I didn't know about UTM on Mac, but it seems to be a QEMU for Mac.
https://mac.getutm.app/

:: UTM uses QEMU, a decades old, free and open source emulation
:: software that is widely used and actively maintained.


I use QEMU on Linux, and I do a fresh install every time. Since disk
space is cheap in a virtual machine, I do it this way:

I make a new virtual disk that I use for the operating system, and
keep a second virtual disk where I keep all my stuff (files, apps,
games, and other things).

Here's how I install:

1. Make a new virtual disk

2. Boot the installer with just FullUSB and the new virtual disk
(recognized as D: during the install)

3. Install the new FreeDOS test release on the new virtual disk

That's it! :-)

When I run FreeDOS normally, I just boot the virtual machine using the
new virtual disk as C: and the "my stuff" virtual disk as the D: drive
(and FullUSB as the E: drive, so I can install other packages later).
And all my files are there right away, without having to
backup/restore anything.

I make a copy of a few things to D: that I want to keep between
installs. For example, I keep a copy of my FED.CFG (editor config
file) on D: that I copy back to C:\apps\fed after every install.


On Wed, Jun 3, 2026 at 8:17 AM Curtis Matz via Freedos-devel
<[email protected]> wrote:
>
> What is everyone’s procedure for upgrading the monthly build each
> month?  I’m not sure what logic is in the installation procedure so
> what I do is below in UTM on Silicon Mac.
>
> 1. I have a backup.bat that backs up config files (c:\fd*.*, _VIMRC, Game 
> saves etc…)
> 2. I zip my backup USER dir to A:
> 3. I boot to the new live cd and run format c:
> 4. Reboot and run the install to the hard drive.
> 5. Load the Bonus CD and load my packages.
> 6. Unzip my user directory from a:.
> 7. Run merge.bat that I wrote to add my call in c:\fdauto.bat to my specific 
> config in my user directory.
> 8. Reboot one last time and I’m live.
>
> As my DOS build gets bigger I’ll have to maybe copy my backup through
> the network or something like that but for now it works.
>
> I’m sure this probably isn’t the best way and I’m sure the
> installation procedure can do a few things for me.
>


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