FREEDOS9.0ID16a FREEDOS2 Freedos 9.0 (sistemas operativo DOS)
http://www.ibilio.org

20041023    1474560 ftp://ftp.ibiblio.org/pub/micro/pc-stuff/freedos/files/distribution/beta/disk1440/B9BASE01.IMG..IMG
20041023      23175 http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/micro/pc-stuff/freedos/files/distributions/beta9sr1/readme.txt

FreeDOS beta9-final (2004-09-28)
Readme file
Table of Contents:
---------------------------------
I)    How to view this document
II)   What to get, platform dependant
III)  How to boot up
IV)   Installation
V)    Post-installation disk/RAM layout and configuration files
VI)   Using FreeDOS
VII)  Updates and help
---------------------------------
I      - How to view this document
This document is posted online and thus may incidentally not comply with the 
DOS specification of keeping line width below 80 characters. We recommend 
using a HTML viewer or the FreeDOS program PG, which supports line wrapping,
found at http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/micro/pc-stuff/freedos/files/util/file/pg/

---------------------------------

II     - What to get, platform dependant

The FreeDOS distribution is available in several ways. Users only wanting to 
use the kernel don't need to download the entire distribution. Owners of a 
computer older than 80386 often don't have a cdrom drive in their systems.
FreeDOS Beta9 Release Candidate #5 is offered for:

Platform:            what to download:
---------------------------------------------------------------------
8086/80186/80286 : - download diskette distribution if available
                     http://fdos.org/ripcord/beta9-final/disksets
                   - alternative #1: download ODIN (One Disk INstaller)
                     http://odin.fdos.org/odin7x86.zip
                   - alternative #2: download zipfile and split onto disks:
                     http://fdos.org/ripcord/beta9-final/binfiles.zip
                   - alternative #3: get FreeDOS install disk
                     http://fdos.org/ripcord/beta9-final/fdos1440.img

80386 or newer   : - download the bootable freedos cdrom
                     http://fdos.org/ripcord/beta9-final/fdbootcd.iso

                     We recommend to boot from the cdrom as our cdrom driver is
                     still in experimental stage (atapicdd.sys , ALPHA status)
                     
                     if you cannot boot from cdrom, please download bootdisk
                     http://fdos.org/ripcord/beta9-final/fdos1440.img

                     replace our cdrom driver with the vendor-supplied one if 
                     desired. [ e.g http://www.opus.co.tt/dave/indexall.htm ]

You may need to write the bootdisk image to a diskette using one of several
available programs found at: http://www.fdos.org/ripcord/rawrite/
(RAwrite downloadable from : http://fdos.org/ripcord/beta9-final/rawrite.exe )
If the target diskette contains information, it will be erased when writing
the image contents to the diskette.

The .iso file (ISO9660 filesystem) can be written to a blank recordable medium 
[CD-R(W) or DVD+/-R(W)] using a cd writing program that can write a disk image.
Most used is Ahead's Nero Burning Rom, and the Unix/Linux program CDrecord
Make sure contents of the fdbootcd.iso file is stored on the written medium,
not the file itself. In other words, you should see a file called autorun.inf 
and the directories called FREEDOS and ISOLINUX.

---------------------------------

III    - How to boot up

Virtually all computer systems that FreeDOS can be installed on support booting
from another medium than the harddisk. This is required for installing FreeDOS 
to your harddisk.
Old computers support diskette booting, recent computers also support starting
up from cdrom (the so called El Torito standard dating from 1995)

If you cannot boot from cdrom or do not know how to set up your BIOS
settings (most systems use DEL, ESC, F2 or F10 keys to access the BIOS) 
to allow booting from cdrom, please boot from diskette.

If you are able to get your system to allow booting from cdrom, that's the 
easiest and best way of installing FreeDOS. Type "1" at the BOOT: prompt and
then you'll see FreeDOS starting. You should now see another menu. Select
option 1 to load memory and cdrom drivers. the CDROM is accessed and then you
can select what to do next (Install FreeDOS, Run FreeDOS, Create bootdisk), 
but more about that later. First the floppy explanation.

