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BootAble – FreeDOS boot testing freeware
To obtain direct, low-level access to a system's mass storage drives, SpinRite runs under a GRC-customized version of FreeDOS which has been modified to add compatibility with all file systems. In order to run SpinRite it must first be possible to boot FreeDOS.
GRC's “BootAble” freeware allows anyone to easily create BIOS-bootable media in order to workout and confirm the details of getting a machine to boot FreeDOS through a BIOS. Once the means of doing that has been determined, the media created by SpinRite can be booted and run in the same way.
The participants here, who have taken the time to share their knowledge and experience, their successes and some frustrations with booting their computers into FreeDOS, have created a valuable knowledgebase which will benefit everyone who follows.
You may click on the image to the right to obtain your own copy of BootAble. Then use the knowledge and experience documented here to boot your computer(s) into FreeDOS. And please do not hesitate to ask questions – nowhere else can better answers be found.
(You may permanently close this reminder with the 'X' in the upper right.)
Is ReadSpeed.img valid IMG file?
millQ
danlock
Steve
Dan...
Can you explain what it is that you're attempting to do? There's no such thing as an "invalid image file" since any file can declare itself to be an image. In this case, as the ReadSpeed page states, it's simply the "business end" of a bootable 8MB DOS file system. So, if it is "raw copied" to the front of any bootable device — at least 8MB would be best — it will be bootable. This has worked for me and others.
millQ
D
Dan Stevens
I'm using YUMI Legacy to create a multi-bootable USB thumb drive. I was able to get SpinRite to boot from the drive via YUMI's boot menu by taking the SpinRite.img file produced by SpinRite.exe and creating a FreeDOS entry in the YUMI setup app and selecting the SpinRite.img. As I understand it, upon at boot time, selecting the 'FreeDOS (SpinRite)' option in the boot menu, YUMI creates an in-memory disk initialised with the img file and boots from it. I thought I'd be able to do the same with the ReadSpeed.img file, however when I try this I get 'Missing Operating System' error.Dan...
Can you explain what it is that you're attempting to do? There's no such thing as an "invalid image file" since any file can declare itself to be an image. In this case, as the ReadSpeed page states, it's simply the "business end" of a bootable 8MB DOS file system. So, if it is "raw copied" to the front of any bootable device — at least 8MB would be best — it will be bootable. This has worked for me and others.
However, there's no need for disappointment, since I found a different way to make a bootable ReadSpeed image file that works with YUMI:
- Using ReadSpeed.exe, format a different USB thumb drive to boot ReadSpeed.
- Using WinImage create a blank image file.
- Inject the files from the thumb drive into image file.
- Set the Boot Sector Properties to match that of SpinRite.img.
- In YUMI setup app, create a FreeDOS entry specifying the img file.
- Boot from the USB thumb drive and from the YUMI menu select the 'FreeDOS ReadSpeed' option.
Steve
danlock
millQ