Newbie: how create the real DOS

[DrHoang]

Create a real DOS for XP is a so easy problem for an expert but rather difficult to any new bie if he doesn’t hear or know the way how to do that.

That topic only aims to guide him steps by steps to create the real DOS to XP and XPE by himself.

I) Create the real DOS for your XP :

Microsoft gets rid off MS-DOS in his XP and WinMe forever. But we still need that real DOS for our XP by the following reasons:

a)Rescue the crash of your PE is a rather easier way in the real MS-DOS:

-boot to DOS is only some secondes, too different to Windows Recovery Console ( some minutes and prepared in advance ):

-You could restore a ghost file saved( XP still working good ) returning to your primary partition in some minutes( 3 minutes ).

b)Delete some file not permitted in XP environtment.

c)In that DOS environtment, you could also see any pics with the best resolution of 16 million colors with Picview or hear any music by Mxplayer 1.5 with sound card Sound audigy or Creative SB Live( not setting anything )

1)You must prepare a bootable diskette( by 98 image from www. bootdisk.com)in advance with some files more like sys.com, debug.exe, read.scr, sysXPfat.com. bootpart.exe in it.

File read.scr is prepared in this way:

Copy all lines below in notepad and save as in a file( read.scr ) put it in your bootable floppy disk A

L 100 2 0 1

N C:\BOOTSECT.DOS

R BX

0

R CX

200

W

Q

Bootpart.exe could be download from www.winmimage.com.

2)In CMOS, set 1st boot device ( Floppy ) save and exit . Reboot.

3)At A:\> prompt, you type sys C: System transferred.

4)Make a bootsect.dos for DOS : At A:\> type debug< read.scr.

5)Reboot your computer, you could log in MS-DOS at C:\ , but never to XP.

6)How to log on XP again normally?: Too easily if you have the file sysXPfat.com downloaded from the web. If not, please write E-mail to me, I send you that useful file( only 930 bytes ) . Copy this file to a bootable floppy disk A .

At A:\> ; type systXPfat C:

7)Reboot the last time. Draw out your diskette .

8)Now, you will select easily between to log on Win XP again or MS-DOS if you already have that file boot .ini in C ( using notepad, copy this code and save as boot.ini, put it in C:\ )

[boot loader]

timeout=8

default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS

[operating systems]

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect

C:\="MS_DOS"

II) Create the real DOS for your XPE( installed to hard disk in a primary partition other than C ):

1)Install XPE to hard disk( other primary partition), you get a lot of benefits:

- Boot to XPE now in a so much speedy way( 1 minutes 30 secondes ) than CD ( 4 minutes 30 secondes, USB 10 minutes );

-Easier to update any new plug-in in hard disk than in CD. So that, you are no need to buy any CDRW more;

-Also easier to test this XPE in hard disk than in CD or VirtualCD or Vnware50.

Following are the principal steps:

a)From Partition magic 805 already installed in XP, you resize the actual primary C partition if it is large to make an unallocated primary partition under 2GB and rename it to XPE.

b)Choose to format that primary partition to FAT and press on apply. It requests to reboot you PC one time more so that all your commands become effective.

c)You select the hidden partition just created( XPE ) in the right and choose to Browse partition\Partition Operations in the left:

You could see all folders in Explorer clearly and copy all folders of Bart PE\ from here and go to the hidden XPE partition and paste them there. Rename this I386 folder to minint one’s .

d)Copy 2 files( ntdetect.com and setupldr.bin ) from I386\ BartPE and paste them also to that hidden XPE partition.

e)Rename file setupldr.bin to ntldr within XPE.

f)Copy file pqbw.exe in XP( from PM 805 ) and paste to XPE partition

g)Wait for some secondes in PM 805 to make it effective.

h)Run pqbw.exe by an shortcut in XP to change that hidden XPE partition to an active one’s (start now or in the next boot) to replace the actual XP.

i)Using pqboot32.exe( PM805) within XPE to reboot to XP in the next boot.

