Chip 2004 July/CMCD0704.ISO/Software/Complet/FreeDOS/fdbootcd.iso/FREEDOS/DOCS/HISTORY.TXT

Text File | 2004-01-31 | 18.7 KB | 397 lines

Isolinux URL:
ftp://ftp.kernel.org/pub/linux/utils/boot/syslinux/Testing/
http://syslinux.zytor.com

FreeDOS (tm) bootcdrom revision for ISOLINUX method.
FreeDOS CD/ISO distribution by Jeremy Davis and Bernd Blaauw.
Based on FreeDOS Ripcord Beta 9 releases.
Release 3.00

How to use:
*enter system BIOS, usually by pressing DEL or F2 when system is turned on
*set Boot order to ATAPI CD first
 (SCSI CD drives should also work if supported for boot by your BIOS).
*insert this cdrom (first burn the iso file on cdrom [burn imagefile] if needed)
*select option 1

*** For older [486+] based computers without bootcd support, first
create a diskette with Smart Boot Manager, boot to this disk and
then from it boot the CD.  For some ATAPI CD drives you may need
to specify your I/O addresses (see sbm docs).  Disk image [from
Slackware 9] should be available at same location as this CD ISO image.


Note:
We intend the FreeDOS 1.0 cdrom distribution to allow creation of
floppy disk install sets for use on all computers that the FreeDOS
specification indicates we should support
(PC XT, 8086, no extended memory, MDA/CGA/EGA/...).

For now when booting/running from the CD (or indirectly via a boot floppy)
we currently require at least 386, VGA, and perhaps in the future
some extended memory for a RAM disk.  If you use or know of the
potential to use this ISO image on a computer that does not meet
these criteria please let me (Jeremy - [e-mail]) know
so I can consider/readjust the minimal requirements for using this
ISO image.  I would like it to be benificial for as many people as
possible, and given how it is used (bootable CD) I presently feel
the potential benefits of increased requirements over the standard
FreeDOS distribution are acceptable.
- Where reasonable all programs on the CD should be compiled to
  run on an 8086 (FreeDOS spec minimal required computer) so they
  may be freely copied from the CD to another computer.

Files, layout, purpose & requirements


Notes:
- ISOLINUX wants its configuration file to be /isolinux/isolinux.cfg

release history (fdboot.img/Isolinux/FreeDOS):
(x.xx indicates no ISO image generated or publicly released)


3.00 - 2004-02-03 [Bernd Blaauw]
*release of FreeDOS beta9 prerelease 4
*updated to kernel 2033 and FreeCOM 0.82 patchlevel 3
*fixed the bootdisk builder script, MS DOS/Win9x diskette dualboot support,
 script is also usable from Windows NT family
*implemented SYSLINUX for enhanced 386+ bootdisk
*bootdisk: added CDROM readcache, advanced Memdisk/Ramdisk support
*updated format to 0.91n, adding stable FAT32 formatting, fixing old errors.
*rewrite/reorganize ISOLINUX directory, to save diskspace (Gzip'd disk image),
 together with complete rewrite of makeiso.bat, simplifying things a lot
*updated packages (Format, kernel, freecom, UDMA, EDIT, HIMEM, etc..)
*added languages (DE, ES)
*implemented Eric Auer's LOCALIZE program, uses Ramdrive if present.
*added LOADLIN (to load Linux or MEMTEST.BIN from commandline)
*rewrite autoexec.bat/config.sys creation post-installation batchfile.
*documentation update.

2.76 - 2003-09-26 [Bernd Blaauw]
*release of beta9 prerelease3
*updated to the 2032a kernel, having lots of bugfixes.
*integrated Freecom languages into CMDx package
*updated packages, thanks to Bart Oldeman for providing hints and updated binaries
*updated Isolinux to 2.07pre5
*implemented FreeDOS GUI installer to version 2.1, thanks to Sergej Kozlovich
*updated batchfiles, notably postinst.bat (deleted multi-boot for now)
*hopefully got rid of all problems. Linux thought RockRidge was used [makeiso.bat - %ISOparams%]
*bootdisk section still needs fixing:
 Extraction by 360KB *.img -> ???KB diskette, make it bootable.
 idea: format /q A: ; rawrite 360KB.img ; sys A: BOOTONLY

