Re: [Freedos-devel] Large Partitions in FreeDOS.

On Sat, 13 Jun 2020, Random Liegh via Freedos-devel wrote: I got my first pc in 1994. It was an XT with a meg of ram, 60meg hard drive, dos 5.0 upgraded to 6.0. I bought it off a friend who had (obviously) upgraded it over the years. It's one thing to recommend a specific configuration to rec

Re: [Freedos-devel] Large Partitions in FreeDOS.

On 6/12/2020 10:54 PM, Thomas Mueller wrote: support still is larger and slower than a 386 kernel on 386, so you are just needlessly tempting 386+ owners to run extremely retro-compatible, less optimized kernels ;-) Also, FAT32 is not just a module which could easily be unloaded, it is the enti

Re: [Freedos-devel] Large Partitions in FreeDOS.

> >> support still is larger and slower than a 386 kernel on 386, so > >> you are just needlessly tempting 386+ owners to run extremely > >> retro-compatible, less optimized kernels ;-) Also, FAT32 is not > >> just a module which could easily be unloaded, it is the entire > >> set of MS DOS 7.10 co

Re: [Freedos-devel] Large Partitions in FreeDOS.

Hi Tom, > most of the size increase (~3,5 K) is because a CLUSTER is no longer > 16 bit, but 32 bit as required for FAT32, so the code can be used for > both FAT16 and FAT32. > > some size increase (~1,5 K) comes from actual FAT32 specifics, that > at least theoretically could be unloaded. Qui

Re: [Freedos-devel] Large Partitions in FreeDOS.

>> support still is larger and slower than a 386 kernel on 386, so >> you are just needlessly tempting 386+ owners to run extremely >> retro-compatible, less optimized kernels ;-) Also, FAT32 is not >> just a module which could easily be unloaded, it is the entire >> set of MS DOS 7.10 compatibil

Re: [Freedos-devel] Large Partitions in FreeDOS.

Hi Thomas, > I just had the thought of whether FreeDOS could be installed > from a floppy image not written to an actual floppy disk. Sure, we have been using memdisk before as the boot stage of our ISO, but you can also mount ISO without burning an actual CD or DVD in FreeDOS :-) It works with

Re: [Freedos-devel] Large Partitions in FreeDOS.

> > Yes, Maybe. We will have to see if demand dictates an additional > > BOOT diskette. > Let's face it, people will try the floppy distro on old, but > less than 35 years old PC, create FAT32 partitions because > their disk size asks for that, fail to format them, say only > to themselves that F

Re: [Freedos-devel] Large Partitions in FreeDOS.

Hi Jerome, > not everything required by the installer quite fits on a 360k. > (Although, I must admit, with a little more pruning and juggling > by the installer and dropping the 386 kernel, It may just squeeze > onto a 360) Sounds like a great solution :-) Found something interesting in my arch

Re: [Freedos-devel] Large Partitions in FreeDOS.

Good morning, > Let's face it, people will try the floppy distro on old, but > less than 35 years old PC, create FAT32 partitions because > their disk size asks for that, fail to format them, say only > to themselves that FreeDOS is crap and go back to dosbox :-( You may be right. But, I think

Re: [Freedos-devel] Large Partitions in FreeDOS.

On Sun, 7 Jun 2020, Eric Auer wrote: The oldest computer with 1.44 MB drive I have seen so far was a 286 or 386 and it is too long ago to remember which. I happen to have an IBM PS/2 Model 30-286 and it has a 10 MHz 286 and a 1.44 MB floppy drive. (Currently runs PC DOS 7.) -uso. ___

Re: [Freedos-devel] Large Partitions in FreeDOS.

Hi! >> You already mention the functionality on the floppy distro to >> INSTALL the 386 kernel on 386, but it does not USE the same >> kernel. Which is a big problem, because the user will still >> be RUNNING the 8086 kernel from the floppy while they FDISK >> and FORMAT while preparing to insta

Re: [Freedos-devel] Large Partitions in FreeDOS.

