read it. Regards, Eric -- Check out the vibrant tech community on one of the world's most engaging tech sites, Slashdot.org! http://sdm.link/slashdot ___ Freedos-user mailing list Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user
Re: [Freedos-user] Question Regarding FreeDOS's fdisk
Kyle Nied composed on 2018-01-21 14:31 (UTC-0500): > ...this is meant to be a Win98/XP > dual-boot system, and Win98 *has* to be on the first partition. That was never the case for me. e.g. pri01 Linux EXT2 pri02 IBM BM(normal active) pri03 FAT16 Win bootC: (active only while installing Windows) pri04 extended log05 FAT32 Win98 D: log06 NTFS WinXPE: log07 EXT2 log08 EXT2 log09 EXT2 log10 HPFS ... I've been multibooting around 25 years, since OS/2 2.0. -- "Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Whatever else you get, get wisdom." Proverbs 4:7 (New Living Translation) Team OS/2 ** Reg. Linux User #211409 ** a11y rocks! Felix Miata *** http://fm.no-ip.com/ -- Check out the vibrant tech community on one of the world's most engaging tech sites, Slashdot.org! http://sdm.link/slashdot ___ Freedos-user mailing list Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user
Re: [Freedos-user] Question Regarding FreeDOS's fdisk
Jan: > More universal or newer disk tools may allow you to create multiple > primary partitions. > Got it! And, by "more universal or newer disk tools", I'm sure I can include FreeDOS's fdisk in that list, and if that is the case. great! If not, just let me know :). Thanks Jan! (for example my own 'DFSee' disk utility) :P Hey, you got to spread the word somehow, and I can respect that. I'll give it a look. :) > However, there is a reason the older (DOS, Win98 etc) do not allow that. > These older operating systems can not handle multiple visible primary > partitions, > they will fail on booting. I'm guessing that is why the first partition on a hard drive for those OSs should *always* be the *primary*, *active boot* partition for the given OS. TJ: > I'm pretty sure WinXP itself can create multiple primary partitions. I'm also pretty sure that is true. > Why not create the first partition (leaving some extra space on the disk) > with whatever utility you want, install XP, then when XP is up and running > create a second partition using XP's disk manager? Remember (not trying to sound mean), this is meant to be a Win98/XP dual-boot system, and Win98 *has* to be on the first partition. ... I mean, I'm sure I could somehow do it with the Windows XP partition manager (the one that is loaded upon CD installation), but the manager is, um, in my experience, very basic and not flexible. Plus, I would still need to change "active" statuses with another partition manager to do what that VOGONS member outlined earlier. If you had XP and 98 each installed on a partition, I think you could grab > the 98 boot sector and add it to BOOT.INI. Then when XP boots you would > have a menu option to boot 98. Hmm, that is an interesting piece of information. Boot-sector-related information is still kind of "voodoo" to me, but I'll learn soon, I'm sure. Jan: > Yes, Windows-98 knows it can't handle that :) (:( :) Okay, I think I can safely say that my question was answered. I'll try using a FreeDOS bootdisk in a new attempt at this endeavor later, and post back here the results. Thanks for your help everybody! If you care to see what I am doing mainly forum-wise, check me out at VOGONS (for example, here is my topic regarding my first retro gaming machine: https://www.vogons.org/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=56714 ; when I have this second one up and running 100%, I'll create another topic dedicated to it). On Sun, Jan 21, 2018 at 9:18 AM, Jan van Wijk wrote: > Hi Kyle, > > On Sat, 20 Jan 2018 22:31:38 -0500 Kyle Nied wrote: > > > >What, out of all of these fdisk versions (minus > >vanilla fdisk, of course), can you create multiple primary partitions? > > More universal or newer disk tools may allow you to create multiple > primary partitions. > (for example my own 'DFSee' disk utility) > > However, there is a reason the older (DOS, Win98 etc) do not allow that. > These older operating systems can not handle multiple visible primary > partitions, > they will fail on booting. > > Apart from using a logical for one of them (not always possible) the best > way > to handle multiple operating systems that way (each in a primary, aka C:) > is to use a bootmanager that handles