2.75 - 2003-08-31 [Bernd Blaauw]
*release of FreeDOS beta9 prerelease2
*updated documentation
*updated installation files
*implemented CPU-dependent installation scripts (FDXMS vs FDXMS286)

2.74 - 2003-07-19 [Bernd Blaauw]
*release of FreeDOS beta9 prerelease 1
*updated bootdisk and Isolinux
*updated packages
*removed all but BASE and SRC_BASE disksets.
*see Freedos\Notdone.txt for more info

x.xx - 2003-04-28 [Bernd Blaauw]
*correct the batchfiles for Jeremy's added things.
*replace isolinux.bin debug-version by non-debug version.
 (too much techstuff scares people)
*write diskette post-install configure script
 (it's already present on cd but not yet suitable for diskette).

x.xx - 2003-04-27 [Jeremy Davis]
*added graphical install (CD only) program from Sergey Kozlovic
*get a nice splashscreen in Isolinux LSS16 format to replace Knoppix :)
*add graphical installer
*adjust documentation
*add more packages?
*Jeremy works in mysterious ways. Let's wait for the result!

x.xx - 2003-04-22 [Bernd Blaauw]
*Giving up the ISO to Jeremy to finalise it.
*Intended release date: 2003-04-30 (Queen's day here in the Netherlands)
*Spanish menu's would be welcome...
*MetaKern on bootdisk should have less options. After all, Isolinux shows
 enough bootchoices.. kernel16/32 choice is enough.

x.xx - 2003-04-20 [Bernd Blaauw]
*make last minute changes
*plan: fcomlang\*lng -> (c:\)command.com (already did this for cutemouse)
*the quick/full-format still has no decent prompt. SET /P being used.

x.xx - 2003-04-17 [Bernd Blaauw]
*improved bootdisk builder script.
*put packages in subdirectories
*MetaKern fails in a way: SAVEBS_C writes a wrong bootsector...
*made some BASE packages myself, inspired by FDb8H1 ISO package layout
*updated to isolinux 2.04 - daily updates :)
*Kernel, SYS and FreeCOM have been added. Base.1 still contains a few :N
*FreeDOS installer does not like having "package.ZIP : Y" in base.1
 istead of "package : Y" . Pity, else a
 FOR %%x in ( %1 ) do echo %%1 : Y >> base.1 was useful.
*thinking about an automated install. A simple "select-all" ?
*cool: for private use: 5MB floppy-image, C/H/S=80/8/18 !
*how to determine if C: is formatted, automatically?
*FreeCOM has redirection bugs (result is 0-byte config.sys):
 IF NOT EXIST C:\CONFIG.SYS ECHO SHELL=C:\COMMAND.COM C:\ /P > C:\CONFIG.SYS

x.xx - 2003-04-14 [Bernd Blaauw]
*freedos b9rc1a (rc2 is when packages are added)
*implemented SYS Bootonly-stuff, released by Jeremy
*isolinux 2.03 (final release)
*improved batchfile for testing on METAKERN. DOS "SYS C:" first :)
*trying to add Kernel, FreeCOM, fix packages for BASE set (base.1 file)

x.xx - 2003-04-11 [Bernd Blaauw]
*FreeDOS b9rc1
*read the READTHIS directory!
*incomplete multi-language support (some stuff only in English)
*removed the options for external programs for now.
*added Isolinux/Memdisk 2.03-pre4.
 supports booting gzip-compressed image files!
*changed this file (isolinux directory structure)
*implemented CHOICE instead of SET /P, pressing ENTER-key is not fun!
*bugfixes in the batchfiles
*improved 360KB disk image (fdconfig.sys)
*still broken: install.exe cannot find it's files
*still broken: drvmngr cannot find install.exe, thus simply renamed drvmngr..
*still broken: Jeremy's new installer needs to be added if he wants to.
*still broken: new BASE, other packages and disksets need to be added
*still broken: waiting for SYS BOOTONLY, needed for POSTINST.BAT and BOOTDISK.BAT
*created bootdisk(s) are not bootable, since bootsector is not written..
*wanted: (GZIP compressed) harddisk freedos image. directly runnable from cd:)
*wanted: create diskette distro from cdrom, as told about in introduction.
*why is reboot.exe/com 8KB instead of 8 bytes?

