Message-ID: <006101c07e5f$83f46a00$11fea8c0@dell>
From: "Ben A L Jemmett" <ben DOT jemmett AT ukonline DOT co DOT uk>
To: <opendos AT delorie DOT com>
References: <01c07e3b$e2263960$125db7d4 AT default>
Subject: Re: fat32 in Dr-DOS
Date: Sun, 14 Jan 2001 19:23:45 -0000
Organization: Jemmett Glover Software Development
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Reply-To: opendos AT delorie DOT com

> Does somebody know why you cannot install it on a fat32 drive?
This is a WAG, but I think the DR-DOS bootloader is one of the modern ones
that will load the kernel no matter where it is on the disk (at least, up to
a point) by reading the root directory and finding the relevant entries.

On a FAT32 drive, the directory entries are probably arranged differently
(they'd have to be, to allow for the 32-bit cluster numbers).  Since the
bootloader knows nothing about the filesystem past 'I look at each of these
sections, and if it starts IBMBIO.COM I find the number at such-and-such a
place, turn it into such-and-such a sector, and read that data', it'll go
wrong when faced with a FAT32 layout.

The workaround would be to hack a Win98 bootsector (might be hairy) to load
the IBMBIO.COM file, or to create a small FAT16 partition and SYS that.
Might end up changing drive C: though with the latter method.

Regards,
Ben A L Jemmett.
(http://web.ukonline.co.uk/ben.jemmett/, http://www.deltasoft.com/)