[ros-kernel] 0.2.3 release

[Bernd Blaauw]

Eric Kohl wrote:

> "Bernd Blaauw" <bblaauw at home.nl> wrote:

>>installing a ReactOS to VMware and later downgrading available memory to
>>16MB causes a NTOSKRNL error, something about 0 0 0 0, lots of numbers and
>>"DEADBEEF". is NTOSKRNL crashing, or GUI/splashscreen? can any sub-20MB
>>system move to textmode (cmd.exe) if not enough memory to load
>>splashscreen and/or GUI?
>>
>>20MB works, but is more than "hey I installed 2 8MB SIMMS, get this OS
>>working on my old computer"
> 
> 
> We need to add some checks to FreeLoader and Ntoskrnl in order to prevent
> such crashes and provide proper error messages.

OK.
The splashscreen is a part of ReactOS or FreeLDR?
When booting, it's unknown if ReactOS fails to load NTOSKRNL, the 
splashscreen, or Explorer.
each has different memory requirements, I guess.


> The floppy driver must be fixed in order to create bootdisks ReactOS. I have
> a modified usetup in my source tree that enables the user choose whether he
> wants to write the bootcode to a floppy disk or to the harddisk. I wanted to
> commit that modification but it soen't make sense until the floppy driver
> works reliably.
> 
> The bootsector installer works only on Win NT/2k/XP systems, DOS and Win 9X
> are not supported at all. Therfore I think we should focus on getting the
> floppy driver working.

The cdrom's WELCOME.EXE could have a bootdisk creator.
("Create ReactOS bootdisk containing the FreeLDR bootloader")

No idea why the installer is NT-specific. You can always use multiple 
installers, like the Syslinux project does.

the install.exe is in:
http://reactos.csh-consult.dk/download.php?sid=FreeLoader-20040618.i386.tar.gz

installing bootsector to both devices (diskette, harddisk) might also be an 
option, I guess.

I'll test the livecd. Perhaps it has enough in common with the installation cd 
to integrate both of them.
1)Boot ReactOS
2)Select "install to harddisk"

then a SETUP procedure like currently in place would not be needed (at least 
for cdrom).

anyway, good work. ReactOS can run from cdrom, something NT can't even do.

Bernd