DOS ain't dead - FreeDOS Wiki, VirtualBox, Chapter 6

CLINT

Tennessee,
01.08.2021, 18:07

FreeDOS Wiki, VirtualBox, Chapter 6 (Emulation)

This page in the wiki....

http://wiki.freedos.org/wiki/index.php/VirtualBox_-_Chapter_6

...Has this title...

"...Mounting a VHD image on the host..."

...with these words...

"...Windows 7 and later is able to connect VHD images..."

This is, as far as I can tell at this moment, exactly what I need right now.

So I read and scroll, and I can't see what to do because the examples are from a copy of windows that I don't have.

Do we have a way to go back in time to read that same Chapter 6 with the instructions and screen caps using Windows 7 (instead of 8 or 10 or whatever)

Alternatively worded: How do I make Windows 7 do the same thing that the Windows 10 screen caps are describing in that wiki page ?

Berlin, Germany,
01.08.2021, 19:21

@ CLINT

FreeDOS Wiki, VirtualBox, Chapter 6

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> Do we have a way to go back in time to read that same Chapter 6 with the
> instructions and screen caps using Windows 7 (instead of 8 or 10 or
> whatever)
>
> Alternatively worded: How do I make Windows 7 do the same thing that the
> Windows 10 screen caps are describing in that wiki page ?

Hi Clint, we all have Google or other search engines for many years.
https://www.google.com/search?q="windows+7+mount+vhd"
https://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/create-mount-vhd-windows/

You can also install https://www.7-zip.org/ to open VHDs on a double click.

---
Forum admin

CLINT Tennessee, 02.08.2021, 13:37 @ rr	FreeDOS Wiki, VirtualBox, Chapter 6 Post reply
	Thank you for showing me how to ask Google a question which actually produces results which answer the question. My previous attempts led to SEO, "Search Engine Obfuscation" Time for homework here; thank you again for the clarity.

CLINT Tennessee, 03.08.2021, 02:08 @ rr	FreeDOS Wiki, VirtualBox, Chapter 6 Post reply
	I cannot thank you guys enough. I believe that I have now mounted the VHD (Virtual Hard Drive) I created three subdirectories... `XYZ-123 WXY-123 VWX-123` Can a couple of the experts here confirm or refute this ?

CLINT

Tennessee,
03.08.2021, 02:24

@ rr

FreeDOS Wiki, VirtualBox, Chapter 6

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If I have properly mounted the VHD (Virtual Hard Drive) so that I can put files from Windows in and out of the drive that FreeDOS sees, the next step which is on that Wiki page says...

"...If you are done, please take care to eject the image before you startup the FreeDOS guest in VirtualBox...."

That page then shows this image...

[image]

I do not see the "...EJECT..." thing on my screen.

I see this instead...

[image]

...i.e., He has the word "EJECT" Between the words, "...FORMAT..." and "...COPY..." while I do not.

What do I do now ?

CLINT

Tennessee,
03.08.2021, 11:47

@ CLINT

FreeDOS Wiki, VirtualBox, Chapter 6

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Hey Gang, Did I just figure this out properly ?

- Windows 10 uses the word, "EJECT"
- Windows 10 places the word, "EJECT" in a right-clicked list
- That "EJECT" word is accessed from a right-click on the name of the VHD (Virtual Hard Disk)
-

- Windows 7 uses the phrase, "DETACH VHD"
- It does the same thing; just uses a different nomenclature
- In Windows 7, that phrase, "DETACH VHD", is also accessed via a right click
- However, that right click must occur in a different pane on the "COMPUTER MANAGEMENT" Window

I went through that process (i.e., Detaching the VHD) then started FreeDOS in Oracle VirtualBox, and the three directories which I created (i.e., "XYZ-123", etc.) appear as shown here...

[image]

Did I actually get this right ?

tom Germany (West), 03.08.2021, 20:39 @ CLINT	FreeDOS Wiki, VirtualBox, Chapter 6 Post reply
	> Did I actually get this right ? most likely, yes. actually, you could have created files in these directories with known (to you) content, and verified that this known content still exists when running in DOS. so you wouldn't have to ask - and wait for answers.

CLINT Tennessee, 04.08.2021, 18:25 @ tom	FreeDOS Wiki, VirtualBox, Chapter 6 Post reply
	> actually, you could have created files in these directories with known (to > you) content, and verified that this known content still exists when > running in DOS. Good thinking. Advice taken, we are now rolling.

Ringding 02.08.2021, 17:27 @ CLINT	FreeDOS Wiki, VirtualBox, Chapter 6 Post reply
	My Windows 7 Professional shows the menu entry for "Attach VHD image". Maybe you have home edition, if something like that existed for Win 7?

bretjohn

Rio Rancho, NM,
03.08.2021, 00:59

@ Ringding

FreeDOS Wiki, VirtualBox, Chapter 6

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FWIW, I use a free program called ImDisk to mount/unmount various types of images in Windows. I experiment with several different Virtual Machine managers (currently VMWare Player, Bochs, PCEm, DOSBox-X, QEMU, and Virtual Box), which all use/prefer different types of disk images (vhd, vmdk, vdi, iso, img, ...). ImDisk seems to work with most all of them and is more flexible and intuitive (at least to me) than trying to manage things natively in Windows.

Rugxulo Usono, 02.08.2021, 20:09 @ CLINT	FreeDOS Wiki, VirtualBox, Chapter 6 Post reply
	> "...Mounting a VHD image on the host..." > > ...with these words... > > "...Windows 7 and later is able to connect VHD images..." > > Alternatively worded: How do I make Windows 7 do the same thing that the > Windows 10 screen caps are describing in that wiki page ? Please see the readme (metados.txt) included in metados-0.7.zip.

Rugxulo

Usono,
02.08.2021, 20:16

@ Rugxulo

FreeDOS Wiki, VirtualBox, Chapter 6

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Here's what I mentioned on FASM's forum a few years ago:

> Win 7 (Home, 64-bit):
> =====================
> Win key - (search) "computer management"
> click "Storage -> Disk Management"
> click the Volume window
> right click Disk Management -> Create VHD (or via menu "Action")
> (here I'm making a 4096 MB dynamic disk)
> Action -> All Tasks -> Initialize (MBR)
> Action -> All Tasks -> New Simple Volume (mount as drive G:, FAT32, quick format)
> Explorer -> cut and paste any files from C: to G: (e.g. hello.txt)
> right click "Disk 1" -> "Detach VHD"
>
> VirtualBox 4.3.40 (64-bit):
> ===========================
> on existing "FreeDOS" install, click Storage -> Controller: IDE -> click button "Add Hard Disk" (existing)
> boot "FreeDOS" normally (and edit hello.txt)
> quit the VM (Host-Q, aka Right Ctrl-Q)
> Storage -> Remove Attachment
>
> ...
> back to running Computer Management -> Disk Management
> Attach VHD
> back to Explorer -> G: -> read your modified hello.txt
> when finished, Detach VHD