For booting from diskette, insert the diskette to which you have written the
contents of FDOS1440.iIMG using WinImage or Rawrite for example.

You should now see a boot menu with 2 options:
*Select 1 (default and started if waiting 10 seconds) to gain access to 
 additional options for recent computers only (386 or newer).
 In the follow-up menu:
 *entering 1 followed by ENTER boots up a fasterversion of the bootdisk
  (bootdisk is read into system RAM and then started)
 *entering 2 followed by ENTER allows you to test your system's RAM
  for potential errors, using the Memtest86+ program, now at version 1.26
 *entering 3 followed by ENTER starts the Smart Boot Manager.
  it is here that you can select to boot from the cdrom device.
  see above at cdrom description how to go on.

*Select 2 (most compatible) to load FreeDOS from the cdrom.
 see below on how to work with FreeDOS once you see the menu
 that offers driver and cdrom loading. 

Working with FreeDOS: 
you'll see 3 menu entries, so you need to select the correct one.
Option 1 loads FreeDOS in default configuration, loading all drivers
which can spead up the installation process.
Option 2 loads FreeDOS in safe mode. This mode is useful for things like
updating system BIOS and/or firmware, or troubleshooting if you are an
experienced DOS user. It's possible to continue the installation procedure
by typing SETUP. Almost no drivers will be loaded.
-if the cdrom is found, you'll be presented with a new menu
 (1: Install, 2:Run from cdrom, 3:Create Bootdisk).
-if the cdrom is not found, you'll be presented an error message
 (cdrom driver not loaded, cdrom not found)
 you get the chance of redetecting cdrom drive (insert correct cdrom), 
 doing a diskette install (if made available by the FreeDOS project), 
 changing source location of FreeDOS cdrom contents or disksets contents
 (enter correct directory) or giving up (you're on your own then).
 
see chapter IV - Installation for further info.

---------------------------------

IV     - Installation

Regardless of which way you booted, installing FreeDOS is made up of several
steps. If you want (or need) to change your disk layout (using a partitioning
program) , you will need to reboot at least once in this process.

These are the steps you need to follow:
1) Partition your harddisk (not recommended unless necessary!)
2) Create a filesystem     (not recommended unless necessary!)
3) Install and configure FreeDOS core files and additional files.

Step1: (not recommended unless necessary!)
You can change your disk layout by using any partition program.
most known ones are Fdisk ("program for Fixed Disks") and the Partition Magic
product from the company Symantec (was PowerQuest Partition Magic).
DOS *requires* a primary partition with the FAT filesystem that it recognizes as C:.
Having a C under your modern Windows system using NTFS is not suitable.

KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING - ALTERING DISK PARTITION LAYOUT CAN CAUSE DATA LOSS

FreeDOS provides its own version of FDISK, called FreeFdisk.
Here's what you need to do:
*Answer yes to the first question (do you want support for FAT32 (big disks?))
*Create some free (actually unpartitioned) disk space by making sure
 not all disk space is allocated.
*Create a primary partition in the unallocated space, at least 20 MegaBytes
 (option 1, then option 1)
*Set it active (option 2 from the main menu)
*Exit FDISK. You will probably have to reboot. Be sure to boot from the same
 boot device again (diskette/cdrom)


Step2: (not recommended unless necessary)
Once an active primary partition exists, FreeDOS detects this.
However it still allows to change disk layout by calling the supplied FDISK.
and offers you to format the partition. If the partition was not yet formatted
then FreeDOS auto-formats it. If it was formatted, we recommend not to format
the partition again, as it may contain programs and data you wish to keep
(creating the FAT [File Allocation Table] filesystem using the FORMAT program
erases all previous contents)


Step3:
Once the active primary partition actually contains a filesystem, be it
already present or just created through the FORMAT program, it will allow
you to install FreeDOS using the installation program.
We assume the installation program speaks for itself.

