The FreeDOS Project

is there a way you can selectively choose what parts you want to install?  like 

"select all" but uncheck arachne, lynx, and bobcat?

could you add cURL for DOS?

 
-----------------------------------------------------
Jim Michaels
jmichae3@...
JimM@...
http://JimsComputerRepairandWebDesign.com
http://JesusnJim.com (my personal site, has software)
-------
Computer memory/disk size measurements:
[KB KiB] [MB MiB] [GB GiB] [TB TiB]
[10^3B=1,000B=1KB][2^10B=1,024B=1KiB]
[10^6B=1,000,000B=1MB][2^20B=1,048,576B=1MiB]
[10^9B=1,000,000,000B=1GB][2^30B=1,073,741,824B=1GiB]
[10^12B=1,000,000,000,000B=1TB][2^40B=1,099,511,627,776B=1TiB]
Note: disk size is measured in MB, GB, or TB, not in MiB, GiB, or TiB.  computer memory (RAM) is measured in MiB and GiB.




>________________________________
>From: Bernd Blaauw <bblaauw@...>
>To: freedos-devel@...; freedos-user@...
>Sent: Tuesday, July 26, 2011 8:17 PM
>Subject: [Freedos-devel] New FreeDOS 1.1 test ISO (#3) released
>
>I'd like to announce a new FreeDOS 1.1 test CD-image file, see FreeDOS 
>website for download details.
>
>I've squashed quite a few bugs which were mentioned in the BugTracker 
>that Robert Riebisch linked to. This new release should also be more 
>compatible with several emulation and virtualisation products, as well 
>as work with being launched from different DOS and CDEX flavors.
>
>The generated configuration setttings have improved as well, with adding 
>(commented out) experimental NLS/locale commands in AUTOEXEC.BAT
>
>If you find any obvious flaws please list them in the bugtracker.
>
>
>
>Bernd
>
>
>------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>Got Input?   Slashdot Needs You.
>Take our quick survey online.  Come on, we don't ask for help often.
>Plus, you'll get a chance to win $100 to spend on ThinkGeek.
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>_______________________________________________
>Freedos-devel mailing list
>Freedos-devel@...
>https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-devel
>
>
>

and cdrtools for dos?

 
-----------------------------------------------------
Jim Michaels
jmichae3@...
JimM@...
http://JimsComputerRepairandWebDesign.com
http://JesusnJim.com (my personal site, has software)
-------
Computer memory/disk size measurements:
[KB KiB] [MB MiB] [GB GiB] [TB TiB]
[10^3B=1,000B=1KB][2^10B=1,024B=1KiB]
[10^6B=1,000,000B=1MB][2^20B=1,048,576B=1MiB]
[10^9B=1,000,000,000B=1GB][2^30B=1,073,741,824B=1GiB]
[10^12B=1,000,000,000,000B=1TB][2^40B=1,099,511,627,776B=1TiB]
Note: disk size is measured in MB, GB, or TB, not in MiB, GiB, or TiB.  computer memory (RAM) is measured in MiB and GiB.




