[Grml] question related to included Freedos in The GRML distro

[Maurice McCarthy]

Dear Janusz

I'll gladly try to help but it may be a few days
before I can explore this for myself. I have
forwarded your email to the grml list in case any
one there may have a comment also.

Best Wishes
Moss

----- Forwarded message from "Mgr. Janusz Chmiel" <chmiel at phil.muni.cz> -----

Subject: question related to included Freedos in The GRML distro
From: "Mgr. Janusz Chmiel" <chmiel at phil.muni.cz>
Date: Fri, 1 May 2009 12:57:11 +0200
To: Maurice McCarthy <moss at mythic-beasts.com>

Dear syr,

You have been able to answer all my questions and thank's to You, i were
able to install GRML to A harddrive, i also deeply understood The parted
commands and other administrative tasks.

But i would like to ask You for next question.

If i will type
dos
At The GRML live CD boot prompt, free DOS is sucessfully loaded. But please,
which keys should i press to activate A shell? Because when i wanted to type

a:
or c:

Nothink has happened. Or is there only choice to install free DOS or only
graphical shell is included?

Is it possible to legally download smartdrv.exe or similar equivalent, which
installation program for Windows Xp will detect like smartdrv?

Thank You very much for Your answers.

The program
winnt.exe can be used for installing Windows XP from DOS, by using
setupmgr.exe running from Windows XP which is fully functional, visually
impaired user can make fully unattended Windows XP installation.

But i Am experiencing methodological problems, for example, i can not boot
To The FAT32 partition, which is containing installation files prepared by
using setupmgr.exe application.

I can access this partition by using Windows XP boot diskette or Windows 98
Se boot diskette, but i can not boot it by using smart boot manager.
Eventhough i set The FAT32 partition as a primary, which is a condition to
access this partition from DOS, fortunately, gparted is allowing this, that
i did not had to use logical partition with FAT32. I could resize existing
NTFS partition, and in The free space, i could specifi right start and end
of this FAT32 one. Parted is using reliable and safe algorithms, if user
knows, what he is doing with this tool.

It is possible to boot DOS if this operating system is being installed by a
first operating system, in this case, WIndows XP installation program is
making officially supported activity to support booting betveen DOS or
Windows XP.

But i want to support visually impaired users, so they could perform
unattended installation when their instalation of WIndows XP is being
corrupted.

There are even WEB pages with several DOS boot diskettes, which are having
included CD ROM Drivers, but i do not know, if those boot disks are legal to
use.

And there is not many modern computers with floppy drive, and bioses are not
setup by The way, so flash disk can beused for booting. And my algorithms
are intended to be fully usable by non sighted users.

If YOu would support me, i would be very glad.

There is awaylable solution, Nlite,

But i Am afraid, that Microsoft will force The author of this program to
remove it from The Internet, may be, that he consulted licensing issues with
The Microsoft CORP, because his WEB site and Nlite program is existing for
many years.

?His solution is working very reliably, even sound drivers can be integrated
to The .iso file.

But i would like to support official tools for deploying Windows XP
installation.

Visually impaired users are not able to use partition manager included in
Windows XP installation, this tool is also enough to make several
partitions, but i like parted and Linux, because i can have full control and
feetback from A screen reader.

Parted is not supporting so many actions like included partition manager in
Windows Xp installation.



----- End forwarded message -----

[Maurice McCarthy]

Dear Janusz

I've not been able to look too far yet but I'll
make a few comments.

1. smartdrv does appear to be a legal download
http://webinstituteforteachers.org/resources/software/BOOTDISKS-FOR-GHOSTING/tbb-koz-2002-11-13-modboot/bin/

is hosted by the University of Chicago

2. From memory freedos boots to X: when launched
from the grml disk. I'll try to reproduce your
problem of moving to a: or c: when I've got time.

