Installing Dos

[mysterygoat]

I'm running Win2K but since dos is practically nonexistant in 2K, I was
wondering if it's possible to install dos 6.22 without having to format
my harddrive.

 

[Gary Smith]

Probably not, but it deends on how your current system is set up. You can
install both Win2K and DOS as a dual-boot system, but it's tricky to do
unless you install DOS first and Win2K afterward. You may want to
repartition your drive in any event.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

I'm running Win2K but since dos is practically nonexistant in 2K, I was
wondering if it's possible to install dos 6.22 without having to format
my harddrive.

Not only is DOS practically non-existant in in Win2000 but
it actually does not exist at all. DOS is an operating system,
as is Win2000, and there is no DOS under Win2000. There
is an approximation, called the Command Prompt.

You have several options to run DOS:
- Install Virtual PC
(http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtualpc/default.mspx).
I believe it's now freely downloadable.
- Repartition your disk and install a boot manager, e.g. XOSL (free!)
- Get a small second hand disk, e.g. a 4 GByte disk and
install it as your primary master. Install DOS on it and also
a boot manager. This will give you the option of booting
into DOS or into Win2000, without having to reload Win2000.

 

[Steve Parry]

I'm running Win2K but since dos is practically nonexistant in 2K, I was
wondering if it's possible to install dos 6.22 without having to format
my harddrive.

Best route is to install Virtual PC or VMWare, both are available free at
present, despite usually preferring Microsoft products my personal
preference is for VMWare but you may prefer VirtualPC?

This will allow you to create a "virtual computer" in a window on your
computer. The big advantage is you existing computers partioning etc is
blind to the virtualised OS as the virtual pc lives as a file on your
existing machine. Because of this the other advantage is as it's a file you
can copy it, make any changes to the virtual machine and if you want to
revert back you just move the copy back.

http://www.vmware.com/

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtualpc/default.mspx

 

[Badger]

I guess the real question is... what do you want DOS for? Most DOS based
functions are either in W2K or can be done another way.

If you're looking for a full MS DOS system, then yes a dual boot machine
would be your best bet. If you're looking to install DOS ontop of your W2K
OS to get some DOS functionality in W2K; that cannot be done.