x.xx - 2003-04-10 [Bernd Blaauw]
*changed directory layout bigtime
*rewrote batchfiles. Now they're not so complicated as I made them before..
*wrote postinst.bat instead of director.bat,
 should also be usable on diskette distro for creating
 usable environment
*implemented Eric Auer's savebs-c.com, hasfat32.com
*bigtime waiting for SYS's BOOTONLY option and SAVEBOOT instead of savebs-c.com
*stripped a lot of stuff. now 22MB instead of 45..53 ,compressed 18 versus 37.
 -extra's removed
 -disk images removed
 -\bin directory minimized.
*found freecom 0.82pl1 bugs:
 - "echo =============" gives "echo is on" or "echo is off" message..wrong!
 - @goto end
   @echo This line is never executed, since GOTO-error aborts batchfile!
   should be a errormessage, but continue batchfile, not abort it!
 - XMS version eats LOADS (151KB) of RAM if no XMS available. Confirmed already.
 - msdos+freecom requires a FULL shell-line:
   shell=a:\freedos\command.com a:\freedos\ /p:a:\freedos\fdauto.bat
   instead of
   shell=a:\freedos\command.com /p:a:\freedos\fdauto.bat
*wanted: basename utility: basename "dummy.foo" -> "dummy" as output
         why? for %%x in ( *.zip ) do (basename.exe %%x :y >> distro.1)
         (this requires basename to accept filename and some text)

x.xx - 2003-04-09 [Bernd Blaauw]
*lost previous history file :(
*used some of Jeremy's changes from his private build.
*improved file structure on single FDboot.img from Jeremy Davis.
 now also used on my private 2.88MB image, which boots both freedos, msdos,
 and PowerQuest's PartitionMagic/Drive Image
*added BootLogo. Ripped it from Knoppix Linux. Feel free to replace it
*fixed makeiso.bat
*added freecom 0.82pl1 and kernel2029
*newer MetaKern [2003-04-01]
*updated FreeCOM languages, updated \freedos\fdos\bin (including fdisk 1.21, fc2.20)
*waiting for SYS [destination] BOOTONLY patch
*added Eric Auer's savebs-*.com files for saving non-FreeDOS bootsectors from other
 DOS's.
*batchfiles need major cleanups. I cannot determine structure I made anymore..
*bootdisk builder script changed. Now using extract.exe from www.winimage.com
 to rip contents of image file and put it on a bootdisk.
*updated Isolinux to 2.03pre3 - debug-version. My SCSI system is buggy..
*attempted MetaKern localisation (director.bat, metacore.asm, metalang.%lang%, nasm.exe)
*support ReactOS cdrom creation.
*desired: GPL atapi cdromdriver :) longterm
*packages still not updated.
*distribution still not smaller.

x.xx - 2003-02-26 [Jeremy Davis -- planned]
*update XKeyb support (all KEYs in menu, add to generated AUTOEXEC.BAT)
 - hey, not all! 147 is a bit too much - XKeyb1.14
*finalize switch from rawrite to fdimage
*added/updated some more docs, some from fd-doc site
*add batch/logic so can create floppies for installation on other computers;
 based on Bernd's bootdisk builder, but add creation of install set disks

x.xx - 2003-02-23 [Jeremy Davis]
-removed partition image
-directly runable FreeDOS installation (\FREEDOS\FDOS\) now just BASE and UTIL
*update FDAUTO.BAT/AUTORUN.BAT so easier to bypass FreeDOS entries or add new
 entries to make easier to use ISO image as bootable DOS for other software
 (if isolinux\AUTORUN.BAT exists if will be used in preference to FREEDOS\AUTORUN\AUTORUN.BAT)

x.xx - 2003-02-17 [Bernd Blaauw]
*added bootdisk builder script makeboot.bat
*reduced Memtest86 size from 1.44MB to 90KB by booting Memtest directly instead of an
 imagefile.
*update the binary programs (*.com/*.exe) in \freedos\fdos\bin
*corrected a label in automenu.txt
*experimented with using MetaKern and/or SYSLINUX as diskette bootloader, to
 eliminate disk images (reduces cd-size).
*updated Isolinux and Memdisk to version 2.02

x.xx - 2002-11-22 [Bernd Blaauw]
*fixed Xkeyb support finally
*minor text cleanups, especially Dutch files.
*added mouse support if making disk bootable by writing bootsector.
*added a RETURN-TO-MENU option by typing MENU. Made a shortcut for running FDISK :)

