[syslinux] how to create bootable FreeDOS HDD or USB flash drive?

[Bernd Blaauw]

Op 27-6-2012 0:27, Gene Cumm schreef:
> On Tue, Jun 26, 2012 at 4:54 AM, Ady Ady <ady-sf at hotmail.com> wrote:

>>> Should one add syslinux.cfg to the root of the "10MB1"? How should the
>>> configuration file look like for DOS? Or is it possible to boot DOS
>>> using syslinux?
>
> chain.c32 should help.

I'd suggest chain.c32 as well in this case, as you're populating your 
imagefile with syslinux, thus avoiding the need to install a FreeDOS 
bootsector. chain.c32 syslinux module contains enough bootstrapping code 
to load the FreeDOS kernel.

Alternatively you can try to create/save a FreeDOS bootsector as a file, 
provided geometry info is correct as well.
For Linux, scripts like "sys-freedos-linux" might do the trick
( 
http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/micro/pc-stuff/freedos/files/dos/sys/sys-freedos-linux/ 
).
This saved bootsector file would have to be referenced by syslinux.cfg:

# load freedos.bss bootsector file, pointing to kernel.sys
label dos
kernel /freedos.bss


I suppose for Linux already some tutorials exist for creating bootable 
external devices. For Win32/64 lots of programs exist, like RUFUS, 
RMPREP and UNETBOOTIN

For installing DOS bootsector on Windows or DOS, the experimental 
SYS.EXE binary [ http://www.fdos.org/kernel/sys/sys3.8pre.zip ] might do 
the trick.

It appears to be a universal binary (interesting for non-Linux syslinux 
installers???), but I don't know which areas it covers, haven't done 
extended research yet.
* DOS (16bit realmode, 8086+)
* DOS (32bit protected mode, 80386+, DJGPP / HX extender? CWSDPMI?)
* Win16 (Win3.xx)
* Win32 (Win95/98/98SE/ME)
* Win32 (NT3/NT4/2K/XP)
* Win32 (Vista/7/8)
* Win64 (XP/Vista/7/8).
* ReactOS?
* OS/2 and/or eComStation?

Bernd