j)Remark more:

When Bart PE or XPE running in hard disk, it always launches a warning message ( running out of memory )after a complete boot even you set whatever ramdisk size . You must set pagefile sys in D partition ( now C: ) 512MB with Paraglider's setpagefile plugin

2)Create the real MS-DOS for that new XPE partition:

Two initial steps are the same in the section XP, but the third one’s and the last are totally different: Boot your PC by a bootable diskette .

a) At A:\> prompt, you type sys C: System transferred.

b)Make a bootsect.dos for 98: At A:\ ; type debug< read.scr.

c)At A:\> prompt, type bootpart winnt boot:C: Reboot, your boot directly to XPE not having a menu to DOS.

d)WithinXPE, you run in Start menu: G:\ XPPRO\ I386\winnt32.exe /cmdcons to make a Windows Recovery Console and a boot.ini file.

e)Open boot .ini by notepad and change its properties)( -r ,-s , -h ) and some lines inside, that becomes:

[boot loader]

timeout=8

default=C:\bootsect.dat

[operating systems]

C:\bootsect.dat="Windows XPESP2"

C:\bootset.dos="MS-DOS"

f)Don’t forget to copy the file bootsect.dat from the cmdcons folder to X:\ to boot to XPE in default windows.

g)You could delete cmdcons folder to economize some places( 7MB of your hard disk ).

h)Reboot your PC , you have a menu boot to select to XPE or MS-DOS

i)You are no need of 2 plugins( DOSPE ant PEHINSTALL ) from Bart PE now. That DOSPE plugin won’t help you running in a real DOS environtment; occupies a real useless place on your XPE.

III)Complete this raw MS-DOS to full one’s easy to handle in XP or XPE:

a)Your MS-DOS in XPE is still raw , not having enough of files working in an easier way. You better copy 3 folders: DOS and NC, VK ( if you want see any longer file name in MS-DOS ) and 2 files autoexec.bat and config.sys from your C partition or a friend computer .

b)Number and name files of DOS folder to add: 8

( ASPIEHCI.SYS,CP437UNI.TBL,DOSLFN.COM, ECSCDIDE.SYS, GUEST.EXE,MSCDEX.EXE,HIMEM.SYS, MOUSE.COM, SMARTDRV.EXE, GHOST.EXE, GUEST.EXE)

c)Number and name files of NC folder to add: 5

(NC.EXE, NC.INI, NCMAIN.EXE, NCEDIT.EXE. NCEDIT.MSG)

d)All files of Volkov commander 499 software in the VK folder

e)Code file Autoexec.bat:

@ECHO OFF

PROMPT $P$G

PATH=C:\DOS;C:\NC;C:\VK;

DOSLFN /Z:C:\DOS\CP437UNI.TBL

C:\DOS\ MSCDEX /D:MSCD001

C:\DOS\MOUSE.COM

C:\DOS\ SMARTDRV

C:\DOS\GUEST.EXE

f)Code of file Config.sys:

DEVICE=C:\DOS\HIMEM.SYS /testm:off

FILES=50

DOS=HIGH,UMB

FCBS=4,0

BUFFERS=20,0

LASTDRIVE=Z

STACKS=9,256

DEVICE=C:\DOS\ECSCDIDE.SYS /D:MSCD001

DEVICE=C:\DOS\ASPIEHCI.SYS /INT /ALL

g)You could run ghost.exe to save or restore from hard disk to any USB ports vice versa, much speedierly by 2 files GUEST.EXE and driver ASPIEHCI.SYS ( 3 minutes or less ) .

If not, it requires for you one hour to wait for a complete ghost action.

I hope you would find some interessant problems in creating the real MS-DOS in your XP & XPE.

Dr Hoang from Vietnam

[jimmsta]

I'm going to try this out, and see if it is really what I think it is.

IF it is, then you've just created something quite amazing, and the proof that NT is still based somewhat on DOS/OS /2 (Which is one of my arguments in many discussions).

