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Installing PC DOS 6.x in DOSBox-X

Overview

Editions this applies to:

  • PC DOS 6.10

    • Adds F5 and F8 clean boot and selective boot options

    • Adds Startup Menu support

    • Enhanced DOS memory management with RAMBoost

    • E replaces EDIT

    • Includes QCONFIG diagnostic utility

    • Includes Central Point Backup (DOS and Windows)

    • Includes Central Point Data Monitor

    • Includes Central Point Scheduler

    • Includes defragmentation tool

    • Includes IBM Antivirus (DOS and Windows)

    • Includes Phoenix PCMCIA support (DOS and Windows)

    • Includes PenDOS

  • PC DOS 6.30

    • Includes Addstor SuperStor disk compression software

Notes

  • PC DOS 6.1 was delivered on four 3.5" disks

  • PC DOS 6.3 was delivered on five 3.5" disks

Creating a PC DOS 6.x HDD image

Note: In addition to the below DOSBox-X command line utility, it is possible to create harddisk images from the DOSBox-X menu. Go to the "DOS" menu, and select "Create blank disk image…​". This option allows for various common harddisk types to be created, for less common types you need to use the command line utility.

Note: The below example assumes 4 disks, if you have 5 disks you need to add it to the end of the BOOT command.

Assuming your PC DOS 6.x disk images are in the current working directory, and named as shown below, type the following commands at the DOSBox-X Z:\> prompt.

 IMGMAKE hdd.img -t hd -size 2048
 IMGMOUNT C hdd.img
 BOOT DISK1.IMG DISK2.IMG DISK3.IMG DISK4.IMG

When prompted to change disk, on the DOSBox-X menu bar select "DOS" followed by "Swap disk". After the installation is finished, from the DOSBox-X menu bar select "Main" followed by "Reset guest system", and you will be back at the DOSBox-X Z:\> prompt.

You can now boot these DOS versions directly from the HDD image as follows:

IMGMOUNT 0 empty -fs none -t floppy
IMGMOUNT C hdd.img -ide 1m
IMGMOUNT D empty -t iso -ide 2m
BOOT C: