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Date:      Wed, 26 May 1999 19:53:12 +0300
From:      Maxim Sobolev <sobomax@altavista.net>
To:        Robert Nordier <rnordier@nordier.com>
Cc:        Andrey Zakhvatov <andy@cgu.chel.su>, bde@zeta.org.au, brian@Awfulhak.org, cvs-all@FreeBSD.ORG, cvs-committers@FreeBSD.ORG
Subject:   Re: cvs commit: src/sys/i386/boot/biosboot table.c
Message-ID:  <374C26F8.DFF5590E@altavista.net>
References:  <199905261625.SAA21419@ceia.nordier.com>

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Robert Nordier wrote:

> > > > > Anyone else with reasons to keep the /sys/i386/boot/* (except netboot)
> > > > > code around any longer?
> > > > _ Have we method to load kernel from DOS partition?
> > > > _ I mean ability to have pseudo-diskless workstations with biosboot
> > > > and kernel image on local disk for users that must have ability to
> > > > work on FreeBSD-based X terminals, for example.
> > >
> > > Yes, /boot/loader autors claims that loader also can load kernel out of
> > > FAT/FAT32 partition, so you can make diskette with /boot/loader and write
> > > corresponding loader.rc script to load kernel out of a DOS partition.
> >
> >   Ok, but it can't helps me to save some diskettes :(
> >   And I prefer using DOS utility like biosboot.exe, which can be running
> > from user menu. It's strange to use additional diskette (with very short
> > life time).
>
> You're thinking of dosboot (fbsdboot.exe): biosboot is just the
> old boot1 and boot2.
>
> The issue with dosboot is that it hasn't changed in four years,
> and it can't be built with the FreeBSD toolchain; so there's no
> real real reason for keeping it in the source tree.
>
> Like other DOS programs useful for FreeBSD (fdimage.exe or fips.exe,
> for instance), fbsdboot.exe can always be made available in the
>
>     pub/FreeBSD/tools
>
> on ftp.freebsd.org (and mirror sites, CD-ROMs, etc).
>
> So deleting it from the source tree won't make matters any worse
> ... and may even improve them, since it allows some DOS programmer
> without commit priviledges to actually maintain it.

Unfortunately (as it was pointed in the -current list several days ago) now
fbsdboot.exe can't be totally "fixed" due to fact, that FreeBSD VESA and VM86 code
relies heavily on BIOS interrupts table but modern versions of DOS (7 and above)
trend to overwrite this table so it is impossible to freebsd's loader to restore
original BIOS vectors. If you don't mind to use VESA and VM86 you can download
modified fbsdboot.exe on  ftp://ftp.genericwindows.com:21/pub/FBSDBOOT.EXE. Also
possible solution for you is to get NT boot loader which can load any bootblocks
(including DOS and FreeBSD) right out from any file on FAT or NTFS partition
(proven - I'm using such scheme, but it may be illegal). Maybe Linux's LILO can
help you too, but I just don't know exactly. Finally, you can make a small
(100-200KB) FreeBSD partition with /boot/loader and appropriate script and install
FreeBSD BootEasy to switch modes between DOS and FBSD.

Maxim



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