>________________________________
>From: Jim Michaels <jmichae3@...>
>To: "freedos-devel@..." <freedos-devel@...>
>Sent: Wednesday, July 27, 2011 7:02 PM
>Subject: Re: [Freedos-devel] New FreeDOS 1.1 test ISO (#3) released
>
>
>is there a way you can selectively choose what parts you want to install?  like 
>
>"select all" but uncheck arachne, lynx, and bobcat?
>
>
>could you add cURL for DOS?
>
> 
>-----------------------------------------------------
>Jim Michaels
>jmichae3@...
>JimM@...
>http://JimsComputerRepairandWebDesign.com
>http://JesusnJim.com (my personal site, has software)
>-------
>Computer memory/disk size measurements:
>[KB KiB] [MB MiB] [GB GiB] [TB
 TiB]
>[10^3B=1,000B=1KB][2^10B=1,024B=1KiB]
>[10^6B=1,000,000B=1MB][2^20B=1,048,576B=1MiB]
>[10^9B=1,000,000,000B=1GB][2^30B=1,073,741,824B=1GiB]
>[10^12B=1,000,000,000,000B=1TB][2^40B=1,099,511,627,776B=1TiB]
>Note: disk size is measured in MB, GB, or TB, not in MiB, GiB, or TiB.  computer memory (RAM) is measured in MiB and GiB.
>
>
>
>
>>________________________________
>>From: Bernd Blaauw <bblaauw@...>
>>To: freedos-devel@...; freedos-user@...
>>Sent: Tuesday, July 26, 2011 8:17 PM
>>Subject: [Freedos-devel] New FreeDOS 1.1 test ISO (#3) released
>>
>>I'd like to announce a new FreeDOS 1.1 test CD-image file, see FreeDOS 
>>website for download details.
>>
>>I've squashed quite a few bugs which were mentioned in the BugTracker 
>>that Robert Riebisch linked to. This new release should also be more 
>>compatible with several emulation and virtualisation products, as well 
>>as work with being launched from different DOS and CDEX flavors.
>>
>>The generated configuration setttings have improved as well, with adding 
>>(commented out) experimental NLS/locale commands in AUTOEXEC.BAT
>>
>>If you find any obvious flaws please list them in the bugtracker.
>>
>>
>>
>>Bernd
>>
>>
>>------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>Got Input?   Slashdot Needs You.
>>Take our quick survey online.  Come on, we
 don't ask for help often.
>>Plus, you'll get a chance to win $100 to spend on ThinkGeek.
>>http://p.sf.net/sfu/slashdot-survey
>>_______________________________________________
>>Freedos-devel mailing list
>>Freedos-devel@...
>>https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-devel
>>
>>
>>
>------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>Got Input?   Slashdot Needs You.
>Take our quick survey online.  Come on, we don't ask for help often.
>Plus, you'll get a chance to win $100 to spend on ThinkGeek.
>http://p.sf.net/sfu/slashdot-survey
>_______________________________________________
>Freedos-devel mailing list
>Freedos-devel@...
>https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-devel
>
>
>

Op 28-7-2011 4:02, Jim Michaels schreef:
> is there a way you can selectively choose what parts you want to
> install? like
> "select all" but uncheck arachne, lynx, and bobcat?
>
> could you add cURL for DOS?

Currently used old installer is still selective, though through a lot of 
user interaction. If I can find a usable binary of CURL I might add it. 
I'm already disliking the filesize for base distribution, but as I'm 
required to add sources I might as well increase size by adding WGET, 
CURL etc :)

Op 28-7-2011 4:30, Jim Michaels schreef:
> and cdrtools for dos?

http://sites.google.com/site/blairdude/cdrkit  contains CDRKIT v1.1.9
I'm not aware of any recent DOS CDRTOOLS ports. Old one is 2.01
( http://bootcd.narod.ru/index_e.htm), with CDRTOOLS 3.00 already having 
been announced.

Trouble also remains the lack of an IDE ASPI driver for CD-writing, 
above mentioned site offers a vendor's ASPI driver, but ofcourse the 
legal situation is shady.

Op 28-7-2011 21:20, Bernd Blaauw schreef:
> Op 28-7-2011 4:30, Jim Michaels schreef:
>> and cdrtools for dos?

Hm time to remind those Mozilla Thunderbird developers about removing 
subject spam tag in responses and original if someone responds + sends.
I've got no intention of clicking every message to indicate spam or not.

Sorry for the subject pollution.

Hi,

On Thu, Jul 28, 2011 at 2:20 PM, Bernd Blaauw <bblaauw@...> wrote:
> Op 28-7-2011 4:30, Jim Michaels schreef:
>
>> and cdrtools for dos?
>
> http://sites.google.com/site/blairdude/cdrkit  contains CDRKIT v1.1.9
> I'm not aware of any recent DOS CDRTOOLS ports. Old one is 2.01
> ( http://bootcd.narod.ru/index_e.htm), with CDRTOOLS 3.00 already having
> been announced.

There were some other unofficial compiles "announced" on BTTR's forum
a few months ago, but I never tested (too dumb to know how,
honestly!). You could search there if really curious. Or perhaps Jim
Hall mirrored some of it to iBiblio, dunno, would have to check.

> Trouble also remains the lack of an IDE ASPI driver for CD-writing,
> above mentioned site offers a vendor's ASPI driver, but ofcourse the
> legal situation is shady.

Right, that alone might make the whole idea questionable at best (sadly).   :-(

Hi,

On Thu, Jul 28, 2011 at 2:09 PM, Bernd Blaauw <bblaauw@...> wrote:
> Op 28-7-2011 4:02, Jim Michaels schreef:
>
>> is there a way you can selectively choose what parts you want to
>> install? like
>> "select all" but uncheck arachne, lynx, and bobcat?
>>
>> could you add cURL for DOS?
>
> Currently used old installer is still selective, though through a lot of
> user interaction. If I can find a usable binary of CURL I might add it.
> I'm already disliking the filesize for base distribution, but as I'm
> required to add sources I might as well increase size by adding WGET,
> CURL etc :)

Here's all the basic URLs to grab cURL (that I know of):

==============================================
> they [DOS binary] are available here.
> http://www.rahul.net/dkaufman/index.html

I've never used cURL, but apparently latest is 7.21.7. I blindly
wonder if it'll still compile with DJGPP + WATT-32 (too preoccupied to
personally try right now, doh).