automatic hiding/showing. > > It will make the selected OS partition visible (for a FAT install, type > 0x06) > and hide the other primaries (changing 0x06 ones into 0x16). > > One bootmanager that will do that is the classic IBM BootManager that > came with OS/2 (and eComstation, and ArcaOS-5) but that is not free ... > > I am sure there are others that can do this too > > > > >To > >demonstrate what I am trying to do and show that I cannot do it with what > I > >have, here is a video of me booting off of a custom (no "RAMdrive") > Windows > >98 SE bootdisk image (found here: http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm ) > on > >a flash drive using a GOTEK USB floppy emulator (watch about it here: > >https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taFP1J_lZBI&t= ) and trying to create a > >secondary primary partition next to one that already exists ( > >https://flic.kr/p/23AQgLb ). As you can see, it doesn't work, because a > >"Primary DOS Partition Already Exists". > > Yes, Windows-98 knows it can't handle that :) > > Regards, JvW > > Jan van Wijk, author of DFSee; http://www.dfsee.com/dfsee/ > > > > > -- > Check out the vibrant tech community on one of the world's most > engaging tech sites, Slashdot.org! http://sdm.link/slashdot > ___ > Freedos-user mailing list > Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user > -- Check out the vibrant tech community on one of the world's most engaging tech sites, Slashdot.org! http://sdm.link/slash
Re: [Freedos-user] Question Regarding FreeDOS's fdisk
Hi Kyle, On Sat, 20 Jan 2018 22:31:38 -0500 Kyle Nied wrote: > >What, out of all of these fdisk versions (minus >vanilla fdisk, of course), can you create multiple primary partitions? More universal or newer disk tools may allow you to create multiple primary partitions. (for example my own 'DFSee' disk utility) However, there is a reason the older (DOS, Win98 etc) do not allow that. These older operating systems can not handle multiple visible primary partitions, they will fail on booting. Apart from using a logical for one of them (not always possible) the best way to handle multiple operating systems that way (each in a primary, aka C:) is to use a bootmanager that handles automatic hiding/showing. It will make the selected OS partition visible (for a FAT install, type 0x06) and hide the other primaries (changing 0x06 ones into 0x16). One bootmanager that will do that is the classic IBM BootManager that came with OS/2 (and eComstation, and ArcaOS-5) but that is not free ... I am sure there are others that can do this too >To >demonstrate what I am trying to do and show that I cannot do it with what I >have, here is a video of me booting off of a custom (no "RAMdrive") Windows >98 SE bootdisk image (found here: http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm ) on >a flash drive using a GOTEK USB floppy emulator (watch about it here: >https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taFP1J_lZBI&t= ) and trying to create a >secondary primary partition next to one that already exists ( >https://flic.kr/p/23AQgLb ). As you can see, it doesn't work, because a >"Primary DOS Partition Already Exists". Yes, Windows-98 knows it can't handle that :) Regards, JvW Jan van Wijk, author of DFSee; http://www.dfsee.com/dfsee/ -- Check out the vibrant tech community on one of the world's most engaging tech sites, Slashdot.org! http://sdm.link/slashdot ___ Freedos-user mailing list Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user
Re: [Freedos-user] Question Regarding FreeDOS's fdisk
On Sat, 20 Jan 2018 22:31:38 -0500, Kyle Nied wrote: What, out of all of these fdisk versions (minus vanilla fdisk, of course), can you create multiple primary partitions? I'm pretty sure WinXP itself can create multiple primary partitions. Why not create the first partition (leaving some extra space on the disk) with whatever utility you want, install XP, then when XP is up and running create a second partition using XP's disk manager? In regards to other things, yes, I will look at boot managers for this dual boot, as it would not work without it, due to the configuration I am trying to achieve. If you had XP and 98 each installed on a partition, I think you could grab the 98 boot sector and add it to BOOT.INI. Then when XP boots you would have a menu option to boot 98. -- Check out the vibrant tech community on one of the world's most engaging tech sites, Slashdot.org! http://sdm.link/slashdot ___ Freedos-user mailing list Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user
