--- David Deckert <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Georg, I have no idea what any of that earlier stuff was but it all > sounds cool. So what you're saying is, with OS X we Mac users can > create > DOS boot floppies (or anything else) from raw images? Again, don't > know > where I'd use it but it sounds cool.
I may have confused you: use fdimage.exe on WindowsNT4/5/5.1 (rawrite.exe on DOSy windows like 95/98); you can find them on FreeBSD ftp servers in pub/FreeBSD/tools directory, e.g. ftp://ftp.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/tools where you can also find other wonderful UNIX tools ported to Win like md5.exe (there is also a bunch of unitilities for win on etree servers, they have md5sum.exe there) Speaking of Free or semi-free software most folks forget that there is a huge volume of excellent freeware progs for the Evil OS. On UNIXy systems you need to learn dd command/utility/programme where 2 main arguments could be mnemonised as 'output file' and 'input file' - of and if respectively. UNIX tries to treat nearly everything as a file (actually it's scion, Plan9 treats everything so, even CPUs are files, so you can write and read to/from them). So with dd you make *raw transfer* from output to input without logical processing of any sort (like error checking, structural verifications). I always keep for emergencies an image of a bootable DOSy floppy with either some additional utils or bare. Additionals can be fdisk, I/O libraries (e.g. CD support), etc. Metaphorically you can treat DOS like UNIX without real multitasking and multieverythingelse with different syntax. So, when you copy a boot floppy on a linux machine (for example), you create an image of it in your home directory like this: dd if=/dev/fd0 of=boo.floppy (you can name it anyway, e.g. dos_fdisk.flp, sheercrap.img, etc) I took linux as an example, because in modern boxes Macs dropped floppies some time ago, and I have no experience with X, but I have quite a bit of experience with Solaris, IRIX and FreeBSD mostly, and there shouldn't be huge difference within the NIXy environment for this command. Some flavours, depending on the installation profile may need more options with dd line, so read the manuals for dd and fdformat, read several times before going to Internet and typing "dd tutorial", "how to format diskette[s] in UNIX/Linux/FreeBSD/Whatevernix" and then if you still don't get it ask on Usenet or some other dedicated hangout. Keep in mind that the crowd there may be different, you have been spoiled by macsters who have the best sense of humour, those other folks may be intolerable at times, especially neophytes posing as geeks. I think that freebsd crowd is most helpful and professional. And their online Handbook is truly excellent. Keep in mind that UNIX is rather old and even though it progressed hugely over time, taking it is a base for Mac OS is no way innovation in my book. But it can be a lot of fun. Still, "for the rest of us" in me :) it's not the way to go IMHO. I better stop right here :) __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? SBC Yahoo! DSL - Now only $29.95 per month! http://sbc.yahoo.com -- SuperMacs is sponsored by <http://lowendmac.com/> and... Small Dog Electronics http://www.smalldog.com | Refurbished Drives | Service & Replacement Parts [EMAIL PROTECTED] | & CDRWs on Sale! | Support Low End Mac <http://lowendmac.com/lists/support.html> SuperMacs list info: <http://lowendmac.com/supermacs/list.shtml> --> AOL users, remove "mailto:"; Send list messages to: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To unsubscribe, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> For digest mode, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subscription questions: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Archive: <http://www.mail-archive.com/supermacs%40mail.maclaunch.com/> --------------------------------------------------------------- >The Think Different Store http://www.ThinkDifferentStore.com ---------------------------------------------------------------
