Re: [Freedos-user] formatting disk
Hi Tomas, > On Mon, 11 Jan 2021 12:46:39 +0100, Eric Auer wrote: >> Looking around on the internet a bit, it seems that if >> you use Linux, you can install a PXE TFTP server [...] > > Yes... of course, but I needed Serva for Windows, so it is easier to > get everything in the same menu. An Serva alternative: http://tftpd32.jounin.net/ https://bitbucket.org/phjounin/tftpd64/ Cheers, Robert -- +++ BTTR Software +++ Home page: https://www.bttr-software.de/ DOS ain't dead: https://www.bttr-software.de/forum/ ___ Freedos-user mailing list Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user
Re: [Freedos-user] PXE/Serva
Hi Tomas, While the paid version of serva has more features, I would really assume that booting ISO over network is one of the things you can do for free. And I believe you said booting from usb is not supported on aopen? If you google: "pxe" iso freedos then you get a list of other people explaining how they did it. For example if you assume that your boot files are on the server in /var/lib/tftpboot (or equivalent Windows place) then you could put the ISO and (!) a boot floppy at /var/lib/tftpboot/freedos/floppy.img /var/lib/tftpboot/freedos/freedos.iso and memdisk from the syslinux package at /var/lib/tftpboot/memdisk then you make a pxelinux.cfg/default config as either # FreeDOS label live-fd menu label FreeDOS Live system linux memdisk initrd freedos/fdboot.img or alternatively just # FreeDOS installation label install_fd menu label FreeDOS Instalaltion linux memdisk initrd freedos/fd11src-1.1.iso append iso The "append" tells the memdisk that the image to load already is an image, so the second style is for booting the full ISO while the first style demonstrates booting only the virtual floppy. Note that this will eat as much RAM as the size of your ISO. As you have mentioned that the memdisk may need the "raw" option, you can just write that in the "append" line, I think. One thing which is popular to boot DOS is RUFUS: https://superuser.com/questions/438120/making-a-pxe-bootable-10mb-or-larger-dos-image https://rufus.ie/ If you want to consume less RAM, you can copy the ISO on your C: partition using Windows and then use SHSUCDHD in FreeDOS to mount the ISO as a virtual CD :-) That way, you could do a minimal install via PXE first and later open the virtual CD to install the remaining apps. Cheers, Eric ___ Freedos-user mailing list Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user
Re: [Freedos-user] formatting disk
On Mon, 11 Jan 2021 12:46:39 +0100, Eric Auer wrote: > Looking around on the internet a bit, it seems that if > you use Linux, you can install a PXE TFTP server [...] Yes... of course, but I needed Serva for Windows, so it is easier to get everything in the same menu. /Tomas ___ Freedos-user mailing list Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user
Re: [Freedos-user] formatting disk
Hi! > Yes... Linux creates a boot menu, I thought that was obvious. Maybe, but you said you cannot boot Linux yet and therefore prefer to use a DOS installer. > So format in Windows OR Linux but NOT Freedos, okay. You can format in DOS, too, but the problem is that our FDISK has no support for resizing partitions. Which means that the only way to create partitions for DOS without destroying Windows is to do the partitioning in Windows or Linux instead - probably easier in Linux, because Windows would need its own partition while you try to resize it? > Hmm, I was hoping to install Freedos before Linux > but that seems increasingly unlikely. I agree that it is easier to install Linux and make a DOS partition there. Make sure to not let FreeDOS take over the boot process, so avoid FDISK. Instead, just SYS C: in DOS. Typical Linux boot menu configs will be able to detect that a bootable DOS exists on the FAT partition with a simple "regenerate config" type Linux command without having to explicitly tell them what to do and where to find DOS :-) Regarding the different versions of FreeDOS 1.3: https://www.ibiblio.org/pub/micro/pc-stuff/freedos/files/distributions/1.3/previews/1.3-rc3/ lists a floppy version - just a loader, without the actual packages: add those via internet or CD/DVD. target audience are people who cannot boot from CD. And 2 CD versions (legacy or live) and 2 USB versions (full and lite). There also are a readme.txt file and an 8086 compatible version (5 MB). Note that the 8086 version contains images for 7 (!) floppy disks. Sizes: Full USB 608 MB, legacy CD 605 MB, lite USB 20 MB and live CD 611 MB. The lite USB version and 8086 version only contain a small selection of apps, but still "everything to make MS DOS 6 users happy". Looking at https://www.vercot.com/~serva/ it is a PXE boot server software with lots of graphical configuration menus. They also have a paid version with more features. Looking around on the internet a bit, it seems that if you use Linux, you can install a PXE TFTP server and use it to serve a PXELINUX item with a FreeDOS floppy image. However, you can also do something similar to label freedos menu label ^FreeDOS kernel path/memdisk initrd path/freedos.iso append iso raw in the PXELINUX boot menu to boot a FreeDOS ISO :-) I would expect that you can even work without the memdisk part here because the ISO already defines the rest of the boot process including a "floppy". https://serverfault.com/questions/295512/creating-a-bootable-pxe-image-from-a-dos-utility-firmware-updater In general, you can boot a FreeDOS ISO in the same way as a Linux ISO through PXE. Which is probably easier than trying to boot an USB image via PXE. Maybe check https://www.howtoforge.com/ubuntu_pxe_install_server for a long explanation of the possibilities: 9 subpages. And keep us posted about your insights :-) Eric ___ Freedos-user mailing list Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user
Re: [Freedos-user] installation (Serva)
In case anybody needs this in future, LIVE & LGCY are USB images, so that is apparently just not compatible with Serva. After formatting the disk and SYS'ing it, I can boot and read the USB drive, so can get the files in that way. /Tomas On Mon, 11 Jan 2021 11:10:19 +0100, Tomas By wrote: > FD13FULL.IMG: print dots for a long time, then back to menu > > FD13LIVE.IMG: immediately back to menu > > FD13LGCY.IMG: immediately back to menu > > FD13FLOP.IMG: boots ok, fails at HIMEMX.EXE ___ Freedos-user mailing list Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user
[Freedos-user] installation (Serva)
Hi again, I tried these: FD13FULL.IMG: print dots for a long time, then back to menu FD13LIVE.IMG: immediately back to menu FD13LGCY.IMG: immediately back to menu FD13FLOP.IMG: boots ok, fails at HIMEMX.EXE With the last one I can boot, and then format the disk (ie Freedos partition), but trying `SETUP' fails because it cannot find the packages (and they are seemingly not included on the single floppy). So if I try to make some change to one of the others, what might be the easiest? Any theories about what goes wrong? /Tomas ___ Freedos-user mailing list Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user
Re: [Freedos-user] formatting disk
On Mon, 11 Jan 2021 10:25:10 +0100, Eric Auer wrote: > It MUST not be bootable if you want Windows to stay the > main operating system. If you were able to run Linux, it > would be easier to insert a boot menu. Yes... Linux creates a boot menu, I thought that was obvious. > Another thing is that you say you have tried the 8086 > compatible floppy edition: This may have NO support for > FAT32 partitions, only for FAT16 partitons. Ah, that makes sense. > So you will > be better off with FreeDOS versions requiring 386 CPU > or newer, even if it means you have to skip HIMEM each > time at boot. Back to square one then. > Note that either way you probably have to do SYS C: after > booting DOS. Doing that with tools from inside Linux or > Windows can be unreliable and/or more complicated. If you > can use Linux or Windows to partition and FORMAT, I would > prefer that compared to using DOS FDISK or DOS FORMAT. Well, I'm done partitioning I hope, ever since I first bought the machine. So format in Windows OR Linux but NOT Freedos, okay. Windows, Linux same difference? Hmm, I was hoping to install Freedos before Linux but that seems increasingly unlikely. /Tomas ___ Freedos-user mailing list Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user
Re: [Freedos-user] formatting disk
