Re: [Freedos-user] Any way to add files to freedos?

[Eric A. <e....@jp...>]

Hi TJ and Brian,

> There are two DOS programs, MS Interlink and Laplink, that could
> self-copy from one DOS PC to another through the serial port.

As far as I remember, they do not work well with FreeDOS. But
as mentioned, FileMaven / FM3 has similar functionality. Both
methods have the problem that you have to copy the tool to the
PC in question first and if you can do that, you can copy the
files which you originally wanted to copy anyway...

There is MODE for FreeDOS as well, but I doubt that Interlink
and Laplink really need MODE. They probably just directly or
maybe via the BIOS program the serial port themselves.

Typing files in a debugger is way too tedious. As said, you
could try to read enough disk content to force DOS to spill
cached disk content information in the hope that DOS will
finally NOTICE the files which you have added to the USB
drive while it was not connected to the running DOS system.

The assumption is that you can still do I/O to the re-connected
USB drive, but the BIOS "failed to mention" that it is possible
to unplug and re-plug it, so DOS failed to check for new files.

If you have suitable tools on the DOS system, you can simply
ask DOS to flush buffers. For example FDAPM FLUSH does that.

It is also possible that the BIOS just completely closed the
USB connection and re-plugging completely failed to make the
re-connected USB drive visible again. Then you have a problem.

I agree that you might use COPY COM1 or even very evil CTTY
tricks to mimick something very vaguely similar to RCP / SCP
I would probably avoid such low level attempts if possible.

Regards, Eric