x.xx - 2002-11-13 [Bernd Blaauw]
*now updated ALL strings to refer to FreeDOS beta 8 H2. Saves Jeremy a bit of work later.
*added full dualboot capabilities with an already installed MSDOS (tm) 5.00 - 6.22
 or Win95 - WinME, by using Eric Auer's MetaKern (newest version) bootloader.
*updated FreeCOM to 0.83beta54.
*optimized director.bat and read/write of bootsectors thanks to Eric Auer.
*implemented BennyLevel in FINDCD.BAT on bootdisk, introduced by freecom 0.83beta54.
*use %_CWD% introduced with above mentioned FreeCOM.54
*updated kernel to 2027 final release, and beyond.

x.xx - 2002-10-31 [Bernd Blaauw]
*updated bootdisks contents with contents of fd32boot.img except kernel sometimes.
*updated ISOLINUX&MEMDISK to version 2.01pre1 (2.00stable is also released)
*separated installation texts into separate messagefile for localized
 messages during (before/after) install.
*updated FDAUTO.BAT/FDCONFIG.SYS on FDxxBOOT.IMG to allow multiple cdrom-drivers
 to load (I have the need for loading both ATAPI/ELTORITO and SCSI controllers).
*added FreeCOM dutch language file, so first total working translated
 installation possibly. Only for internal commands though.

x.xx - 2002-10-02 [Bernd Blaauw]
*eliminate need for writable diskspace during installation and configuration.
*easy way to make disk bootable using BOOT alias.
*changed fixed filenames to c:\config.sys, c:\autoexec.bat and c:\command.com,
 but only if not exist yet.. (director.bat %name1%, %name2%, %name3%)
*use %VM%=true if running within VMware, thus disabling the options to configure
 XOSL bootmanager and/or SEAL2 desktop environment if opted to install.
*360KB disk-images used for cdrom-install - saves downloading, loads a bit faster :)
*forced to create fdbtsect.bin for easy adding to any bootmanager
 (FreeDOS bootsector file, 512bytes), added a hint, and SYS does not
 write bootsector-area thankfully (which could otherwise kill multiboot).
*also get CuteMouse translated version installed over the English version, if user
 decided to install CuteMouse. copy ..ctmouse\ctm-%lang%.exe .\ctmouse.exe

x.xx - 2002-09-24 [Bernd Blaauw]
*Added bootsector file writing for easily adding FreeDOS to some bootmanagers.
*Updated FDAUTO.BAT and FINDCD.BAT to detect cdrom, even if FreeDOS distro absent.
 will run another batchfile then.
*major changes to Director.bat
*small changes to MAKEISO, since http:// is invalid description.. better to remove it.
*few small fixes

2.03 - 2002-09-15 [Jeremy Davis and Bernd Blaauw]
*actually release FreeDOS Ripcord Beta8 h01
*a few updates in some of the docs [HISTORY.TXT, ERRATA.TXT]

2.02 - 2002-09-13 [Jeremy Davis]
*Release Candidate 1 (RC1)

x.xx - 2002-09-12 [Jeremy Davis]
*include translated INST.TXT from Bernd Blaauw
*updated MAKEISO.BAT so %BASEDIR% inferred when ran on Windows NT, from Bernd Blaauw
*change so PQ tools can be on CD (still faster on RAMDISK/Image, but simpler this way)
*test and fix minor glitches I introduced

x.xx - 2002-09-03 [Jeremy Davis]
*pre-release-5
*update a few packages that were updated (with new translations) in the last couple days
*update EXTRAS, rawwritewin to 0.7, add raread
*update generic CD boot disk images from current ISO boot disk
*stuff

x.xx - 2002-09-02 [Bernd Blaauw]
*corrected boot-images FAT16/FAT32
-Director.bat had several Missing ECHO's for c:\fdconfig.sys
-Fdauto.bat had CD ISOLINUX that is now changed to CD FREEDOS; CD AUTORUN

x.xx - 2002-08-30 [Jeremy Davis]
*finish updating the included packages
*start switch from rawrite to fdimage (added fdimage)
*added bootmanagers to EXTRAS\
*fix the batch file for recreating the ISO image (on Windows)
*test!!!

x.xx - 2002-08-29 [Jeremy Davis]
*isolinux 2.00 pre-release 8 (thanks to Bernd for informing me of its release)
*add translations to and include copies of all licenses used to \FREEDOS\DOCS\LICENSES\

x.xx - 2002-08-28 [Bernd Blaauw]
*update \isolinux\FDxxBOOT.IMG, correct findcd.bat to find \FREEDOS\AUTORUN\AUTORUN.BAT
 and Director.bat: Create multimenu files.