3. It is some time since I've used SBM but you may
have to hide other drives to see the FAT32
partition as the first partion of the first hard
drive. In grub you would use the map command to
make it look like (hd0,0)

4. It is another learning curve but grub4dos is a
customisation of grub for Windows with certain
enhancements such as looking for bootable
partitions and loading them automatically. Again I
am not well versed in its use.

5. The legality of dos boot disks may be difficult
to say but msdos is no longer supported and I
think mscdex (? I think that was the name, MS cd
driver) waspreviously given away by microsoft themselves.

6. A brief look at Nlite has me thinking it is a
procedure allowing you to manipulate what you paid
for and I cannot imagine how it would be illegal.

7. Up to Win XP it is usually best when dual
booting to install Windows first and then Linux
because XP is too stupid to be aware of other
operating systems - hence the necessity of 3
above.

All for now
Moss

Post by Maurice McCarthy
Dear syr,
I Am deeply and highly appreciating Your kind approach to me. I Am very,
very glad, that there are several Linux live CDS, because those live CDS
and installable Linux distros can be used like a standalone operating
systems. And, this is also very remarkable, those operating systems, if
they are including NTFS3g driver, can help people with no sight to rescue
important data, if those data are not accessible because of corrupted
Windows Xp or even Windows Vista installations. I Am trying to convince
core developers of Linux distros, if they would enable special boot option,
which would forcing The most complex HAL related algorithms, while special
application is communicating with BIOS and is searching for plug and play
devices to search only USB sound cart and ignore all integrated or PCi
connected sound carts. Why? It is inpossible to make live CD, which would
include all awaylable sound carts. There is too many various sound
manufacturers throught out The world. So my wisch is to neable visually
impaired users to choose autodetection algorithms, which would only search
sound devices throught The USB port. But it will probably stay only my
dream. Visually impaired user would become a fully valuable system
administrator, because he or she could access all computers with USB ports.
Eventhough there is theoretical possibility, that there would also be
problems with other hardware, for example with some of integrated chips on
The mother board for example, one of those chips, which can be rewieved by
using Windows XP control panel, device manager and by using system devices
group.
But detecting USB sound cart would enable visually impaired users, that
specified USB sound carts would be usable on every computer with USB port.
I will try to discuss it with author of father of all Linux distro, with MR
Klaus Knopper. He developed very complex knoppix and HAL algorithms, i will
looking forward to his opinion.

[Maurice McCarthy]

Dear Janusz

I've not been able to look too far yet but I'll
make a few comments.

1. smartdrv does appear to be a legal download
http://webinstituteforteachers.org/resources/software/BOOTDISKS-FOR-GHOSTING/tbb-koz-2002-11-13-modboot/bin/

is hosted by the University of Chicago

2. From memory freedos boots to X: when launched
from the grml disk. I'll try to reproduce your
problem of moving to a: or c: when I've got time.

3. It is some time since I've used SBM but you may
have to hide other drives to see the FAT32
partition as the first partion of the first hard
drive. In grub you would use the map command to
make it look like (hd0,0)

4. It is another learning curve but grub4dos is a
customisation of grub for Windows with certain
enhancements such as looking for bootable
partitions and loading them automatically. Again I
am not well versed in its use.

5. The legality of dos boot disks may be difficult
to say but msdos is no longer supported and I
think mscdex (? I think that was the name, MS cd
driver) waspreviously given away by microsoft themselves.

6. A brief look at Nlite has me thinking it is a
procedure allowing you to manipulate what you paid
for and I cannot imagine how it would be illegal.

7. Up to Win XP it is usually best when dual
booting to install Windows first and then Linux
because XP is too stupid to be aware of other
operating systems - hence the necessity of 3
above.

