DOS .exe file support

DOS .exe file support

[Harry Kalogirou]

Hi,
 I wonder from the first time I let my eyes on this project, what the
EXE file support in the kernel configuration means?  I simply don't see
any way of running a DOS .EXE executable in ELKS. Maybe if it was a COM
file but even then we should emulate all the DOS _system_ calls. Am I
missing something bigger here, or we should just remove it from the
tree?

Harry

Re: DOS .exe file support

[Riley Williams]

Hi Harry.

> I wonder from the first time I let my eyes on this project, what the
> EXE file support in the kernel configuration means? I simply don't
> see any way of running a DOS .EXE executable in ELKS. Maybe if it
> was a COM file but even then we should emulate all the DOS _system_
> calls. Am I missing something bigger here, or we should just remove
> it from the tree?

I have to admit that I've wondered about that myself, and to be honest,
I don't even see how we could begin to emulate the DOS system calls to
start with.

My personal feeling is quite simple: If it doesn't work, at least move
it under EXPERIMENTAL until we can sort out what to do with it.

Best wishes from Riley.

Re: DOS .exe file support

[Michael Kallas]

Hi,

Harry Kalogirou <harkal@gmx.net> schrieb am 29.04.02:
> Hi,
>  I wonder from the first time I let my eyes on this project, what the
> EXE file support in the kernel configuration means?  I simply don't see
> any way of running a DOS .EXE executable in ELKS. Maybe if it was a COM
> file but even then we should emulate all the DOS _system_ calls. Am I
> missing something bigger here, or we should just remove it from the
> tree?
If this should be considered for being implemented any time, I suggest
having a look at http://www.freedos.org because FreeDOS is in beta stage
now already for quite a while and is quite advanced.
They even have FAT32 support now (but no LFN yet) and they also
support swapping.
Maybe ELKS could be something like a multitasking environment able to
execute linux/elks and DOS programs?

Best regards
Michael
-- 
All thoughts are free, Who can ever guess them?
Die Gedanken sind frei, Wer kann sie erraten?

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Re: DOS .exe file support

[Alan Cox]

> > file but even then we should emulate all the DOS _system_ calls. Am I
> > missing something bigger here, or we should just remove it from the
> > tree?
> If this should be considered for being implemented any time, I suggest
> having a look at http://www.freedos.org because FreeDOS is in beta stag=

I think it ought to go in the bitbucket.

> now already for quite a while and is quite advanced.
> They even have FAT32 support now (but no LFN yet) and they also
> support swapping.
> Maybe ELKS could be something like a multitasking environment able to
> execute linux/elks and DOS programs?

On such a small memory machine you'd use a lot of resources to do that
and make a nasty mess in other bits of the kernel. Seems better to let
FreeDOS do its job well

Re: DOS .exe file support

[Harry Kalogirou]

Την Παρ, 03-05-2002 στις 09:37, ο/η Michael Kallas έγραψε:
> Hi,
> 
> Harry Kalogirou <harkal@gmx.net> schrieb am 29.04.02:
> > Hi,
> >  I wonder from the first time I let my eyes on this project, what the
> > EXE file support in the kernel configuration means?  I simply don't see
> > any way of running a DOS .EXE executable in ELKS. Maybe if it was a COM
> > file but even then we should emulate all the DOS _system_ calls. Am I
> > missing something bigger here, or we should just remove it from the
> > tree?
>
> If this should be considered for being implemented any time, I suggest
> having a look at http://www.freedos.org because FreeDOS is in beta stage
> now already for quite a while and is quite advanced.
> They even have FAT32 support now (but no LFN yet) and they also
> support swapping.
> Maybe ELKS could be something like a multitasking environment able to
> execute linux/elks and DOS programs?
> 

ELKS will never be able to run .EXE files. Even if we emulate all the
DOS system calls, the memory model is different. To that add that most
of DOS programs - if not all - use directly the hardware and that is
imposible to multitask on an 8086. DOS programs do all sorts of _wild_
things with the machine (from hooking to interupts, to reprogramming
timers chips, etc) , that require the program be the only thing running.

About the swap thing you say, I don't see how they can swap out. Maybe
they implement it in a _might work, might crash_ way.

Harry


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