2.00 - 2002-08-23 [Jeremy Davis]
*FreeDOS Ripcord beta8 h01 prerelease 2 (Bernd's image is prerelease 1)
*merged updates from Bernd Blaauw
*other minor changes/updates
*rearranged layout some
*updated several FreeDOS programs, see PROGRAMS.TXT
*eltorito.sys driver to 1.4
*isolinux 2.00 pre-release 7

1.49 - 2002-08-17
*updated kernel to 2027-test, which includes fat16 8GB+ support, like booting from a 500MB FAT16 partition at end of 80GB harddisk
*updated SYS to 2.5 to remove %comspec% bug. Thanks Bart!
*updated to isolinux 2.00pre7 ( available at:   ftp://ftp.kernel.org/pub/linux/utils/boot/syslinux/Testing/ )
*updated Freecom to 0.83beta44 XMSswapping version (free44.com)
*added initial support for PowerQuest Drive Image and PowerQuest Partition Magic (requires Ramdisk/Mouse!)
*added Acer/Benq dos cdrom driver URL to bootcdrom's "make bootdiskette" option.
*Isolinux directory has ATTRIB updated to 2.0, and dos\install has Fdisk 1.10 [1.00] /Choice 3.6 [3.00?] updated
*Format updated to 0.90
*Corrected some Dutch language files
*Eltorito.sys driver updated to version 1.4
*Deleted FDB8_144.DSK disk-image. It's not useful.
*Deleted FDCDTEST.IMG from Isolinux directory. Still don't know it's use. [KJD its a test/trial image, option t at boot]
*Updated FDOSCD.IMG and FDB8_12.DSK to new kernel and \freedos + \isolinux directories
*Added 720KB diskette image [FDB8_72.DSK], updated from beta7 to beta8 using WinImage
*added support for auto-generated autoexec.bat/config.sys, including %path% [requires writable A:, like memdisk] :
-updated cdrom's binary command.com to freecom 0.83beta44 for shell=xxxx.com /p=yyy.bat feature (was broken in old version)
-c:\kernel.sys (kernel, like io.sys)
-c:\fdconfig.sys (config.sys systemdriver loading file)
-c:\%freedosdir%\fdauto.bat (autoexec.bat system configuration file)
-c:\%freedosdir%\bin\command.com (command.com)

bugs:
*total/full format may fail at 99% with errorcode 1023. Format 0.90 still has same potential failure within VMware


1.22 - 2002-07-19 [Bernd Blaauw]
*deleted self-extracting WinImage FreeDOS disk image from isolinux\win32 directory
*corrected config.sys error in fdXXboot.img [free40.COM]
*modified Autorun.inf for win32 bootdisk creation commandline (RawriteWin)
*updated to isolinux 2.00 pre-release 6 (isolinux.bin)
* ( private test of UPX-compressed Eltorito.sys loading )

1.20: 2002-06-28 [Bernd Blaauw]
*updated to isolinux 2.00pre5 (isolinux.bin, isolinux.doc)
*converted 1.44MB disk-images to 360KB disk-images to save diskspace
*added autorun.bat
*made makeiso batchfile in root
*created win32 self-extracting disk-image as standard bootdisk for FreeDOS using licensed
 WinImage Pro
*changed autorun.inf, icon location
*upx-packed MakeISO stuff:
 mkisofs upx1.20 exe-packed     (650KB to 250KB)
 cygwin1.dll upx1.20 exe-packed (350KB to 110KB)
*changed location of readme file
*updated Eltorito.sys driver to 1.3b

1.02: 2002-04-7 [Jeremy Davis]
*FreeDOS beta8
*isolinux 1.70 (diskemu developement discontinued, switch to use isolinux & kernel config.sys menus)
*1.44MB disk-images

1.01: [Jeremy Davis]
*FreeDOS beta7

1.00: 2001-09-03 [Jeremy Davis]
*FreeDOS Ripcord beta6 h10
*DiskEmu implemented