All selected files are copied to the selected installation directory, 
the core components installed (kernel - c:\kernel.sys ; shell - c:\command.com)
and several startup files are created. See following chapter for that.

finally, you are presented information on [1] how to add FreeDOS to another
already installed operating system (so called Dualboot) or [2]to install
it all by itself.
Next, you will get the question if the bootsector code should be written.
-In case 1, answer no (as it would overwrite the bootsector code of your
 already installed operating system, thus making it not start anymore)
-In case 2, answer yes, or you will be unable to boot FreeDOS.
 
All is done now, you have installed FreeDOS to harddisk and can start using it


---------------------------------

V      - Post-installation disk/RAM layout and configuration files

This chapter references the layout of both files and memory layout,
on diskette, cdrom and the harddisk installed FreeDOS distribution.

Feel free to skip this chapter immediately or after the harddisk 
disk layout and conventional memory layout.

* Memory layout (below 1MB) when maximizing free conventional memory,
  using the FreeDOS EMM386 driver. Layout obtained from "MEM /C /P"

  Name           Total           Conventional       Upper Memory
  --------  ----------------   ----------------   ----------------
  SYSTEM      18,784   (18K)     12,480   (12K)      6,304    (6K)
  HIMEM        2,112    (2K)      2,112    (2K)          0    (0K)
  EMM386       2,608    (3K)      2,608    (3K)          0    (0K)
  KEYB         1,520    (1K)          0    (0K)      1,520    (1K)
  MOUSE        3,328    (3K)          0    (0K)      3,328    (3K)
  COMMAND      3,264    (3K)          0    (0K)      3,264    (3K)
  DISPLAY     21,104   (21K)          0    (0K)     21,104   (21K)
  Free       782,592  (764K)    637,904  (623K)    144,688  (141K)


* Harddisk layout for a fresh installed FreeDOS distribution:
C:\                  Root of active FreeDOS FAT partition
| AUTOEXEC.BAT       Bootup script, contentse see below
| COMMAND.COM        Shell (FreeCOM), translated if possible
| CONFIG.SYS         FreeDOS configuration file
| FREEDOS.BSS        Bootsector of drive C: stored in file
| KERNEL.SYS         FreeDOS kernel
|
\--FDOS              FreeDOS directory
|   +--INSTBASE      GUI installer logfiles
|   +--TEMP          Directory for storing temporary files
|   +--APPINFO       Contains the Linux Software Maps for programs
|   +--BIN           Contains FreeDOS programs and drivers
|   |  +--CTMOUSE    CuteMouse available in several languages
|   |  |  \--UTILITY CuteMouse debugging program
|   |  \--KEY        keyboard layout files for KEYB 2.0, zipped(!)
|   +--DOC           Contains documentation for each program
|   +--HELP          Stores the help-files for freedos program
|   |  \--HHSTNDRD   called HELP in HTML format
|   +--NLS           contains localized help text for some programs
|   \--CPI           Internation CodePages for FreeDOS Display program


* Created Config.sys bootup file (c:\config.sys or c:\fdconfig.sys):
  ( "!" means always execute, ";" is a comment, "123?" is menu implementation)
  ( our cdrom driver is disabled, as we recommend the VIDE-CDD.SYS from BENQ )

