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Vinster411
Contributor
Contributor

Install MS-Dos from 3.5" disks - How do I do this?

How would install MS-Dos from a set of floppy disks? I can't find an option to boot from a floppy? how would I get this sorted out?

Thanks

Vin

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Vinster411
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Contributor

Ah, I sorted myself  out, for some reason the floppy wasn't set to enabled on Power on in the configuration settings... it's installing now...

yay

Vin

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RDPetruska
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Here's a howto I wrote a while ago for MS-DOS virtual machines...

I.  Creating the DOS virtual machine.
  A. Create a new Virtual Machine.
    Custom
    Workstation 6 compatible (or 5, it really doesn't matter)
    Other\MS-DOS Guest OS
    Give it a name
    1 virtual CPU
    Default of 16 MB RAM
    Default Bridged networking
    Default BusLogic SCSI adapter
    Create new virtual disk/IDE/0.1GB/Split (so disk descriptor is in separate text file)
   
  B. Edit the VM settings:
    Add Serial port, Parallel port if desired.
    Adjust hardware "Connect at power on" settings where required
   
  C. Manual edits If you want audio:
    Close the VM tab in Workstation.
    Browse to the VM's folder.
    Open the vmx file in Notepad.
    Add the line-->
        sound.virtualDev = "sb16"
    Save, close.
    Reopen in Workstation.

II. Installing DOS into the guest.
  A. Power the guest on, booting from the DOS floppy
  B. Partition the virtual disk:
    Run Fdisk to partition the virtual disk:
        1 to create a new partition
        2 to set the new partition active
    Reboot, booting again from the floppy
  C. Format the new partition:
    Run Format to format the new partition-->
        "format c: /s"
    Reboot, booting again from the floppy
  D. Install the DOS OS files.
    Run the DOS setup from the floppy to install DOS to the virtual hard disk.
    When you need to switch floppy disks:
        ctrl-alt to return focus to the host
        right-click the floppy icon and disconnect
        either switch the physical floppies, or right-click again and edit, then browse

III. Adding drivers to the DOS guest.
  A. CD-ROM driver
      Copy the Oaktree CD-ROM driver to the DOS guest.
      Edit config.sys, add the line-->
          device=C:\OAKCDROM.SYS /D:MSCD001
      Edit autoexec.bat, add the line-->
          c:\dos\mscdex.exe /d:mscd001 /l:D
         
  B. Mouse driver
      Copy the Mouse driver to the DOS guest.
      Edit autoexec.bat, add the line-->
          C:\MOUSE
         
  C. DosIdle utility
      Copy the Dosidle utility to the DOS guest.
      Edit autoexec.bat, add the line-->
          C:\DOSIDLE
         
  D. SoundBlaster16 driver
      Copy the SoundBlaster driver install files to the DOS guest.
      Run Install.exe
     
  E. TCP/IP network stack
      Copy the tcp32b driver to the DOS guest.
      Run the exe to extract the files.
     
  F. AMD Lance PCNet Network driver
      Copy the dos-mslanman driver files to the DOS guest.
      Edit the protocol.ini file and add the information for the pcnet driver.

My webiste is down at the moment so I can't post this like I intended, with links to the required files.

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WoodyZ
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Create new virtual disk/IDE/0.1GB/Split (so disk descriptor is in separate text file)

Not that I intend to run an MS-DOS VM however I'm curious as to really what difference it makes whether or not the virtual hard disk is monolithic or split with a disk that is less then 2 GB?  It shouldn't matter at all since MS-DOS, much less any other OS, is not aware of and or doesn't care whether or not the virtual hard disk is monolithic or split in this scenario.

Message was edited by: WoodyZ - replaced "sparse" with "split".

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RDPetruska
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Having a split sparse disk allows for the disk descriptor file to be a separate text file rather than embedded in the single sparse disk.  Ulli and I have ALWAYS recommended that, as the embedded descriptor makes it MUCH harder to troubleshoot/recover corrupted disks.

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WoodyZ
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as the embedded descriptor makes it MUCH harder to troubleshoot/recover corrupted disks.

I guess "MUCH harder" is a relative term however I strongly disagree with that!  I have no problems working with the "Disk DiscriptorFile" when it's embedded although I can see that someone that doesn't understand what their doing it can make if more difficult. (Of course I know that you know what your doing.)  I'm not saying that having the "Disk DiscriptorFile" separate isn't easier, it is, however it really isn't always necessary and there are tools to deal with it when it's not.  Other then that, that is what backups are for. Smiley Wink

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RDPetruska
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Well, dumbing everything down to the lowest common denominator and throwing everything into one bag/container and hiding stuff is the Apple way... and I've never subscribed to that.  I can't stand that Microsoft has been changing Windows to the worst parts of the Mac software model (such as this hiding things to dumb the computer down for ignorant users, rather than trying to educate users on how to use a complicated tool), and that PC manufacturers have been changing their hardware designs to the worst part of the Mac hardware model (throw everything on one motherboard, so that if something breaks I now have no working computer, instead of being able to swap out a bad component very easily with a new one)!!

If a user always sticks to any virtual disk type other than the single sparse type, the disk descriptor is in its own separate, human-readable, text file.  When someone asks for assistance, it's much easier to say "post the blahblah.vmdk file" than it is to explain "download tool xyz, run it, make sure you enter all the correct command-line switches/syntax/whatnot (omg!  something I can't just click with a mouse?!), and then post the results".  That's why we have recommended for years to do this.  Smiley Happy

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WoodyZ
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Robert D. Petruska wrote:

Well, dumbing everything down to the lowest common denominator and throwing everything into one bag/container and hiding stuff is the Apple way... and I've never subscribed to that.  I can't stand that Microsoft has been changing Windows to the worst parts of the Mac software model (such as this hiding things to dumb the computer down for ignorant users, rather than trying to educate users on how to use a complicated tool), and that PC manufacturers have been changing their hardware designs to the worst part of the Mac hardware model (throw everything on one motherboard, so that if something breaks I now have no working computer, instead of being able to swap out a bad component very easily with a new one)!!

What does this rant have to do with the subject being discussed?  Absolutely nothing and frankly your Apple rants are senseless!

If a user always sticks to any virtual disk type other than the single sparse type, the disk descriptor is in its own separate, human-readable, text file.  When someone asks for assistance, it's much easier to say "post the blahblah.vmdk file" than it is to explain "download tool xyz, run it, make sure you enter all the correct command-line switches/syntax/whatnot (omg!  something I can't just click with a mouse?!), and then post the results".  That's why we have recommended for years to do this.  Smiley Happy

As I already said "I'm not saying that having the "Disk DiscriptorFile" separate isn't easier, it is,..." however since your the one that brought Apple into this and like to bash OS X as you've done quite a few times in the past, let me point out to you that the Collect Support Information command on the VMware Fusion Help Menu automatically extracts the "Disk DiscriptorFile" and the contents of the support bundle under VMware Fusion make it so much easier to diagnose/troubleshoot then it does with other VMware Desktop products so don't be knocking Apple! Smiley Happy

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wila
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OK ok, you both have made your points clear. Now stay on topic please... we're talking about installing DOS here.

thanks,

--

Wil

| Author of Vimalin. The virtual machine Backup app for VMware Fusion, VMware Workstation and Player |
| More info at vimalin.com | Twitter @wilva
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Vinster411
Contributor
Contributor

I find this amusing, the entire discussion after the second post was pointless and completely irrelevant to the initial question. I couldn't boot from the floppy, for some reason the default of it being set to connect on power up was not checked.

Granted I should had worded the thread title better.

Vin

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