Anyways, here's link to srcs for 7.10.5 (cURL it? heh):

ftp://ftp.sunet.se/pub/www/utilities/curl/curl-7.10.5.tar.bz2

Official site is here:

http://curl.haxx.se/

http://curl.haxx.se/download/curl-7.21.7.tar.bz2

Watt-32 (new) homepage seems to be here:

http://home.broadpark.no/~gvanem/

Test of "1.1test3" CD :

http://jafile.com/uploads/dos386/fd11t3.png

Issues:

[-3.] many messages running over the screen but too fast to read

[-2.] not prominently documented what's going to be installed (for
      example "FreeDOS distro 1.1test3 2011-07-10 with kernel 2040
      2011-06-26 and FreeCOM 0.81pl999 2002-12-31"

[-1.] it does install files (with some luck) but doesn't update the
       bootsector, attempt to launch my new FreeDOS ends up
       in "NTLDR missing"

[0.] (see shot) "no persistent changes possible" is strange

[1.] (see shot) should be "volume" not "drive" (M$-$lang $uck$), what's worse,
      it just shows me 4 letters with NO information on them (location of the
      volumes, fs (FAT16/FAT28/Former-EX-FAT-64), total size, free space,
      existing files or OS, ...), even worse, ot offers me letters
already having
      an OS or those having ZERO free space ...

[2.] (see shot) Marginally outdated

[3.] (see shot) Subminor text formatting problems

[4.] (see shot) many packages need multiple reconfirmations per piece ???

[5.] (see crappy shot) about to reboot ... into "NTLDR missing"

[6.] about the bootsectors, it should tell me what OS I'm about to
      kill (as far as guessable) and backup the original BS. Also, it should
      tell me about installing onto a non-ZERO'th HD (needs to adjust
      BIOS boot settings) or non-ZERO'th partition (needs to adjust the
      $80-boot flag in boot sector)

Op 2-8-2011 14:28, dos386 schreef:
> Test of "1.1test3" CD :
>
> http://jafile.com/uploads/dos386/fd11t3.png

Now that's some quite usable feedback, thank you very much DOS386.

>
> Issues:
>
> [-3.] many messages running over the screen but too fast to read

Yeah file info from LSM files is displayed. Unfortunately the old 
installer wasn't smart enough to start on a new line after the 
DESCRIPTION part. You won't see this in the next installer anymore 
though as it's more limited (not handling individual packages and 
descriptions anymore, only entire sets).

> [-2.] not prominently documented what's going to be installed (for
>        example "FreeDOS distro 1.1test3 2011-07-10 with kernel 2040
>        2011-06-26 and FreeCOM 0.81pl999 2002-12-31"

Good point, not even sure which old INSTALL textfile it is, would have 
to research that if it's worthwile changing. As soon as the new 
installer supports 'switch to target directory after installation' I'll 
swap the old installer out (though I'll have to document the syntax and 
inner workings for it somewhere as it's pretty cryptic).

> [-1.] it does install files (with some luck) but doesn't update the
>         bootsector, attempt to launch my new FreeDOS ends up
>         in "NTLDR missing"

I'll have to look into how to deal with bootsectors anyway. Right now 
all SYS actions are commented out with exception for the 'FORMAT a 
partition from FreeDOS menu'. I'm not sure how to handle this at all. 
Generating bootsectors of the current operating system, of FreeDOS and 
of Syslinux all seem like good ideas. Actually writing these bootsectors 
from saved file to bootsector-area is an entirely different matter, I 
require a SYS with full capabilities [ described at 
http://www.freedos.org/kernel/sys.txt ]  as is located in 
A:\FREEDOS\SYS.COM in the 1.0 distro (FDBOOT.IMG). Even then it's a 
question of 'is SYS simply writing 512 bytes, or is it analyzing the 
bootsector and patching in geometry data properly?'
It's an issue I'm currently experiencing with that ReactOS loader 
bootdisk and its 16KB clustersize which I fail to reduce (using NFORMAT 
or FDFORMAT).

How do I find a bootsector that I can safely override? I don't know what 
MS FORMAT puts there by default, nor what FreeDOS FORMAT puts there. In 
ideal case I could dump the bootsector to disk, followed by a search for 
'NO OPERATING SYSTEM FOUND'. Any succesful search of this string and I'd 
be safe to overwrite.