!SET dosdir=C:\FDOS
!SET lang=NL 
;for help on commands, see file config.sys in your FreeDOS directory
;www.benq.com/ss_download/drivers/storage/cd-rom/drivers/dos/apicd214.exe
;below is a demonstration of the FreeDOS multi-configuration menu system.
!LASTDRIVE=Z
!BUFFERS=20     
!FILES=40
!DOS=HIGH,UMB
!DOSDATA=UMB
!set dircmd=/ogn
!MENUCOLOR=7,0
MENUDEFAULT=1,5
MENU 1 - Load FreeDOS including HIMEM XMS-memory driver  
MENU 2 - Load FreeDOS with maximum RAM free, using EMM386
MENU 3 - Load FreeDOS without drivers 
12?DEVICE=C:\FDOS\BIN\HIMEM.EXE 
2?DEVICE=C:\FDOS\BIN\EMM386.EXE NOEMS I=B000-B7FF I=DC00-EBFF I=C800-C8FF 
;1?DEVICE=C:\FDOS\bin\atapicdd.sys /D:FDCD0001 
12?SHELLHIGH=c:\command.com /K c:\autoexec.bat 
3?SHELLHIGH=c:\command.com /D /K set path=C:\FDOS\bin 

(note that cdrom driver has been disabled. Remove the ;REM part from atapicdd,
 or download the VIDE_CDD.sys file from above named APICD214.exe link)


* Created Autoexec.bat bootup file (c:\autoexec.bat or \freedos\fdauto.bat),
  including basic sound support and drivers for keyboard, cdrom and mouse:
  (display driver configuration is an example, and commented out by default)
  (at the end you see some text in Dutch, to demonstrate localized parts)

@echo off 
set PATH=%dosdir%\bin
set NLSDIR=%dosdir%\NLS 
set temp=%dosdir%\temp
set tmp=%dosdir%\temp
SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 H5 P330
REM LH DISPLAY CON=(EGA,,1)
REM MODE CON CP PREP=((858) %dosdir%\cpi\EGA.CPI)
REM MODE CON CP SEL=858
Shsucdx /D:?FDCD0001 /D:?FDCD0002 /D:?FDCD0003
LH KEYB US,,C:\FDOS\bin\KEY\US.KL  
echo typ HELP om ondersteuning te verkrijgen over opdrachten en navigatie
echo.
echo FreeDOS heet u welkom.
echo.
MOUSE 


* FreeDOS downloadable Bootdisk RAM contents (Modules using memory below 1MB):
  (note that EMM386 is not enabled by default, as EMM386 settings are specific
   to each individual computer system)

  Name           Total           Conventional       Upper Memory
  --------  ----------------   ----------------   ----------------
  SYSTEM      17,600   (17K)     12,480   (12K)      5,120    (5K)
  HIMEM        2,112    (2K)      2,112    (2K)          0    (0K)
  EMM386       2,608    (3K)      2,608    (3K)          0    (0K)
  UDMA           624    (1K)        624    (1K)          0    (0K)
  COMMAND      3,984    (4K)          0    (0K)      3,984    (4K)
  SHSUCDX      6,656    (7K)          0    (0K)      6,656    (7K)
  ELTORITO     3,104    (3K)          0    (0K)      3,104    (3K)
  CDRCACHE     6,016    (6K)          0    (0K)      6,016    (6K)
  Free       792,464  (774K)    637,136  (622K)    155,328  (152K)


* FreeDOS downloadable Bootdisk image contents:

