From:	mharris AT blackwidow DOT saultc DOT on DOT ca
Date:	Mon, 10 Feb 1997 09:37:00 -0500 (EST)
Reply-To:	mharris AT blackwidow DOT saultc DOT on DOT ca
To:	"Colin W. Glenn" <cwg01 AT gnofn DOT org>
cc:	"'OpenDOS newsgroup'" <opendos AT mail DOT tacoma DOT net>
Subject:	Re: [opendos] OpenDOS + Win95 w/FAT32?
In-Reply-To:	<Pine.GSO.3.95.970209012527.5332B-100000@sparkie.gnofn.org>
Message-ID:	<Pine.LNX.3.95.970210091551.285r-100000@capslock.com>
Organization:	Total disorganization.
MIME-Version:	1.0
Sender:	owner-opendos AT mail DOT tacoma DOT net

On Sun, 9 Feb 1997, Colin W. Glenn wrote:

> On Fri, 7 Feb 1997 mharris AT blackwidow DOT saultc DOT on DOT ca wrote:
> > On Tue, 4 Feb 1997, Brian Dukes wrote:
> > 
> > It cant.  The filesystem upon which CONFIG.SYS resides *MUST* be
> > built into the kernel.  This requires either a kernel
> > recompilation (with sources), OR an obj distribution so you can
> <prune>
> > to %OPENDOSCFG%\FSTAB for later mounting by MOUNT in
> > AUTOEXEC.BAT.
> 
> Rather than go through that sort of trouble, why don't you have the
> kernel, the file system drivers, and config.sys sit inside of their own
> private partition for booting purposes, then after booting, it calls the
> NEXT partition C: .

Simple, because a hard disk is limited to 4 partitions, and you'd
be unnecessarily wasting one of those 4 partitions.  I know
personally that I'll want a TOTALLY 100% ext2 system when ext2
comes to DOS, and I'll want to boot up DOS just as easily as it
does right now.  However, instead of it just automounting all of
my ext2 drives, I'd like to have the option of which drives to
mount, and HOW they should be mounted (R/W, RO).  This is most
easily accomplished by the FSTAB file (file system table).  The
drives are most easily put into place by a MOUNT utility.

It is SIMPLE, and is hardly trouble.  The CONFIG.SYS method is
also fairly simple to implement (although I find it inferior).

Also, Joe average can modify a text file easier than he can
partition his disk drive.  Also, what if the drive is allready
partitioned?  Does that mean you should destroy all OS's
currently on the drive?  I think DOS should boot off of any
partition just like linux or any other OS worth its salt. 


> This would also baffle virus's, until they catch up. 

I don't see how virii would be effected at all.  Virii reside in
the executable files and are written to them via DOS calls.  They
are also written to boot sectors.  Both of these mechanisms would
remain the same under any FS.  Viruses wouldn't need to do
anything different at all.


> This would allow you to create different filesystems for different
> purposes, and seeing as config.sys is isolated from whatever filesystem
> you decide to use, you can specify which one(s) you need for which
> drives/partitions.  You might actually be able to boot OpenDOS, with a
> drive/partition for Lunix, and maybe call upon a Lunix program under the
> taskmanager?  The TM would swap anything which would interfere with the
> Lunix program out of the way, load the Lunix system out of the Lunix
> section, and the Lunix program would run and never see the difference.

1) Since CONFIG.SYS must reside on the root filesystem, and since
   the code to access the root filesystem must reside in the
   kernel, CONFIG.SYS is NEVER an issue no matter what filesystem
   type it resides on.  Why do people have such difficulty
   understanding this?

2) It's LINUX, not Lunix.
3) Since the native Linux FS is ext2, and since we're talking
   about adding ext2 support as a native DOS FS, yes you would be
   able to boot off of an ext2 partition.  Wether it actually
   contained Linux, or any Linux files is completely irrelevant.
4) There is no way ANYONE will EVER run ANY Linux
   binaries in MSDOS under TM or anything else for that matter.
   Linux is a real full 32 bit OS with shared libraries.  DOS is,
   and will always be incapable of running Linux programs.
5) For the TM to "swap" anything which would interfere with
   Linux, it would have to unload itself, then run LOADLIN to
   load Linux.  However, then we wouldn't be in DOS anymore would
   we.  :o)

I recommend you get the Linux INFO-SHEET to fully understand what
Linux is, and what it can do.  Linux isn't a DOS program, but
rather a full 32 bit OS.

If you'd like, I'd be more than happy to send you the INFO-SHEET,
and a couple Linux FAQ's.  They are really well written although
they are a bit out of date (2 months or so).

> It's _w_a_y_ past my bedtime here.

Mine too.  :o)

Mike A. Harris        |             http://blackwidow.saultc.on.ca/~mharris
Computer Consultant   |    My webpage has moved and my address has changed.
My dynamic address: http://blackwidow.saultc.on.ca/~mharris/ip-address.html
mailto:mharris AT blackwidow DOT saultc DOT on DOT ca

DJGPP: Free 32 bit DOS C compiler.

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