MY EXPERIENCE INSTALLING FREEDOS Took a week or so trying to install a DOS enviroment along with an install of Word Perfect, quickly reading/scanning through all available Internet documentation as of 2024/05 date.
Some key bits of information were from Jim Hall's FreeDOS book, detailing an install of FreeDOS using Qemu. With the book very quickly and vaguely stating to use an emulator, of the many available emulators available. Nowdays, there's several types emulators/virtualizers, with varying abilities and intend usage scenarios. Initially I tried Bochs, but found Bochs either cannot go full screen using SDL2, or I just haven't found the magical incantation. (I could not read the characters/font!) Later finding Bochs is moreso respected as a de facto or standard scientific or reverse/understanding coding tool. More research showed DOSEMU out of date and not available on Void Linux distribution here, and/or requiring other self compiled libraries, as well as DOSEMU2 requiring additional self compiled libraries, with only DOSBOX (intended for games) available on Void Linux. After more research, found Jim Hall's book tends to sway towards suggesting Qemu, a virtualizer rather than an Emulator. I have and currently use Virtualbox here, but wanted to remain to the de facto used emulator for DOS environments. Regardless, Qemu readily resizes to full screen, so that I can finally see and read the font/characters. LIKELY CHANGES/CLARIFICATIONS How to install FreeDOS without the installer https://www.freedos.org/books/get-started/14-manual-install/ 1) Jim Hall's FreeDOS qemu incantation likely needs some minimal updating, for those that desire to get-up and running quickly within a DOS environment: $ qemu-system-x86_64 -name FreeDOS -machine pc-i440fx-4.2,accel=kvm,usb=off,dump-guest-core=off -enable-kvm -cpu host -m 8 -overcommit mem-lock=off -no-user-config -nodefaults -rtc base=utc,driftfix=slew -machine hpet=off -boot menu=on,strict=on -sandbox on,obsolete=deny,elevateprivileges=deny,spawn=deny,resourcecontrol=deny -msg timestamp=on -drive format=raw,file=freedos-mine.img -drive format=raw,file=FD13FULL/FD13FULL.img -vga cirrus -usbdevice mouse -device sb16 -device adlib -audio driver=alsa,id=snd0,out.dev=default -audiodev alsa,id=snd0 -machine pcspk-audiodev=snd0 Hpet option needed updating, using -drive was necessary for averting warning during start concerning raw format, sound options/arguments have been renamed/reorganized with sound not known if working using ALSA, but annoying PC speaker beep works! Another note, likely using the USB full image, rather than multiple floppies is far easier and more simplified. I'm not sure if the other non-explained options/arguments are still needed, or if additional options/arguments are required with the updated Qemu environment, but so far FreeDOS boots and seems to work. 2) Book or documentation should probably lead or advise users, the best (as of date) emulator or virtualizer per their intended use. (eg. under-the-hood operations, likely use Bochs, while most others should likely use Qemu?) As they say, the more we keep something simple, the easier and more readily we get things done. Roger
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