A:\                  Root of diskette(-image)
|  LDLINUX.SYS       Syslinux bootloader
|  README.TXT        FreeDOS readme document
|  MEMDISK           Syslinux RAMDISK DISK-image loader
|  FDCONFIG.SYS      FreeDOS bootup configuration file
|  SYSLINUX.CFG      Syslinux configuration file
|  SBM.CBT           Smart Boot Manager compiled as Syslinux module
|  COMMAND.COM       FreeDOS command interpreter / shell (FreeCOM)
|  FDBOOT.IMG        360KB FreeDOS bootimage for MEMDISK
|  MEMTESTP          Memtest+ version 1.11 (www.memtest.org)
|  METAKERN.SYS      FreeDOS bootmanager
|  KERNEL.SYS        FreeDOS kernel/core, release version 2.033
|  
+--FREEDOS           Directory containing freedos applications
|     ATTRIB.COM     (Re)sets file and directory attributes
|     CALLVER.COM    Fakes DOS version for a specific file you load
|     COPYBS.COM     Copies partition's bootsector to a file on disk
|     FDAUTO.BAT     Bootup script, called from fdconfig.sys
|     FDISK.EXE      The "Fixed Disk" partitioning program
|     FDISK.INI      Configuration file for Fdisk
|     FORMAT.EXE     Creates FAT (FAT12/FAT16/FAT32) filesystem
|     GPL.COM        The General Public License in executable format
|     IFMEMDSK.COM   Detects if Iso/Sys-Linux was loaded with Memdisk
|     LOADLIN.EXE    Linux bootloader
|     LOCALIZE.COM   CATS implementation for displaying text from file
|     MEMTEST2.EXE   unofficial Memtest86 v3.0 executable version
|     META-ALL.BIN   MetaKern bootloader primary stub
|     METABOOT.BOT   MetaKern bootloader freedos kernel loader
|     SYS.COM        Transfers FreeDOS core files and makes disk bootable
|     WHICHFAT.COM   Detects which FAT implementation is used on partition
|     XCOPY.EXE      Copies files and directories
|     LABEL.EXE      Sets the label of a disk
|     PG.EXE         advanced textfile viewer
|     EDIT.EXE       textfile editor
|     MEMTESTE.EXE   fallback version of Memtest.exe
|     
+--DRIVER            contains FreeDOS drivers
|     ATAPICDD.SYS   cdrom driver, alpha-status
|     CDRCACHE.SYS   cdrom caching module 
|     CTMOUSE.EXE    CuteMouse serial/PS2 mouse driver 
|     DEVLOAD.COM    Commandline device driver loading utility, UMB support
|     ELTORITO.SYS   Bart Lagerweij's boot-from-cdrom cdrom-driver
|     FDXMS286.SYS   XMS driver for 286 and newer, up to 16 or 64MB RAM
|     HIMEM.EXE      XMS driver for 386 and newer, up to 2048MB RAM
|     SHSUCDX.EXE    Provides driveletter to each cdrom drive (MSCDEX)
|     UDMA.SYS       Speed up harddisk writes and reads by DMA transfers
|     ATAPICD2.SYS   Incomplete newer test version of ATAPICDD.sys
|     EMM386.EXE     UMB and EMS providing memory optimizing driver


