#213 The installation turns in a circle

[Klaus Salzmann]

Ich versuche seit Wochen FreeDOS auf eine Festplatte unterschiedlicher Größen zu installieren.
Es waren SSD 125 GB; SD 4GB; USB-4GB; USB-2GB; USB-1GB; SSD 80 GB alle nach FAT32 formatiert. die 4GB sogar auf FAT.
Der Start USB-4GB (FAT32) mit dem FreeDOS zur Installation habe ich mehrfach geänert.
1. Alle ZIP entpackt.
2. Mit Original Autobat gestartet = Fehlschlag
3. verschiedenste Setup zur Ausführung eingetragen
Alles hatte kein Erfolg.
FreeDOS Startet immer mit der Anzeige der Sprache. Dann wird gefragt ob ich installieren möchte. Anschließend wird was geprrüft. Um im Anschluß zu sagen das neu gestartet werden muß oder zum DOS zurückkehren.
Und das immer wieder.
Wie muß die Festplatte formatiert sein, damit eine Installation durchgeführt weden kann; FAT; FAT32 oder NTFS? Wie Groß darrf eine Platte zur Installation sein, 4GB scheinen ja zu groß zu sein?
Warum sind alle Dateien der ISO und der IMG gezipt?

I'm trying for weeks to install FreeDOS on a hard disk of different sizes.
It was SSD 125 GB; SD 4GB; 4GB USB; 2GB USB; USB 1GB; SSD 80 GB all formatted to FAT32. the 4GB even on FAT.
The start USB-4GB (FAT32) with the FreeDOS for installation, I have changed several times.
1. Unpack all ZIP.
2. Started with original Autobat = failure
3. Various setup entered for execution
Everything was not successful.
FreeDOS always starts with the display of the language. Then it asks if I want to install. Then something is being tested. In order to say in the connection that must be restarted or return to the DOS.
And again and again.
How must the hard disk be formatted so that an installation can be carried out; FAT; FAT32 or NTFS? How big darrf a disk to install, 4GB seem to be too big?
Why are all files of the ISO and the IMG zipped?

Thanks

Klaus

[Jim Hall]

Hi. The CDROM ISO image is not zipped. Where are you downloading the FreeDOS 1.2 distribution? The official location is here:
http://www.freedos.org/download/

We recommend the CDROM installer for most users. The “standard” CDROM image should work on most computers and PC emulators. Older computers may need the “legacy” CDROM image instead. Based on your description, I'm assuming you have a more recent PC, so you should try the standard CDROM image first.

I think you are installing FreeDOS 1.2 on physical hardware? You should be able to boot with the CDROM and the installer should take care of things for you. Just follow the prompts. See the walkthrough on our wiki:
http://wiki.freedos.org/install/

As a test, I'd define a 500MB C: partition, and see how that goes. FreeDOS can support larger than that, but 500MB is a good test. Make sure that's a primary partition (one of the first 4 partitions on the disk, not an extended partition). If you don't have any other data on the hard disk, you might delete any remaining partitions and start fresh.

[Anthony Williams]

USB install should be relatively easy, but most people use other host OSes to do that, e.g. UNetbootIn or RUFUS. There's even ways to dd a raw install to disk, presumably created under VM first. Have you tried any of those methods?

A normal (minimal) DOS install is only this: fdisk, (reboot), format, sys. You only need a MBR/boot sector, FAT partition, kernel, and shell. Anything else is just an XCOPY away.

[fritz.mueller]

Hallo Klaus,
Ich bin leider etwas spät dran.
Versuch doch mal FD 1.3 bzw. die aktuellere Testversion FDT240x (live CD) unter:
https://www.ibiblio.org/pub/micro/pc-stuff/freedos/files/distributions/test/
Das Problem, dass ich in deiner Beschreibung sehe, ist, daß die FreeDOS ISO oft zweimal gebootet werden muß, einmal um die Festplatte zu partitionieren (fdisk) - das erfordert zwingend einen Neustart, beim zweiten Mal sieht der Bildschirm ähnlich aus, führt aber dann weiter (Tastaturauswahl, einfache Installation oder Vollinstallation, Backup usw.)
Außerdem könnte es noch an Problemen mit UEFI liegen. Die Installation von FD 1.2 war auch noch etwas problembehaftet.
Du mußt bei der Installation keine Pakete entpacken o.ä. Später gibt es dafür den Befehl fdimples, womit du Pakete von CD nachinstallieren kannst.
Ich empfehle dir deshalb, das Ganze erstmal unter einer virtuellen Maschine auszuprobieren.

Hi Klaus,
sorry for being very late.
Could you try FD 1.3 or the more actual test version FDT240x (live CD), see:
https://www.ibiblio.org/pub/micro/pc-stuff/freedos/files/distributions/test/
In your description I see the problem, that the FreeDOS ISO often has to be started two times,
first time to partition the HD with fdisk - this requires a REBOOT(!). After the second boot the screen looks almost the same, but a little different, it leads to a choice for a keyboard, small installation, full installation, backing up the old installation etc.)
Maybe you ran into problems with UEFI. The installation of FD 1.2 was a little tricky.
There is no need to unpack packets etc. from your side when installing. You can use the command "fdimples" to add packets from CD later.
For this reason I recommend to try the installation in a virtual machine first.