This might be Utopia for DOS geeks.

[Spawn]

This is just plain old dos dual boot. It is still not going to read nor can it be loaded on to NTFS partitions.

[jaclaz]

Interesting, while a bit complex to follow.

A few questions:

1) why do you use the DEBUG script to create the C:\bootsect.dos when you can use bootpart.exe to the same effect?

2) What does exactly this sysXPfat.com prog do?

It seems to me that the C: drive must be formatted as FAT16, as it is normal when using bootpart, but I found no mention of this in the first part of your post.

jaclaz

Edited August 23, 2005 by jaclaz

[DrHoang]

Hi Jaclaz,

1)Firstly, I try to make bootsect.dos with bootpart but I always get a failure in XP

BOOTPART DOS622 C:\BOOTSECT.622 "MS-Dos 6.22"

but debug.exe is always successful to make a bootsect.dos.

SysXPfat.com seems working to make bootsect.dos redirected by ntdlr, it helps you to reboot again successfully to XP after making bootsect.dos( 98)

2)When I use bootpart( still working good in XPE ) to reboot to XP, that is a failure but in the contrary, Sysxpfat.com C:\ is so better.

I completely dunno why there is a bit difference between them.

3) It seems you don't read my topic well, below of that image of PM 8, you would find that line surely:

b)Choose to format that primary partition to FAT and press on apply

Dr Hoang from Vietnam,

Edited August 23, 2005 by DrHoang

[DrHoang]

"This is just plain old dos dual boot. It is still not going to read nor can it be loaded on to NTFS partitions".

Hi Spawn,

You are right, that is an old DOS dual boot but too preciously if you want to rescue your XP in crash some days in a much speedier way.

But if you already install XP in NTFS, you must reserve a small other primary place formatted in FAT 16 to rescue your PC by using XPE or DOS.

Dr Hoang.

[stasys44]

DrHoang

Cannot find SysXPFat.com

I think i'm not alone who searches it

[DrHoang]

DrHoang

Cannot find SysXPFat.com

I think i'm not alone who searches it

Hi Stasys,

Please write to me a E mail ( to drhoang@gmail.com ) like I said in my post with your personal address.

I am ready to insert that file to you.

Dr Hoang

[jaclaz]

Hi Jaclaz,

1)Firstly, I try to make bootsect.dos with bootpart but I always get a failure in XP

BOOTPART DOS622 C:\BOOTSECT.622 "MS-Dos 6.22"

but debug.exe is always successful to make a bootsect.dos.

SysXPfat.com seems  working to make bootsect.dos  redirected by ntdlr,  it helps you to reboot again successfully to XP  after  making bootsect.dos( 98)

Yep, but since you are using debug.exe from within DOS, you could try using bootpart from DOS as well!

Also, that command will make a bootsector for DOS 6.22, if you use Windows 95 DOS files you should issue:

BOOTPART WIN95 C:\BOOTSECT.bin "My_Dos"

and with windows 98 ones:

BOOTPART WIN98 C:\BOOTSECT.bin "My_Dos"

(I cannot say if this might be the problem)

2)When I use bootpart( still working good in XPE ) to reboot to  XP, that  is a failure but in the contrary, Sysxpfat.com  C:\ is so better.

I completely dunno  why there is a  bit difference between them.

You might want to review the old trick of the boot floppy (clearly explained here):

http://www.xxcopy.com/xxcopy33.htm

it is a quite handy way to start your system if you have problems in your bootsector.

Of course you might need to edit boot.ini entries to suit requirements of most systems, I use something like:

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Drive0 Partition 1"

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINNT="Drive0 Partition 1"

.....

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(n)\WINNT="Drive0 Partition n"

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINNT="Drive1 Partition 1"

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(2)\WINNT="Drive1 Partition 2"

.....