* CDROM image contents

[CDROM]
|  BOOT.CAT                   MKISOFS's El-Torito Boot Catalogue
|  AUTORUN.INF                auto-launch file for Windows
|
+--FREEDOS                    FreeDOS specific files
|  +--3RDPARTY                (Freeware/GPL) third party addons
|  +--DOCS                    Various important documents
|  |  +--LICENSES             useful License Stuff
|  |  \--MOREINFO             older license stuff
|  |
|  +--PACKAGES                installable programs
|  |  +--BASE                 FreeDOS basic components
|  |  |  +--DISK01            disk#1 up to and including disk#7
|  |  |                   
|  |  \--SRC_BASE             Sourcefiles for basic components
|  |     +--DISK01            Sourcefiles for kernel
|  |     +--DISK02            Sourcefiles for FreeCOM
|  |     +--DISK03            Sourcefiles for Defrag
|  |     +--DISK04            Sourcefiles for FreeDOS programs
|  |     +--DISK05            disk#5 up to disk#12
|  |
|  |           
|  \--SETUP                  
|     +--BATCH
|     |     AUTORUN.BAT       FreeDOS batch logic for menu's
|     |     BOOTDISK.BAT      Creates a FreeDOS bootdisk
|     |     MENU1.BAT         Handles user output for menu 1
|     |     MENU2.BAT         Handles user output for menu 2
|     |     TEXTMENU.BAT      Handles Fdisk/Format/Installer
|     |     
|     +--BIN                  Contains necessary programs
|     |  \--KEY               Keyboard layouts for non-US keyboards
|     +--INSTALL
|     |  |  INSTALL.EXE       Graphical User Interface installer,
|     |  |  INSTALL.INI       by Sergej Kozlovich
|     |  |  INSTALL.MIN       specify which disksets to present 
|     |  |  INSTALL.TXT       required by GUI installer
|     |  |  LICENCE.TXT       required by GUI installer
|     |  |  TEXTINST.EXE      Textmode (fallback) installer, JeremyD
|     |  |                    in case GUI fails to create \fdconfig.sys
|     |  |                    or for (8086/186/286)systems without cdrom  
|     |  |      
|     |  +--DE                Translated text-files, German
|     |  +--EN                Translated text-files, English             
|     |  +--ES                Translated text-files, Spanish
|     |  +--IT                Translated text-files, Italian
|     |  \--NL                Translated text-files, Dutch 
|     |  
|     +--LANGUAGE             Long installation textfiles, 
|     |  +--DE                translated into German,
|     |  +--EN                English
|     |  +--ES                Spanish
|     |  \--NL                Dutch
|     |                      
|     \--NLS                  Translated texts for batchfile use
|
\--ISOLINUX                   Isolinux bootloader (isolinux.zytor.com)
   |  ISOLINUX.CFG            Isolinux Menu configuration file
   |  MAKEISO.BAT             ISO9660 creation batchfile for Windows
   |  ISOLINUX.BIN            Isolinux non-emulation mode bootloader
   |  
   +--DATA
   |     BOOTMSG.TXT          Tells user which keys to press
   |     F1_HELP.TXT          Tells user which keys to press
   |     F2_LICEN.TXT         Tells user FreeDOS distributed under GPL
   |     FDBOOT.IMG           FreeDOS bootup disk image, 360KB 
   |     F_ABOUT.TXT          About FreeDOS
   |     LOGO.LSS             Splashscreen you see when booting cdrom
   |     MEMDISK              RAMDISK Loader for (diskette) image files
   |     
   +--BUILDCD
   |     COMMAND.COM          FreeCOM, DOS/Win9x shell too limited
   |     MKISOFD.RC           FreeDOS-specific MKISOFS resource file
   |     MKISOFS.EXE          MKISOFS cdrom image creation program, DOS DJGPP/CWSDPMI/386+


---------------------------------

VI      - Using FreeDOS

We must assume you are familiar with the DOS operating system.
This README document is not the place to explain that.

You can get help in the following ways:
*HELP
*programname /?
*HELP programname
*FASTHELP programname
*read documents located in the DOC subdirectory of your installation directory

if that's not enough to help you, feel free to submit your problem or question
to the FreeDOS user's list. See end of this document for the email address.


---------------------------------
VII    - Updates and help

-A newer FreeDOS distribution may be found at www.freedos.org/freedos/files/

-Updated software is available from http://www.freedos.org/freedos/software/

-The FreeDOS kernel may be updated by replacing C:\KERNEL.SYS with a newer
 version, which can be obtained from:
 [official release] http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=5109
 [weekly from CVS ] http://fdos.org/bootdisks/ 
                    http://fdos.org/kernel
 [alternative     ] http://linux.tu-varna.acad.bg/%7Elig/romdsk/romd-bin.rar

or compiled (use OpenWatCom 1.3 for example) from sources:
[daily CVS source ] http://freedos.sourceforge.net/kernel/kernel.tgz


-Bugs may be reported at the FreeDOS bug database
 [ http://www.freedos.org/bugs/bugzilla/ ], or at the developer's mailinglist
 [ read: http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/forum.php?forum=freedos-devel ]
 [ subscribe to: http://www.freedos.org/freedos/lists/  ]
 [ send message: freedos-devel@lists.sourceforge.net ]

for general help please consult the FreeDOS user mailinglist,
[ read: http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/forum.php?forum=freedos-user ]
[ subscribe to: http://www.freedos.org/freedos/lists/  ]
[ send message: freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net ]

IRC is also provided, email Eric Auer for the details.

thank you for reading this lengthy document, and good luck

Bernd Blaauw, 2004-09-28