Re: [Freedos-user] Question Regarding FreeDOS's fdisk
Sorry for responding late. Interesting stuff. I will have a look at METAKERN, Eric. However (not to be mean or anything), but my original question was, well, only kind of answered. Looking at the link to a *huge list* of different fdisk versions that you provided Rugxulo, and looking at the link provided by that VOGONS member to the "newer" fdisk, which is in the base distribution of FreeDOS, this has me thinking. To take my original question and touch it up a little: What, out of all of these fdisk versions (minus vanilla fdisk, of course), can you create multiple primary partitions? To demonstrate what I am trying to do and show that I cannot do it with what I have, here is a video of me booting off of a custom (no "RAMdrive") Windows 98 SE bootdisk image (found here: http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm ) on a flash drive using a GOTEK USB floppy emulator (watch about it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taFP1J_lZBI&t= ) and trying to create a secondary primary partition next to one that already exists ( https://flic.kr/p/23AQgLb ). As you can see, it doesn't work, because a "Primary DOS Partition Already Exists". In regards to other things, yes, I will look at boot managers for this dual boot, as it would not work without it, due to the configuration I am trying to achieve. That VOGONS member suggested Boot-US, which I will also have a look at. I could try PLOP, which I tried to use for the many past failed attempts at this endeavor (which I explained in the VOGONS topic: https://www.vogons.org/viewtopic.php?f=61&t=57679 ), but I will say, it is a tad bit too complicated and too easy to screw everything up with in my experience. And Rugxulo, the problem with trying to emulate things is well, is the fact you *are* trying to emulate things. Building a retro gaming PC with all of the main pieces being of period-correct hardware (CPU, motherboard, RAM, soundcards), while yes, it is expensive, takes up physical space, costs a lot of money (the RGM that I have mentioned in the first post I have made, I reckon it set me back at least ~$350; I have yet to do a "final accounting"), etc., etc., etc., it A) is cool :), B) with the correct software to utilize the hardware (i.e. Win98 and XP) allows for nearly total compatibility without having to mess around with compatibility layers, etc., and C) it can give you a truely authentic experience with a given game (this is dependent on the soundcards and the graphics card). Oh, and plus, although it takes a lot of work and plenty of frustration, putting that love into something can be fun and afterwards, after finally getting everything as it should, it contributes to a sense of pride at what you have accomplished. Well, at least for me. :) Anywho, I have rambled on long enough. Again, any help would be appreciated. Thanks! On Sat, Jan 20, 2018 at 1:09 AM, Rugxulo wrote: > Hi, > > On Fri, Jan 19, 2018 at 1:42 PM, Eric Auer wrote: > > > > There are a few FDISK variants for FreeDOS and some do > > have some oddities in how to use them. For example you > > may have to edit a config file to activate LBA support > > for big disks or FAT32 support, in case you are in the > > unlucky situation that your install has configured the > > FDISK tool in question configured to DISable those. I > > think the most popular ones are free FDISK and XFDISK. > > BOOTMGR is simple but still pretty good: > > http://www.bttr-software.de/products/bootmgr/ > > And the various FreeDOS fdisks (FD fdisk, XFdisk, SPFdisk) are here: > > https://www.ibiblio.org/pub/micro/pc-stuff/freedos/files/dos/fdisk/ > > > > But dual-booting is complex, so it might take some trial and error. > (Don't forget you could instead just use GParted, maybe via Knoppix?) > > I halfway wonder why you don't just install them both under VirtualBox > (or KVM or Hyper-V or whatever). Honestly, I think that's safer, > easier, and less prone to native hardware incompatibility. > > Also, you can install XP atop FAT, but few did that (security? > journaling? speed?), so that was removed from Vista. > > You might even want to try WINE (presumably under Linux) to see if it > runs the apps you're trying to run. Admittedly, only Win9x runs some > old things that later versions don't. Even MS can't keep perfect > compatibility in newer versions, there's just too much third-party > stuff. So WINE might actually be viable (or even ReactOS). > > RUFUS claims to be able to install Windows XP or newer. Not sure I'd > recommend that on a slow flash jump drive, but who knows. > > > -- > Check out the vibrant tech community on one of the world's most > engaging tech sites, Slashdot.org! http://sdm.link/slashdot > ___ > Freedos-user mailing list > Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user >
