DR-DOS version of FDUBCD

[Victor Chew]

Forked from private PM with IceCube:

Can you try to make a "FD"UBCD image with DR-DOS (for some programs/PCs that don't like FreeDOS) I know as702 put a lot of effort in making the batch scripts so that they would work with all DOS versions.

I know that there was one program in DR-DOS that had one parameter that did something else than in MS-DOS and FreeDOS. I finally found the post (dir command):
http://www.drdosprojects.de/forum/drp_f ... /7714.html

Are you suggesting we make this a separate download or include it in UBCD itself?

What are some of the programs that you know have problems running under FreeDOS?

[Icecube]

I don't know one out of my head.
But I remember that there where at least PCs where some apps didn't work with FreeDOS on some PCs, but worked with DR-DOS. as702 told me that, when he reworked the FreeDOS image.

[Icecube]

I think as702 was talking about some programs that weren't included in UBCD, but which he had on his customized version.


The DR-DOS/OpenDOS Enhancement Project:
http://www.drdosprojects.de/

IBM PC-DOS:
Included in the "IBM ServerGuide Scripting Toolkit, DOS Edition, version 1.3.07":
http://www-947.ibm.com/support/entry/po ... MIGR-53564

Direct link:
ftp://public.dhe.ibm.com/systems/suppor ... anycpu.zip

The PC-DOS files can be found inside the zip file at: /sgdeploy/sgtk/DOS/

[Victor Chew]

Are you suggesting we make this a separate download or include it in UBCD itself?

I remember there used to be a MS-DOS version available as a separate download due to licensing issues.

[ady]

I'd like to ask something here, although I don't really know which problems you are trying to solve/workaround.

If we could get those old MS-NwDsk, and/or any other xx-NwDsk different from FD-NwDsk, would that be useful so to "re-build" an updated xxubcd.img?

Would such xxubcd.img be useful to the final goal?

Or the changes and differences are "too much" to be a starting point?

[Victor Chew]

Why are we talking about "re-building" fdubcd.img?

I thought the idea is to replace the kernel files of the current fdubcd.img with another DOS version?

[ady]

Why are we talking about "re-building" fdubcd.img?

I thought the idea is to replace the kernel files of the current fdubcd.img with another DOS version?

I used that word, "re-build" not because I want to start all over. I just want to understand what exactly you are trying to achieve.

If a program is somehow not compatible with FreeDOS (or the other way around), then either we find a workaround for the 2 to work together, or you need an alternative set of tools/kernel that can work with that program.

The same goes to some specific PC that "is not compatible with FreeDOS", if there is such a thing.

Being "incompatible" with FreeDOS means that a program won't work with its kernel, or with an internal command (like with "dir", just to mention an hypothetical example).

If the problem is a batch file, or some script, I'm almost sure there should be a workaround.

Now, if the incompatibility can't be solved, and Icecube is talking about MS-DOS or any other DOS version that can't be redistributable (license issue), we can only provide instructions, links and/or a script to download, but not the download itself.

In such case, we would be talking about some kind of "re-building" of MSUBCD (xxUBCD, in general), so THE USER could add the specific DOS version (if he owns a license).

If Icecube is talking about a DOS version that *can* be redistributable, then we have to adapt the current FDubcd, so it can work with the alternative DOS kernel and/or DOS alternative internal commands.

Whichever path you choose, I would like to think that the most important thing in this context is to find out exactly which are those "incompatibilities", so we can test them (with workarounds or with other DOS kernels or other command.com).

Once you know about the incompatibilities, one way to test them is to use MSubcd or DRubcd or LZubcd, or to use a different command.com. That's why I thought that maybe having those old xxUBCD might help in this context.

As I ask before, maybe starting with other xxUBCD is "too much"? I don't mean that you/we have to start all over again. I meant just to test the incompatibilities with those other old versions of xxUBCD.

Maybe by specifying a list of known incompatibilities here, we could focus more specifically on the target?

[ady]

From http://www.freedos.org

New Freedos kernel v. 2040, with new kernel.sys and sys.com (and others) was released. Versions for all 8086 and for 386+, with 16 and 32 bits. Maybe there is a way to give different kernels for FDUBCD?

In addition, a new beta for Freedos is available. This should be an opportunity to find new versions of programs to update UBCD, or programs that are replacing older ones not maintained anymore. It could be added to the initial menu too, as a new option, so to help test (and report) this new Freedos beta.

Since fdubcd.img in ubcd 5.03 doesn't work as floppy by itself (in theory, it should, but it doesn't work as it is supposed to), maybe we could try with the new v.2040 kernels and the new beta of Freedos?

Any thoughts?