ReactOS bootsetup diskette
From ReactOS
For BIOSes/systems that cannot boot from CD drives, a 1.44MB bootable floppy diskette should be made/used to detect the CD-ROM drive and run ReactOS Setup
Software used
- FreeDOS (Current version)
- A batchfile run by FreeCom
- Sundry freely usable CD-ROM drivers from the FreeDOS distribution
Method of use
When the user can't boot to the CD-ROM drive normally, the diskette should be inserted prior to prior to booting the system. The BIOS should also be set to boot from the diskette drive.
Operation
When the computer is started and assuming the disk is booted off of, the following sequence happens:
- Loads FreeDOS (Basic kernel/shell)
- If possible loads the ROS bootscreen image over top of the DOS test output.
- FreeCom loads AUTOEXEC.BAT (Which either does the following itself or CALLs another BAT or EXE file)
(From here on out it's the BAT/EXE doing all this)
- Displays task list wizard with some explanitory text and the following tree structure:
STATUS TASK
-------- ------
Determine type of CD-ROM drive
Load IDE/ATAPI drivers
Load SCSI/ASPI drivers
Result
Load ReactOS Setup
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Information
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Raw DOS output
Status can be "Running", "Done", "Failed", or "Skipped" (If the user indicates to not load one family of drivers).
- Asks the user what kind of CD-ROM they have.
'''Are you using a (I)DE/ATAPI CD-ROM drive, (S)CSI/ASPI drive, or are you (u)nsure?''' (I/S/U) - If you answer "unsure" then both types will be tried which shouldn't cause any problems
- Loads the appropriate drivers based on the response.
- Displays result
- If a CD-ROM drive was sucessfully loaded then OK, insert the ReactOS Setup disc, eject this disk and hit Enter.
- If not then... we say something I guess. Not sure here.
- On the drive that's been detected, goto \setup.exe or whatever should be run in DOS to start setup.
