Jim Hall wrote:
> >
> >>> Drive C: does not appear to be partitioned.
> >>>
> >>> Do you want to partition your drive?
> >>>
> >>> Yes - Partition drive C:
> >>> No - Return to DOS
> >
> > I think this screen should change. This should be white (gray) text on
> > a red background, and we should add other text to alert the user that
> > they are about to do something destructive. The text might look
> > something like this:
> >
> > :: Drive C: does not appear to be partitioned.
> > ::
> > :: Do you want to partition your drive?
> > ::
> > :: Partitioning your drive will remove other data that is on it. If you
> > :: continue with this step, you may delete the operating system you have
> > :: now (for example, Windows). If this is not what you intend, please
> > :: stop now.
> > ::
> > :: Yes - Partition drive C:
> > :: No - Return to DOS
> >
> >> 5. Yes, partition:
> >>
> >>> Partitioning hard drive ...
> >>
Jerome Shidel wrote:
>
> I don’t think I like changing the text or color of this screen for the
> following reasons.
>
> In normal mode, when you select “Partition drive C:” (or possibly D: when
> booted from USB) the installer does the following.
>
> You only see this screen if there are no FreeDOS compatible partitions
> available for installation.
>
> If the installer was capable of activating a RAM DISK, it will query FDISK to
> see if any partitions exist on the drive. If there are no partitions, it will
> automatically partition it for you. If any other partitions exist, you are
> sent to FDISK to manually partition the drive.
>
> So, it is safe for the installer to partition the drive automatically when it
> has no partitions.
>
> The danger in partitioning comes from when the user is sent to FDISK.
>
> I think a better solution would be to throw up a red warning dialog when the
> user is going to be sent to FDISK to manually partition the drive.
>
> :-)
>
Ouch, I'd completely skipped over what happens when you try to install
to a disk that has data on it. That's kind of the point for making the
text changes. :-)
I agree that the installer should only show a red warning if it's
about to do something destructive, like repartitioning the disk (if
there's already partitions there) or reformatting the disk (if there's
already data there).
On that second example: I set up a small (20MB) test disk and put two
partitions on it (C: is "DATA1" and D: is "DATA2"). I also created a
few dummy files, so there was something there. Both are formatted, but
neither is bootable -- what you might have if you reused a data disk.
If I select "install" from the boot menu, then the installer does these steps:
1. "What is your preferred language?"
2. "Welcome to the FreeDOS T2511 installation program." (this is the
screen that currently has the "..you may overwrite.." text on it)
I selected "Yes - Continue with the installation"
3. "Gathering some information.."
4. "Please select your keyboard layout."
5. "What FreeDOS packages do you want to install?"
I selected "Plain DOS system"
6. "We are now ready to install FreeDOS T2511"
I selected "Yes - Please install FreeDOS T2511"
"Preparing.."
"Installing software package.."
Eventually, I get a red window that says "Unable to install the
'base\htmlhelp' package." That's because it filled the C: partition,
which is too small.
If I exit to DOS, I can see my C: drive has been wiped out (my dummy
files are gone, but the volume label is untouched). My D: drive is
fine.
I think the installer should show a red warning at step after step 3
("Gathering some information..")
Here's what I have post-install:
>A:\>dir C:
> Volume in drive C is DATA1
> Volume Serial Number is 1341-1E06
>
> Directory of C:\FREEDOS
>
>. <DIR> 11/23/2025 10:38p
>.. <DIR> 11/23/2025 10:38p
>APPINFO <DIR> 11/23/2025 10:38p
>BIN <DIR> 11/23/2025 10:38p
>CPI <DIR> 11/23/2025 10:38p
>DOC <DIR> 11/23/2025 10:38p
>HELP <DIR> 11/23/2025 10:38p
>NLS <DIR> 11/23/2025 10:38p
>PACKAGES <DIR> 11/23/2025 10:38p
>TEMP <DIR> 11/23/2025 10:38p
> 0 file(s) 0 bytes
> 10 dir(s) 4,096 bytes free
>A:\>dir D:
> Volume in drive D is DATA2
> Volume Serial Number is 1B17-1E06
>
> Directory of D:\
>
>2 4 11/23/2025 10:33p
>D 4 11/23/2025 10:34p
> 2 file(s) 8 bytes
> 0 dir(s) 10,772,480 bytes free
>A:\>fdisk /info
>
>Current fixed disk drive: 1 40320 sectors, geometry 40/016/63
>
>Partition Status Mbytes System Usage Start CHS End CHS
> D: 1 1 10 FAT-12 53% 0/001/01 20/015/63
> C: 2 1 A 9 FAT-12 47% 21/000/01 39/015/63
>
>Largest continuous free space for primary partition = 0 MBytes
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