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(n)\WINNT="Drive0 Partition n"

3) It seems you don't read my topic well, below of that image of PM 8, you would find  that line surely:

b)Choose to format that primary partition to FAT and press on apply

Unfortunately I did read your post quite attentively, as a matter of fact what I posted was:

It seems to me that the C: drive must be formatted as FAT16, as it is normal when using bootpart, but I found no mention of this in the first part of your post.

What I meant is that you should have put something to WARN people that the first part of your post, "I) Create the real DOS for your XP :", will only work if the c: drive is ALREADY formatted as FAT.

As said this is the recommendation of Gilles Vollant, (author of Winimage and Bootpart), and it is an advice I follow since I installed my first NT4.00 copy, but MOST of people will have C: formatted as NTFS, expecially with XP.

jaclaz

Edited August 24, 2005 by jaclaz

[DrHoang]

Hi Jaclaz,

1)I didn't make out with bootpart in XP and I am obliged to use debug.exe

2)Your trick on boot.ini is totally applicable on XP, but not MS-DOS with XPE:

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Drive0 Partition 1"

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINNT="Drive0 Partition 1"

.....

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(n)\WINNT="

Could you try your trick to make a DOS for XPE one time?

3)I don't completely agree with you on" MOST of people( in your country perhaps and what statistic? ) will have C: formatted as NTFS, expecially with XP.

We still like using MS-DOS to rescue any crash problem of PC by its speedier boot.

I think XP installed in FAT 32 , not mostly in NTFS( that depend your security degree ) .

4)I don't think you are right to say that line:

Create the real DOS for your XP :"will only work if the c: drive is ALREADY formatted as FAT.

My XP is formatted in FAT 32( size 9GB) having triple menu boot( XP & 2000 and MS-DOS in C partition.

In a FAT 32 primary partition( C:), we still create a real DOS for XP succesfully to rescue anytime.

5)In XPE, due to create a new small partition<2GB only, we choose FAT16 for that XPE primary partition.

Sincerely yours,

Dr Hoang.

Edited August 24, 2005 by DrHoang

[stasys44]

DrHoang and jaclaz

You are both right!

1. If someone has single HDD as one partition, this partition m a y b e mostly formatted as NTFS (do not regarding to minuses, for me NTFS has one plus - large file possibility) recommended for NT windows.

2. But the best way to have two partitions:

FAT32 for OS and Program Files

NTFS for data

Now my OS partition takes 8 GB and have free space, as now I do not experiment with some OS.

I always strongly recommend the second version. Quick booting and access to Win files, in case of seriuos OS crash restore partition from Image in few minutes.

So, I am going to try install XPE and DOS on HDD after some preparation. I use Acronis Disk Director not Partition Magic. I should read more careful your article, Dr. Hoang

[DrHoang]

Hi Jaclaz,

Now I know the reason why bootpart didn't create bootsect.dos in my XP ( triple boot to XP, 2000 and MS-DOS) .

My C partition is formatted in FAT 32( 9GB ) but not FAT 16.

In the contrary, debug.exe is working so good to create bootsect.dos in FAT 32 and FAT 16.

Hi Stasys 44,

Do you make out of creating MS-DOS for your XPE in another primary partition than C?

If so, you could update all new softs in your XPE much easierly in the future and no need of any CDRW disk to burn or test anymore..

Dr Hoang from Vietnam

[stasys44]

Dr. Hoang

Thank you for files.

I certainly will try to accomplish this job, but i am too busy now, range not alone direction, and my wife's birthday.

[stasys44]

This is my second try to return to Windows - i still have C:\>

Sysxpfat don't help. I have to load BartPE(XPE) CD and - winnt32 /noreboot;

to edit my boot.ini; to delete 2 folders ($...) in partition C.

After this i have choose - DOS or Windows

Now i am posting from CD and will return to Windows.

[stasys44]

Have finished experiment second time. I returned to Windows but with no help from sysxpfat nor bootpart.

BTW - first time i crashed my NTFS partition - it became NTFS-HPFS, Acronis DD cannot repair. Recovery program did not recovered Windows 2000 with SP4, eMule, BartPE plugins. Have additional trouble.