All for now
Moss

Post by Maurice McCarthy
Dear syr,
I Am deeply and highly appreciating Your kind approach to me. I Am very,
very glad, that there are several Linux live CDS, because those live CDS
and installable Linux distros can be used like a standalone operating
systems. And, this is also very remarkable, those operating systems, if
they are including NTFS3g driver, can help people with no sight to rescue
important data, if those data are not accessible because of corrupted
Windows Xp or even Windows Vista installations. I Am trying to convince
core developers of Linux distros, if they would enable special boot option,
which would forcing The most complex HAL related algorithms, while special
application is communicating with BIOS and is searching for plug and play
devices to search only USB sound cart and ignore all integrated or PCi
connected sound carts. Why? It is inpossible to make live CD, which would
include all awaylable sound carts. There is too many various sound
manufacturers throught out The world. So my wisch is to neable visually
impaired users to choose autodetection algorithms, which would only search
sound devices throught The USB port. But it will probably stay only my
dream. Visually impaired user would become a fully valuable system
administrator, because he or she could access all computers with USB ports.
Eventhough there is theoretical possibility, that there would also be
problems with other hardware, for example with some of integrated chips on
The mother board for example, one of those chips, which can be rewieved by
using Windows XP control panel, device manager and by using system devices
group.
But detecting USB sound cart would enable visually impaired users, that
specified USB sound carts would be usable on every computer with USB port.
I will try to discuss it with author of father of all Linux distro, with MR
Klaus Knopper. He developed very complex knoppix and HAL algorithms, i will
looking forward to his opinion.

[Maurice McCarthy]

Dear Janusz

I've not been able to look too far yet but I'll
make a few comments.

1. smartdrv does appear to be a legal download
http://webinstituteforteachers.org/resources/software/BOOTDISKS-FOR-GHOSTING/tbb-koz-2002-11-13-modboot/bin/

is hosted by the University of Chicago

2. From memory freedos boots to X: when launched
from the grml disk. I'll try to reproduce your
problem of moving to a: or c: when I've got time.

3. It is some time since I've used SBM but you may
have to hide other drives to see the FAT32
partition as the first partion of the first hard
drive. In grub you would use the map command to
make it look like (hd0,0)

4. It is another learning curve but grub4dos is a
customisation of grub for Windows with certain
enhancements such as looking for bootable
partitions and loading them automatically. Again I
am not well versed in its use.

5. The legality of dos boot disks may be difficult
to say but msdos is no longer supported and I
think mscdex (? I think that was the name, MS cd
driver) waspreviously given away by microsoft themselves.

6. A brief look at Nlite has me thinking it is a
procedure allowing you to manipulate what you paid
for and I cannot imagine how it would be illegal.

7. Up to Win XP it is usually best when dual
booting to install Windows first and then Linux
because XP is too stupid to be aware of other
operating systems - hence the necessity of 3
above.

All for now
Moss

Post by Maurice McCarthy
Dear syr,
I Am deeply and highly appreciating Your kind approach to me. I Am very,
very glad, that there are several Linux live CDS, because those live CDS
and installable Linux distros can be used like a standalone operating
systems. And, this is also very remarkable, those operating systems, if
they are including NTFS3g driver, can help people with no sight to rescue
important data, if those data are not accessible because of corrupted
Windows Xp or even Windows Vista installations. I Am trying to convince
core developers of Linux distros, if they would enable special boot option,
which would forcing The most complex HAL related algorithms, while special
application is communicating with BIOS and is searching for plug and play
devices to search only USB sound cart and ignore all integrated or PCi
connected sound carts. Why? It is inpossible to make live CD, which would
include all awaylable sound carts. There is too many various sound
manufacturers throught out The world. So my wisch is to neable visually
impaired users to choose autodetection algorithms, which would only search
sound devices throught The USB port. But it will probably stay only my
dream. Visually impaired user would become a fully valuable system
administrator, because he or she could access all computers with USB ports.
Eventhough there is theoretical possibility, that there would also be
problems with other hardware, for example with some of integrated chips on
The mother board for example, one of those chips, which can be rewieved by
using Windows XP control panel, device manager and by using system devices
group.
But detecting USB sound cart would enable visually impaired users, that
specified USB sound carts would be usable on every computer with USB port.
I will try to discuss it with author of father of all Linux distro, with MR
Klaus Knopper. He developed very complex knoppix and HAL algorithms, i will
looking forward to his opinion.