Just posted some updates/improvements to DBBD

and also DBSETLOC (DosBox SET LOCation) - makes it easy to keep a complete DosBox setup (with associated MOUNTed directories, and (in my case) a few host interface files that have to know "where DosBox is") on a USB drive and simply plug it in to any other system, and double click one shortcut to automatically reconfigure so that everything works as expected in that location!

Dave

Just in case anyone is interested...

I've updated DBBD

- Now includes both PCDOS and FreeDos boot images
- Tools/info on how to make/add additional boot images
- "Officially" supports DosBox-X
- Can set window size (and misc other command enhancements)

Dave Dunfield ::: https://dunfield.themindfactory.com
or: "Daves Old Computers" -> Personal (near bottom)

Just posted another update - supports "virtual Hard Drive" and a few other improvements!

Dave Dunfield ::: https://dunfield.themindfactory.com
or: "Daves Old Computers" -> Personal (near bottom)

Thanks for this work, Dave! Anything that makes DOSbox easier to use is a service to the community.

- Alex

another update - improvements to FDI, bootable images contain DDLINK 1.7 with improved bootloader (can bootstrap to FreeDos now)

Dave Dunfield ::: https://dunfield.themindfactory.com
or: "Daves Old Computers" -> Personal (near bottom)

Just posted an update - various minor improvements/fixes as well as adding some additional freely available DOS images:

Supplied DBBDBOOT.ZIP has files for:
PCDOS ----- from free "IBM ServerGuide Scripting Toolkit"
FDOS ------ FreeDos : www.freedos.org
CODOS ---- Caldera OpenDos
PTSDOS ---- PhysTechSoft/ParagonTechnologySystems (Russia)
note1: All of these are/were available free at one time.
I've never seen/found any version of MSDOS freely available. Given the
"past" nature of DOS now, if Microsoft is willing - please CONTACT ME!
note2: These are "cut down" to the bare minimum system files you need plus
some of my more useful tools.

Dave Dunfield ::: https://dunfield.themindfactory.com
or: "Daves Old Computers" -> Personal (near bottom)

I've been recovering some older DOS versions that I found in a corner
of my workshop --- so I've made a major revision to my tool to boot real
DOS under DosBox - now called DBDOS (DosBox boot DOS)

This can take advantage of an existing DosBox install (or a new one), can
be made into a desktop shortcut, and provides an interactive menu to:

1   Select CPU           (386, 486 or Pentium)
2   Select Cycles        (CPU speed)
3   Select DOS to boot   (see below)
4   Create/Mount a B: drive image
5   Create/Mount a C: drive image

I've included boot images for the following DOS versions:

1   Microsoft MS-DOS 2.11
2   Microsoft MS-DOS 3.31
3   Microsoft MS-DOS 4.00
4   IBM PC-DOS 2.10
5   IBM PC-DOS 3.30
6   IBM PC-DOS 7.1
7   FreeDos 0.84
8   Caldera OpenDOS 7.01
9   Paragon Technology Systems PTS-DOS 6.51

As far as I've been able to determine, these are all legally available for
free! (if anyone knows otherwise, please let me know)

I personally find it much better to be able to just click a desktop
shortcut and select one of these to boot.

They include .ZIPs of standard DOS files, some of my most usefull
tools (like DDLINK to move files), and packet drivers.
Also has tools to write the images to real floppy diskettes!

Dave ::: https://dunfield.themindfactory.com ::: "Daves Old Computers"->Personal

Even MS-DOS 6.22 was available for free directly off of Microsoft's old ftp server.

cyclone3d wrote on 2025-03-04, 05:42:

Even MS-DOS 6.22 was available for free directly off of Microsoft's old ftp server.

The ones I included happen to be the ones I have ... I've found
statements from Microsoft that theses ones have been released under
the MIT license, but mostly as source code, and I've not been keen
to setup the needed tools to build them.

I actually use these a fair bit (well... maybe not so much PTSDOS I
included it because it might be interesting for some to see a Russian
DOS) - mainly to be able to test backward compatibilty with DOS stuff
that I happen to create.

I never got into 6.22 much - I still use DOS5 a lot, but I've not found
a statement of release from MS (to be fair, I've not spend a whole lot
of time looking) - hence I have DOS5 here on my system, but have not put
it in the published DBBOOT) ... I'd be happy to add 6.x (and others) as
well... do you have a link where I can find these statements and binary
images?

Dave ::: https://dunfield.themindfactory.com ::: "Daves Old Computers"->Personal

I should have the binaries.

The statement about them being freely available from the MS fto can come straight from me if I can't find any official statements I personally downloaded them multiple times from the MS ftp when it was still around.

I'll see if I have or can locate an old MS ftp index or any documentation.

cyclone3d wrote on 2025-03-05, 06:37:

I should have the binaries.
The statement about them being freely available from the MS fto can come straight from me if I can't find any official statements I personally downloaded them multiple times from the MS ftp when it was still around.
I'll see if I have or can locate an old MS ftp index or any documentation.

Thanks, if you could send me a PM and let me know what you've got, that would
be good.

Are you by chance any sort of representative from MS?

The reason I ask is that I'm pretty anal about not publishing third-party material
without express permission.

I have to have an official release statement by the copyright holder, I'm not comfortable
just saying "someone on Vogons said it was free at some point"
Hopefully that makes sense and seems reasonable.

Btw, just updated it ... to include more information about said release notices, and
also removed an "internal tool" I had accidentally included in a couple of the images.

Dave ::: https://dunfield.themindfactory.com ::: "Daves Old Computers"->Personal

Just in case anyone is interested..... I found a boot disk for another
version of DOS (PC-DOS 3.00) which I've added to DBDOS - that makes 10
different versions of "real" DOS you can boot up.

I've also updated/improved my docs and presentation a little, and made
all the DOS images present pretty much the same.

Ok - now I've added some *VERY* early editions... (the earliest):

IBM dev. pre-release of DOS
IBM DOS 1.00
IBM DOS 1.10

Now you can experience actually using the first PCs.
(these will seem closer to 86/DOS that later versions,
"erase" instead of "del" etc.. they won't run much of
my current DOS software - but you really can see
"how it all started!")