DRDOS on a clean HD

[Bob Jones]

I have a clean 1 GB HD on a 386 laptop and want to install DRDOS first then
Win98SE.
How do I install dos,then win98se?

I have no floppy drive but burned an iso image bootable CD,It works but I
can't figure how to install to the C drive.Also I can't find a config.sys or
autoexec.bat file.I assume I need these to install dos.

I also burned an iso image CD of a win98se start up floppy but when it boots
it does not bring up a selection menu.I do get CD support but no executables
to help in my efforts.

When I run setup on the w98se full disk I get a message requires "largest
executable program size at least 442368 bytes to run.

I would like to boot the c drive to dos with utilities but run win98se when
needed.

I've read all I can find on the web but most of it is clear as mud.
Any help is appreciated as I am at a standstill now.

[Auric__]

Post by Bob Jones
I have a clean 1 GB HD on a 386 laptop and want to install DRDOS first
then Win98SE.
How do I install dos,then win98se?

Two problems, one minor and one major.

Minor problem: this is off-topic here. This group is *supposed* to be about
the BASIC programming language under DOS.

Major problem: Windows 98 is supposed to require a 486. See here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_98#System_requirements

(That same section also says "the undocumented /im setup switch [...]
allows installation on computers with processors as old as the 80386."
YMMV.)

Post by Bob Jones
I have no floppy drive but burned an iso image bootable CD,It works but
I can't figure how to install to the C drive.Also I can't find a
config.sys or autoexec.bat file.I assume I need these to install dos.

On the CD drive:
cd win98
setup

Post by Bob Jones
I also burned an iso image CD of a win98se start up floppy but when it
boots it does not bring up a selection menu.I do get CD support but no
executables to help in my efforts.

Wait... you have a 386 system -- as in Intel 80386 or compatible -- that
supports bootable CDs (El Torito)?

Post by Bob Jones
When I run setup on the w98se full disk I get a message requires
"largest executable program size at least 442368 bytes to run.

Sounds like a memory problem there. Probably not enough conventional memory
free, i.e. too much stuff already loaded.

Post by Bob Jones
I would like to boot the c drive to dos with utilities but run win98se
when needed.
I've read all I can find on the web but most of it is clear as mud.
Any help is appreciated as I am at a standstill now.

IIRC Win98 tends to replace whatever DOS is installed with MSDOS 7.1, and
although I've never tried running Windows from non-MSDOS, I rather think it
just won't work.

If *I* was going to do this, I'd do something like this:
1. make partitions:
- DRDOS: tiny (smallest needed to successfully install and run)
- Win98: everything else
2. mark DRDOS partition hidden (requires 3rd-party tool)
- Ranish Partition Manager can do this: http://www.ranish.com/part/
- ...actually, pretty much anything but DOS fdisk can do this
3. mark Win98 partition active
4. install Win98
5. unhide DRDOS partition and mark it active
6. install DRDOS
7. install a boot manager that can mark partitions active on the fly
- personally, I use lilo, but that requires Linux... maybe not an
option for you

This would require a reboot to run Windows, but it would work, and you
wouldn't have to worry about the different versions of DOS killing each
other.

[Tim Meddick]

RE: Your advice to the OP to use "lilo" [Linux]

I used to use a very small util called "Partita.exe" which actually writes
the boot (active partition) selector program into the boot-sector itself
(shows you just how small it is!).

With "Partita" installed; as soon as the system turns over to boot the HD,
the utility intercedes with a simple selection menu with numbered choices
and chosen names for different partitions.

All the user needs do is press the desired corresponding number-key to
select that partition.

It (instantly) makes that partition "active" and set all others as hidden
(by default, but there are options to keep other specified partitions
"un-hidden").

Never had a problem with it in conjunction with a PC in selecting multiple
FAT partitions.

http://www.pedrofreire.com/partita/partita.zip

==

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London. :-)

< clipped >
7. install a boot manager that can mark partitions active on the fly
- personally, I use lilo, but that requires Linux... maybe not an
option for you
< clipped >

[Todd Vargo]

Post by Bob Jones
I have a clean 1 GB HD on a 386 laptop and want to install DRDOS first then
Win98SE.
How do I install dos,then win98se?
I have no floppy drive but burned an iso image bootable CD,It works but I
can't figure how to install to the C drive.Also I can't find a config.sys
or autoexec.bat file.I assume I need these to install dos.
I also burned an iso image CD of a win98se start up floppy but when it
boots it does not bring up a selection menu.I do get CD support but no
executables to help in my efforts.
When I run setup on the w98se full disk I get a message requires "largest
executable program size at least 442368 bytes to run.
I would like to boot the c drive to dos with utilities but run win98se
when needed.
I've read all I can find on the web but most of it is clear as mud.
Any help is appreciated as I am at a standstill now.

I did not know that a 386 laptop had bootable CD abilities.

The message above appears to be referring to insufficient conventional
memory. This would be the case if you are not using a config.sys to load DOS
and CD drivers into high memory.

How much memory does this 386 laptop have anyway?

[Tim Meddick]

Indeed; a simple search came up with :-

Win 98 System Requirements :
* A personal computer with a 486DX 66 megahertz (MHz) or faster processor
* 16 megabytes (MB) of memory (24 MB recommended).
* A full install of Windows 98 on a FAT16 drive requires 225 MB of free
hard disk space.
* A full install of Windows 98 on a FAT32 drive requires 175 MB of free
hard disk space.
* One 3.5-inch high-density floppy disk drive.
* VGA or higher resolution .
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/182751)

...and also :-

System requirements :
* 486DX-2/66 MHz or higher processor (Pentium processor recommended)
* 16 MB of RAM (24 MB recommended, it's possible to run on 8 MB machines
with /im option used during the installation process)
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_98#System_requirements)



Also, dispite other's quotations that the said [/im] switch is
*undocumented* - I disagree - as on using the [/?] switch with :
x:\win98\setup.exe (where [x:] is your cd-rom drive) returns the following
:


Setup Options: SETUP [batch][/C][/ie][/iL][/im][/is][/iv][/nr][/T:tmpdir]

[batch] Specifies the name and location of the file that contains
Setup options
/C Do not load the Smartdrive disk cache.
/ie Skip the Startup Disk screen.
/iL Load the Logitech mouse driver. Use this option if you
have a Logitech Series C mouse.
/im Skip the check for low conventional memory.
/is Do not run Skandisk.
/iv Do not display billboards.
/nr Skips the registry check.
/T:tmpdir Specifies the directory where Setup is to copy it's
temporary files. This directory must already exist, but any
existing files in the directory will be deleted.

==

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London. :-)

< clipped >
How much memory does this 386 laptop have anyway?
--
Todd Vargo
(Post questions to group only. Remove "z" to email personal messages)