From: Karl-Heinz Zimmer (khz@stardivision.de)
Date: Thu Jan 21 1999 - 09:48:06 CET
On Wed, Jan 20, 1999 at 14:09:09 Michele Andreoli wrote:
> On Wed, Jan 20, 1999 at 08:04:39AM +0000, Karl-Heinz Zimmer wrote:
> >
> > What about another approach: perhaps it would be more suitable
> > for a pure DOS-installation to have a little DOS program that
> > could do the job of the mu install kernel?
> >
> > Maybe i am wrong(?) but at my opinion a small tool of about 30 KB
> > (e.g. written by me in good old Turbo Pascal 4.0) could do the same
> > job for us as the huge linux install kernel of about 300 KB?
[...}
> You're right. This very beginning task of muLinux kernel consist
> in that:
> 1) superformat the floppy
> 2) cat BOOT ROOT.gz USR.bz2 > /dev/fd0H1722
> Older muLinux versions did step 1) with a spare DOS superformatter and
> 2) with a bare
> c:> copy /B BOOT+ROOT.gz+USR.bz2
> Step 1) (in DOS version) is difficult, because the dos-superformatter
> is inefficient for some floppy-controller. Some user reported it
> work (E. Cavalli, for ex.).
> Now, I think, You cannot write a TurboPascal program superformatter,
> is true?
The solution for this is obvious: we need the original source code of
that unix superformating tool and i will recode it with great fun.
(Remember: The story of all that "C freaks" saying that some hardware
manipulations are only possible in C can only be believed by someone
who did never *really* try do do it in Pascal.)
> Ok: We can skip the "floppy intermediate step" and install directly
> the image in a UMSDOS form. Ahia: you must script "bzip2" in
> TurboPascal! If You do that, what you think of "umssync" command
> required for build the UMSDOS file-system? "Abortito!", diceva Toto'.
> Ok: I can distribute a special DOS image of muLinux. I can install
> muLinux in my c:\linux, with X11 segment embedded, and pkzip
> them in a mulinux-umsdos.zip. Dos installer can install with a bare
> pkunzip mulinux-umsdos.zip
> This is the "tomsrtbt" solution (?).
> Ma this ".zip" is 5-6 Mega, I believe, while DOSTOOLS.zip is only 500K
> (with a "monster" installer-kernel, grow to 700-800k).
> In conclusion: my dream is ONE distribution for TWO world, DOS e
Linux.
> Work described is a work for a true OS :))
> -Michele-
What about doing it that way:
1. You could provide two *real disk images* for
1722K floppy
(one for the basic muLinux and one for X11)
2-x. DOS users would download the image(s) they
wanted and a small DOS program.
That program had to do the disk formatting and
then transfer the image there.
(using a *very* simple COPY PER SECTOR method)
2-y. UNIX/Linux users would also download the image(s)
and the new mu install kernel.
That new mu should have one more option: transfer
disk images to the disk.
(instead of creating them from BOOT, ROOT.gz,
USR.bz2...)
( 3. _Only_ those people who want to _customize_ the
distribution would use the *old* mu option of
building a disk image using BOOT, ROOT.gz,
USR.bz2... )
What about that?
It would require not more than a slight modification of mu and the
creation of a DOS superformating tool based on the original sources.
Ciao,
Karl-Heinz
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