SOL_OS - Instalation

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Installing SOL_OS to a blank Floppy Disk

For Windows users

• 1. Get a blank formated 1.44M floppy disk
• 2. Use rawrite (included) to write os8.bin on floppy
• 3. Example interactive mode:
  • type "rawrite" then CR
  • type "os8.bin" then CR
  • type "a"
  • then place a blank floppy in drive "A:" and press ENTER
  • wait for the OS file to be written on the floppy...
• Additionally you could use the write_floppy.bat to do the same thing non interactive

For UNIX/LINUX users:

• 1. get a blank formated 1.44M floppy disk into A: drive
• 2. Use the DD program to write os8.bin on floppy
  • type dd if=os8.bin of=/dev/fd0

To Start SOL_OS boot your PC using this freshly created floppy disk

A note for Emulators/VM users:

• You can use the os8.flp file as a floppy image for Vmware Workstation 4
• You can use the os8.flp file as a floppy image for Bochs but turn on the VESA-bios-latest.
• The os8.dsk file could be used with Virtual PC 2004.

Making a bootable CD-ROM with Sol_OS

You only need the os8.dsk file as an boot image. Solar OS needs no files on the rest of the CD since I do not read them from files.

You can use your favorite CD-ROM burning software in order to make a bootable CD from the os8.dsk floppy image.

Installing Sol_OS on a HDD

Installing on the HDD is experimental for now. There is no warranty that you will not loose all data on your HDD. So please take all precautions possible before even attempting to do this:

• backup all your data first
• carefully read the folowing instructions
• better consider installing on an empty HDD with no important data on it.

IF you are still not scared :P, let us continue...

Current limitations

Most of those limitations will be removed in the future...

• Sol_OS can only boot from a primary partition
• You have to create the boot partition yourself using a 3rd party tool.
  I use Ranish partition manager and XOSL boot manager.
• The SOLAR_FS partition code is choosed as: 0xDD hexa
• The boot partition must be below 8Gigabyte limit.

The setup I use folllows... but of course you could use other setups if you understand how and why.

Steep 1: On an empty HDD create at least 2 Primary partitions

• 1.First Partition a FAT32 one, size: approximative 4G or less
• 2.Seccond partition a SOL_FS (code 0xDD) below the 8G limit. Size: > 1M
• 3.Any other partitions you might need after this. For example another FAT32/NTFS/Ext2/BeFS/etc partition that extends to the end of HDD.

The first partition will host the executable files for the Ranish partition manager and XOSL boot manager. You can also use it to have something to browse with Solar OS.

I prefer using XOSL boot manager because with it I can switch between booting from the Solar OS partition and the FAT32 utils partition.

The seccond partition is where Solar OS will be installed. The size of this partition is irelevant as it only needs to be bigger than the OS size. Leaving 5M or 500M for it should provide enough space for future testing. However if you intent to test SOL_FS performance in the future, then maybe you should make it larger of 4G or make another Sol_FS partition right after it.

Steep 2 = Boot Sol_OS and transfer it to the HDD

• Boot Solar OS from a floppy or a CD-ROM.
• Go to "S" special menu, select Hard Disk 1 (or your HDD)
• List the partitions to be sure they are there.
• Press "X" to begin installing the OS on the HDD
• Carefully follow the instructions on screen.

After the OS has been installed you can reboot and startup Solar OS from HDD.

Take care that the OS install procedure will NOT make the partition active. So either the partition was made active at the creation time in Ranish partition manager OR XOSL will make it when you choose to boot from it. Anyway check if the partition is active :) or elese you will not be able to boot it even if you have installed the OS on it. If you use XOSL it should work by default or else again Ranish partition manager should be helpfull in marking SOL partition as active.