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.
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copy config.sys con and see if it shows the content. I don't see ATTRIB on the disk, and I forget if it is built in. ATTRIB -h config.sys should show it up. Of course you should be able to investigate the USB stick under Windows and if you configure Windows Explorer properly it will show you system and hidden files.
In my case, there was a visible config.sys and auto exec.bat however both were reporting zero bytes. Member millQ clarified my suspicions that Windows Millenium DOS was introducing unintended consequences. Ironically, the ghosts of Windows ME still are surfacing. I completely agree, might as well take the first option using ReadSpeed.exe and create a bootable USB however in my case I have reason to use a floppy drive and the option to simply use RS.exe on an existing MS-DOS bootable floppy disk. I did not read any user beware into that option.
