From: Brian Dukes <bdukes AT crox DOT demon DOT co DOT uk>
To: opendos AT mail DOT tacoma DOT net
Subject: Re: [opendos] OpenDOS + Win95 w/FAT32?
Date: Tue, 04 Feb 1997 19:11:05 GMT
Organization: Clarke Roxburgh Computers Ltd
Message-ID: <32f98766.11335207@crox.demon.co.uk>
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On Tue, 4 Feb 1997 16:34:24 +0000, you wrote:

>Brian Dukes writes:
>
>> >Hmm, there is an interesting question. If filesystem support is =
loaded
>> >from CONFIG.SYS, and you want to have a 100% VFAT or even ext2fs
>> >filesystem, how will DOS be able to read the filesystem to find
>> >CONFIG.SYS so that it can load the file system driver that is =
required
>> >to read things from the filesystem that CONFIG.SYS is held on....
>>=20
>> [SNIP]
>>
>> To be honest, I can't see that its going to be practical to move from
>> one IFS to another nilly-willy just by changing an instruction in the
>> CONFIG.SYS,=20
>
>Neither can I, that's not what I'm suggesting or indeed asking.
>However, there is a very good reason why you'd want to not build all
>filesystems into the DOS kernel.
>
>> for one the data stored under one IFS would be fairly incompatible
>> with the data stored under another .. and therefore, in order to
>> switch between filing systems you would probably ZAP the partition
>> first!
>
>You have totally missed by point. I was wondering out loud about the
>idea of not building the filesystem into the kernel of DOS but having
>the filesystem loaded from (for example) CONFIG.SYS. No-one shifts
>filesystem lightly and the fact that you will loose the data should be
>pretty self evident to anyone.
>
>Besides, I can't see your point. Even if they *do* ZAP the partiton
>(after taking a backup I'd hope), my question still stands.


Hmmm, I seem to have either gotten out of the wrong side of the bed
today or put my teeth in upside down.

The original question/idea was to have an IFS=3D type command in
CONFIG.SYS ... all I was saying is that its not practical because its
too damn easy to change and to mess things up for one.

I haven't missed your point Dave, I just didn't dwell on it.  Your
point if I may paraphrase was that in order to read the IFS=3D
instruction from CONFIG.SYS, the boot process would need to know
something about the IFS in place in order to locate the config.sys and
start processing it!   And what tells the boot process which IFS is
installed?

The fact that these instructions were in the CONFIG.SYS would mean
that ANYONE would have the ability to alter the current IFS=3D without
any pre-thought!   How many times have you had to go in and tidy up
someones CONFIG.SYS after they messed!   What if someone took out the
IFS=3D line by accident then rebooted?

I think we should look at operating systems like OS/2 or Linux to see
how they achieve the same goal ... personally I think the way Linux
works would be far better.

Bri, hoping i've made myself a little clearer now