Hi Tomas, while you cannot use Linux, but have made a DOS partition in another way, maybe even directly using Windows, you will have to make sure that it is FAT16 or FAT32. As you can boot via Serva, it does not have to be bootable! It MUST not be bootable if you want Windows to stay the main operating system. If you were able to run Linux, it would be easier to insert a boot menu. Another thing is that you say you have tried the 8086 compatible floppy edition: This may have NO support for FAT32 partitions, only for FAT16 partitons. So you will be better off with FreeDOS versions requiring 386 CPU or newer, even if it means you have to skip HIMEM each time at boot. > Earlier, with another machine, I formatted a partition in Windows and The Windows 7 on the Aopen Digital Engine of not specified type, I assume. They sell many different digital engines. > then installed Freedos on it, which led to problems. I do not remember > details. But generally, Windows is more reliable than Linux for > formatting FAT partitions (or maybe that is no longer true). That is probably no longer true. Windows will be tempted to use ExFAT which is not supported at all by DOS. Note that either way you probably have to do SYS C: after booting DOS. Doing that with tools from inside Linux or Windows can be unreliable and/or more complicated. If you can use Linux or Windows to partition and FORMAT, I would prefer that compared to using DOS FDISK or DOS FORMAT. Eric ___ Freedos-user mailing list Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user
[Freedos-user] formatting disk
On Mon, 11 Jan 2021 07:17:42 +0100, Tomas By wrote: > Would it be a good idea to format the Freedos partition from Windows 7? On Mon, 11 Jan 2021 09:52:42 +0100, Eric Auer wrote: > [... boot LINUX where GPARTED can allow you to resize the Windows > partition without destroying it. And add a DOS partition. So I have three partitions since a while ago: Win 7, Freedos (not used yet) and Linux (not used yet either). Freedos fdisk does apparently recognise the Freedos partition (I deleted and recreated it, and rebooted many times so lets not worry about that any more). Freedos command.com (or whatever) and format DO NOT recognise the partition. At this point, what would be the best thing to do: 1. Boot Win 7 (after I manage to re-set the bootable flag that Freedos somehow removed), and format the Freedos partition from there. or 2. Boot Linux (after installing it) and format the Freedos partition from there instead? Earlier, with another machine, I formatted a partition in Windows and then installed Freedos on it, which led to problems. I do not remember details. But generally, Windows is more reliable than Linux for formatting FAT partitions (or maybe that is no longer true). What is best? /Tomas ___ Freedos-user mailing list Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user
Re: [Freedos-user] PXE/Serva
On Mon, 11 Jan 2021 09:52:42 +0100, Eric Auer wrote: > Could also be himemx and probably exe, not sys. But if > you cannot find it on "the disk", maybe you mean ISO > image? ok; yes > In that case you should use Serva to boot LINUX [...] yes of course. unfortunately that does not work either (but I am conifident I can fix that, unlike freedos...) > But if you want to keep Windows, it is probably easier > to just install DOS on USB stick and boot from the stick > without even touching the Windows harddisk, SSD or eMMC. yes, if the bios had supported that... /Tomas ___ Freedos-user mailing list Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user
Re: [Freedos-user] PXE/Serva
Hi! > The line that triggered the error was (I believe) calling > "himem.sys". I could not find a himem.sys on the disk. Could also be himemx and probably exe, not sys. But if you cannot find it on "the disk", maybe you mean ISO image? That contains a separate floppy image for the boot process which in turn contains drivers and config. You can change the options to load the floppy image via memdisk if I remember correctly. The floppy image could be loaded via grub or isolinux. But I hope the experts about how to use hotkey for our distro ISO can tell :-) Note that with DOS, you will probably have to REBOOT after FDISK before you can do things like FORMAT C: ... >> If it is okay to kick out Windows, > > no! In that case you should use Serva to boot LINUX where GPARTED can allow you to resize the Windows partition without destroying it. And add a DOS partition. This is almost impossible to do with DOS alone. But if you want to keep Windows, it is probably easier to just install DOS on USB stick and boot from the stick without even touching the Windows harddisk, SSD or eMMC. Eric ___ Freedos-user mailing list Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user
Re: [Freedos-user] (no subject) - problem with 1998 laptop