> [0.] (see shot) "no persistent changes possible" is strange

That's likely for the LiveCD, and doesn't consider any other FAT volumes 
in your system (be they floppy, usb flash drives or harddisk 
partitions). I'll see if I can rephrase this somehow.

>
> [1.] (see shot) should be "volume" not "drive" (M$-$lang $uck$), what's worse,
>        it just shows me 4 letters with NO information on them (location of the
>        volumes, fs (FAT16/FAT28/Former-EX-FAT-64), total size, free space,
>        existing files or OS, ...), even worse, ot offers me letters
> already having
>        an OS or those having ZERO free space ...

It gets mighty interesting to use 4DOS with all of its scriptability at 
this time, or FDISK /INFO.
Ideally you'd see:
[Drive:] - [Label] [Total capacity][Used Capacity][Free Capacity] and 
maybe even some filesystem info (FAT12/16/32), primary partition or 
logical, etc.

> [2.] (see shot) Marginally outdated

As mentioned, once old installer supports switching to target directory, 
I'll use that. Meanwhile everyone can test it already, simply start 
SETUP with a dummy argument, or a valid directory name which contains 
the [DRIVE:\DIRNAME]PACKAGES\BASE\*.ZIP structure:
D:\SETUP.bat C:\FDSETUP	

> [3.] (see shot) Subminor text formatting problems

See above, i could maybe reformat layout. Otherwise a change in 
INSTALL.EXE required

>
> [4.] (see shot) many packages need multiple reconfirmations per piece ???

Numerous ENTER and SPACE required with the old installer indeed. New 
installer will no longer be bothered by this issue.

> [5.] (see crappy shot) about to reboot ... into "NTLDR missing"

Ah that's a nice string to search for. I guess Eric's OSCHECK can help a 
bit as well.

> [6.] about the bootsectors, it should tell me what OS I'm about to
>        kill (as far as guessable) and backup the original BS. Also, it should
>        tell me about installing onto a non-ZERO'th HD (needs to adjust
>        BIOS boot settings) or non-ZERO'th partition (needs to adjust the
>        $80-boot flag in boot sector)

I've no idea what that last bit means, but your initial part looks good.
I'd assume it's perfectly safe to overwrite/update a FreeDOS 
installation while having to ask around for the other options.
Alternatively I'll be real annoying and simply install SYSLINUX and let 
its multiboot capabilities sort things out.

Thanks for your feedback, the screenshots help quite a lot in 
visualising what flaws might be experienced.

Op 2-8-2011 14:28, dos386 schreef:
> [-1.] it does install files (with some luck) but doesn't update the
>         bootsector, attempt to launch my new FreeDOS ends up
>         in "NTLDR missing"
>
> [0.] (see shot) "no persistent changes possible" is strange
>
> [1.] (see shot) should be "volume" not "drive" (M$-$lang $uck$), what's worse,
>        it just shows me 4 letters with NO information on them (location of the
>        volumes, fs (FAT16/FAT28/Former-EX-FAT-64), total size, free space,
>        existing files or OS, ...), even worse, ot offers me letters
> already having
>        an OS or those having ZERO free space ...
> [6.] about the bootsectors, it should tell me what OS I'm about to
>        kill (as far as guessable) and backup the original BS. Also, it should
>        tell me about installing onto a non-ZERO'th HD (needs to adjust
>        BIOS boot settings) or non-ZERO'th partition (needs to adjust the
>        $80-boot flag in boot sector)

I've singled out all bootsector related stuff above for the reason that 
I haven't got a clue as to where to write the bootsector to, and how 
system files should be generated.

Suppose I'm installing from USB disk (C:) to FAT primary partition on 
harddisk (D:), then it's implied I should write to D:\ and nothing to 
C:. Also paths should refer to C:\FDOS instead of D:\FDOS as when I boot 
from harddisk, currently D: will become C:
Perhaps [ http://www.bttr-software.de/products/drvexch/ ] will help, 
though documentation seems to state C: can't be swapped

This same situation occurs if your E: is a primary partition..do you 
want E:'s bootsector (thus allowing E: to become C: if you boot from 
that primary partition, possibly hiding or shifting other partitions) 
and startup files written to there as well? Or still write to what's 
currently C: ?

I at least assume that the *active* primary FAT partition will be C: 
(unless USB flash disk is C: through USB emulation).

Anyway, bootsectors, partitions, drives and startup files are doing my 
head in :)