> On Jun 6, 2020, at 9:45 PM, Eric Auer wrote: > > >>> The 8086 kernel can be compiled with FAT32. > > The question is whether the floppy installer should use > an 8086 FAT32 kernel. Pro: It works with FAT32 partitions > which people may create even for 250 MB drives because > they believe sm

Re: [Freedos-devel] Large Partitions in FreeDOS.

>> The 8086 kernel can be compiled with FAT32. The question is whether the floppy installer should use an 8086 FAT32 kernel. Pro: It works with FAT32 partitions which people may create even for 250 MB drives because they believe smaller clusters would always be great. And almost everybody has h

Re: [Freedos-devel] Large Partitions in FreeDOS.

> On Jun 6, 2020, at 8:42 PM, [email protected] wrote: > > On Sat, Jun 6, 2020, 8:29 PM Jerome Shidel > wrote: > Hi Eric, > > ... > > Overall, I think a better solution would be for the kernel team (PerditionC) > to > build the 8086 kernel with a comparable feat

Re: [Freedos-devel] Large Partitions in FreeDOS.

> >> Like I originally said... By design or a bug. > > No, you ASKED whether it was by design. Sometimes I’m overly brief. I rarely (if ever) proofread my emails and other messages. My exact wording was: So, I guess it is either be design that larger partitions do not work on the 16bit kernel

Re: [Freedos-devel] Large Partitions in FreeDOS.

Hi Jerome, >> You are welcome to buy me a new harddisk so I can test your >> 100 GB partitions of unspecified geometry, > Wish I could. But, I’m on a budget. I was just trying to emphasize that it is more work for me to recreate your bug context than it would be for you to provide more details

Re: [Freedos-devel] Large Partitions in FreeDOS.

On Sat, Jun 6, 2020, 8:29 PM Jerome Shidel wrote: > Hi Eric, > > ... > Overall, I think a better solution would be for the kernel team > (PerditionC) to > build the 8086 kernel with a comparable feature set to the 386 kernel > where > possible. > > Maybe the implementation of FAT32 used by the

Re: [Freedos-devel] Large Partitions in FreeDOS.

Hi Eric, Although we sometimes (or quite often) disagree on things, you are a very well informed and knowledgeable person and I do respect your opinion. > On Jun 6, 2020, at 7:39 PM, Eric Auer wrote: > > > Hi Jerome, > >> Current shipping kernels 2042, not modified nor recompiled. > > Shipp

Re: [Freedos-devel] Large Partitions in FreeDOS.

Hi Jerome, > Current shipping kernels 2042, not modified nor recompiled. Shipping from where? > FreeDOS LiveCD 1.3-RC3 (Kernel386) > FreeDOS 1.3-RC3 x86-Floppy Edition (Kernel86) > > Issue occurred on real hardware, but is easily reproducible > using VirtualBox (latest 6.1) > > All other dat

Re: [Freedos-devel] Large Partitions in FreeDOS.

> On Jun 6, 2020, at 6:29 PM, Eric Auer wrote: > >  > Hi Jerome, > > let me summarize: You can fdisk, format and use 100 GB FAT32 LBA > partitions using a certain (which?) version of a non-8086, e.g. > 386 optimized kernel of FreeDOS. However, doing the same on some > (which?) kernel which is

Re: [Freedos-devel] Large Partitions in FreeDOS.

I thought I made it clear and easily reproducible for anyone concerned enough to look into the issue. Current shipping kernels 2042, not modified nor recompiled. FreeDOS LiveCD 1.3-RC3 (Kernel386) FreeDOS 1.3-RC3 x86-Floppy Edition (Kernel86) Issue occurred on real hardware, but is easily repr

Re: [Freedos-devel] Large Partitions in FreeDOS.

Hi Jerome, let me summarize: You can fdisk, format and use 100 GB FAT32 LBA partitions using a certain (which?) version of a non-8086, e.g. 386 optimized kernel of FreeDOS. However, doing the same on some (which?) kernel which is trying to support 8086, you fail to use FORMAT on said, probably F

[Freedos-devel] Large Partitions in FreeDOS.

After helping a user on twitter who was having an issue while using the new FreeDOS 1.3-RC3 Floppy Edition, I learned the problem was not in the installer. But, it was a problem in either the 16-bit kernel, fdisk or format command. Let me explain, so someone else can dig into it further and ei