FAQ029 = How can I get a bootable (stand-alone) DOS
The simple answer is to download one:
http://1gighost.net/boot1000/622c.zip
The above creates a floppy with DOS that you can boot from, but you must keep the floppy in the drive and run from it. S L O W !
If you want to boot from your hard disk, it is much, much more complicated. See
http://www.network54.com/Forum/message?forumid=13959&messageid=1102721149
******** BUT *********
If you don't mind some complications, here is a system that allows you to boot from a floppy and then run from your hard disk without any separate=partition stuff.
Just download these two zips and unzip the first and follow the instructions:
http://network54.com/Realm/QBZips/Flopmain.zip
http://network54.com/Realm/QBZips/FlopMore.zip
Mac
----------------------------- I N S T R U C T I O N S
The instructions are also printed below so you can review them and evaluate whether you want to mess with all this or not.
The BIG picture
===============
When finished, you will have the following
a DOS boot floppy
a folder on your hard drive named C:\FlopMore
a subfolder, C:\FlopMore\DOS
To boot up in pure DOS mode (no windows), do this
1) Insert Floppy and do shutdown/restart
2) Enter AUTOEXEC <--- Important - DO NOT FORGET
As a result, you will be in DOS, in the C:\TEMP directory
You can remove the floppy - it is no longer needed
QBasic 1.0 is included
Prerequisites
=============
To use this, you need to have a C-drive that is FAT, not NTFS.
Failing that, you need some drive that is FAT, say D-Drive, or you cannot access the hard drive from floppy-booted DOS. If not C, Then you need to patch the autoexec.bat and Config.sys so all C: becomes D: or whatever FAT directory you have.
In addition, you need to already have some version of DOS on your computer already so you can execute some an initial command at the DOS prompt (one time).
Finally, you need directory C:\TEMP.
Let's go
========
It is presumed you have downloaded the following
FlopMain.ZIP
FlopMore.zip
And you have just unzipped FlopMain.ZIP containing
__ReadMeFirst.txt What you are reading now
Bootdos.img Floppy image I made
Firm.com Dave Burley's great utility
Licence.txt "
ReadMe.txt "
At the DOS prompt, go to the unzipped folder and issue this command"
Firm Booter.img a: -w
This will create a floppy showing these files:
COMMAND.COM
SYS.COM
CONFIG.SYS
AUTOEXEC.BAT
SomeDos.zip
In addition there are some hidden files you don't have to worry about:
Io.sys
Sys.com
Now unzip FlopMore.zip, giving
C:\FlopMore
and C:\FlopMore\DOS
Now unzip SomeDos.zip, adding those files to
C:\FlopMore\Dos
Explanation: Since Dave's Firm.com copies the whole floppy, whether empty or not, I decided to use some empty space there for SomeDOS.zip, which contains some of the DOS programs. The rest are in FlopMore.zip. I guess simpler would have been not to do that, but the internet downloads would have been bigger, and they are already big enough.
You should be finished now.
If desired, you could delete the FlopMore.zip file on the floppy. You could also delete everything else except the new directory C:\FlopMore and the DOS within it. These should remain on your hard drive forever, but cannot be used except via a floppy boot.
Now protect the floppy, boot up and enjoy!
P.S. It might be a good idea to write on the floppy
"Remember to enter AUTOEXEC".
You see, there is an Autoexec, but it couldn't do everything. So after DOS is booted, the floppy autoexec is run automatically and the system is transferred to the C-drive so you don't need the floppy any more.
But now there is still some stuff to do and thus there is a new and different Autoexec.bat file to be executed that cannot run automatically. So you have to remember to enter AUTOEXEC when booting.
This message has been edited by iorr5t on Dec 16, 2004 10:01 AM