Thanks Simon -- Pôvodná správa -- Od: "Eric Auer" Komu: freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net Odoslané: 9. 1. 2021 14:46:49 Predmet: Re: [Freedos-user] (no subject) - problem with 1998 laptop Hi Šimon, OK I will try to explain more properly. I plugged in my Laptop. Pushed down the power button and nothing happened. I cleaned up and I did not found anything leaked or broken. I think there is a problem with power supply In my experience with laptops of people I know, the most common reasons for this are: - the battery was dead (main battery or CMOS / clock battery) - the charger / power supply socket no longer made good contact, so while you believe everything is connected, no power arrives - the charger / power supply no longer worked at all (quite often!) - or, unlikely, you had to reset the CMOS settings or reinstall the OS or some circuits. I will keep finding. I have also a battery pack for that Laptop too but I am not using since those batteries are way old to handle all operations and may explode. Simon As Mateusz explains, it may still be better to connect the battery, even if the battery is so weak that your computer switches off a few seconds after you disconnect the power supply from the AC socket. Luckily, it is easy to get replacement power supply "bricks". Some are sold with all sorts of connectors and with adjustable voltage. You have to make sure to use the right voltage, polarity and plug! Wrong power replacement choices can permanently damage your laptop. Regards, Eric ___ Freedos-user mailing list Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user ___ Freedos-user mailing list Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user
Re: [Freedos-user] PXE/Serva
On Mon, 11 Jan 2021 09:45:35 +0100, Tomas By wrote: > On Mon, 11 Jan 2021 09:39:53 +0100, Eric Auer wrote: > > Regarding your partitioning problem: Use FDISK in > > manual mode at the DOS prompt to make a bootable > > FAT32 partition. > > Yes, I did that. As I said, it seemed to work but the other commands > did not recognise the disk (ie partition). > > just "c:" produced some error about invalid drive, ditto "format c:" And fdisk said (before) that the new partition was "C", and it had a label (someting like) "FREEDOS2020". /Tomas ___ Freedos-user mailing list Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user
Re: [Freedos-user] PXE/Serva
On Mon, 11 Jan 2021 09:39:53 +0100, Eric Auer wrote: > You can press F5 or F8 while DOS boots to skip > all or some of the DOS drivers, I tried that. The line that triggered the error was (I believe) calling "himem.sys". I could not find a himem.sys on the disk. > Regarding your partitioning problem: Use FDISK in > manual mode at the DOS prompt to make a bootable > FAT32 partition. Yes, I did that. As I said, it seemed to work but the other commands did not recognise the disk (ie partition). just "c:" produced some error about invalid drive, ditto "format c:" > If it is okay to kick out Windows, no! > It is possible that > your Windows is on a GPT partition. DOS itself and > FDISK for DOS do not support GPT, but GPT-partitioned > disks may still contain a simple MBR guard partition > to discourage MBR based tools from messing with it. Hahaha, ok. /Tomas ___ Freedos-user mailing list Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user
Re: [Freedos-user] PXE/Serva
Hi Tomas, > Serva is a windows program. You put a .img/.iso file somewhere and > that's it. > > There is no `line with boot options' that I mess with. Theoretically, > I guess I might open the .img, mess a bit, put it back together, but... You can press F5 or F8 while DOS boots to skip all or some of the DOS drivers, that can already improve your situation for you. There could also be a way to open boot loader options while whatever boot loader activates earlier in the process, which might make you able to change options for MEMDISK or similar. And last but not least, you could use another "boot other OS with help of Windows" tool. Regarding your partitioning problem: Use FDISK in manual mode at the DOS prompt to make a bootable FAT32 partition. If it is okay to kick out Windows, you can also just delete everything and start some fresh MBR based partitioning: It is possible that your Windows is on a GPT partition. DOS itself and FDISK for DOS do not support GPT, but GPT-partitioned disks may still contain a simple MBR guard partition to discourage MBR based tools from messing with it. Regards, Eric ___ Freedos-user mailing list Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user