Re: [Freedos-user] Question Regarding FreeDOS's fdisk
Hi, On Fri, Jan 19, 2018 at 1:42 PM, Eric Auer wrote: > > There are a few FDISK variants for FreeDOS and some do > have some oddities in how to use them. For example you > may have to edit a config file to activate LBA support > for big disks or FAT32 support, in case you are in the > unlucky situation that your install has configured the > FDISK tool in question configured to DISable those. I > think the most popular ones are free FDISK and XFDISK. BOOTMGR is simple but still pretty good: http://www.bttr-software.de/products/bootmgr/ And the various FreeDOS fdisks (FD fdisk, XFdisk, SPFdisk) are here: https://www.ibiblio.org/pub/micro/pc-stuff/freedos/files/dos/fdisk/ But dual-booting is complex, so it might take some trial and error. (Don't forget you could instead just use GParted, maybe via Knoppix?) I halfway wonder why you don't just install them both under VirtualBox (or KVM or Hyper-V or whatever). Honestly, I think that's safer, easier, and less prone to native hardware incompatibility. Also, you can install XP atop FAT, but few did that (security? journaling? speed?), so that was removed from Vista. You might even want to try WINE (presumably under Linux) to see if it runs the apps you're trying to run. Admittedly, only Win9x runs some old things that later versions don't. Even MS can't keep perfect compatibility in newer versions, there's just too much third-party stuff. So WINE might actually be viable (or even ReactOS). RUFUS claims to be able to install Windows XP or newer. Not sure I'd recommend that on a slow flash jump drive, but who knows. -- Check out the vibrant tech community on one of the world's most engaging tech sites, Slashdot.org! http://sdm.link/slashdot ___ Freedos-user mailing list Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user
Re: [Freedos-user] Question Regarding FreeDOS's fdisk
Hi Kyle :-) First, Win98 and DOS ignore NTFS drives. Second, FDISK should easily allow up to 4 primary partitions, but in most cases at most 3, because you need 1 extended to put all the additional drives as a chain there. However, only one partition can be the one which boots by default. So you need a boot menu. Newer versions of Windows and Linux include such a boot menu. You can also use METAKERN which is a very minimalistic boot menu for DOS. It is tricky to install but has enough power to triple-boot Win98, FreeDOS and XP. You probably have to be careful to install XP on the other partition because it will prefer to be an upgrade which replaces Win98. The text about step 1 probably refers to the fact that if you use a minimal boot disk to create that bootable USB with FreeDOS, it will not have FDISK on it yet. If you use a more complete distro of FreeDOS, things get easier and you probably do not even need Rufus. There are a few FDISK variants for FreeDOS and some do have some oddities in how to use them. For example you may have to edit a config file to activate LBA support for big disks or FAT32 support, in case you are in the unlucky situation that your install has configured the FDISK tool in question configured to DISable those. I think the most popular ones are free FDISK and XFDISK. Finally, some fun thing about putting FreeDOS and Win98 on the same C: drive at the same time: If FreeDOS finds fdconfig.sys then it will prefer that instead of normal config.sys, so you can give FreeDOS one and Win98 the other. In fdconfig.sys, you can configure the FreeDOS command.com SHELL line to use a different file instead of autoexec.bat, so you can also keep separate configs for the autoexec and command.com of Win98 and FreeDOS and let each use a different version of command.com :-) Cheers, Eric -- Check out the vibrant tech community on one of the world's most engaging tech sites, Slashdot.org! http://sdm.link/slashdot ___ Freedos-user mailing list Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user
