Contents
========

* Networking is bad
* Single-tasking is good
* DOSBox-X is a PC emulator
* Just use FAT16
* Long file names (LFN)
* Hardware tips

Networking is bad
=================

I use sneakernet because of network instability.

<http://www.bttr-software.de/forum/mix_entry.php?id=12993>

One can use DOS communication software to dial a telnet BBS via
DOSBox-X modem emulation.  Zmodem is not tuned for TCP/IP congestion
control, etc.  Use Ymodem to transfer files from a telnet BBS.

<http://www.ipingthereforeiam.com/bbs/msgs/view.plx?
schema=echoes&id=255525&echo=cooking>

Single-tasking is good
======================

> The good thing about DOS is that it can only do one thing at a
> time. If it is doing something bad, it is not doing what it is
> supposed to be doing. You tend to notice that sort of thing.
>
> 15th May 2017

<http://gb3kd.byethost7.com/blog2017.html>

> The black abyss of DOS is calling to escape from the dystopia of
> complexity. Are you ready for it?

<gopher://hoi.st/0/posts/2024-04-08-a-few-more-words-about-dos.txt>

DOSBox-X is a PC emulator
=========================

DOS will install and run in DOSBox-X.

<https://dosbox-x.com/wiki/Guide%3ADOS-Installation-in-DOSBox%E2%80%90X>

To do so, one must use disk image files for DOSBox-X.

<https://dosbox-x.com/wiki/Guide%3AManaging-image-files-in-DOSBox%E2%80%90X>

Log entry about installing SvarDOS in DOSBox-X.

<gopher://tilde.pink/1/~bencollver/log/
2025-02-22-install-svardos-in-virtual-machine>

Just use FAT16
==============

I prefer FAT16.

Con: 2 GB partition size limit with FAT16
Pro: CHKDSK is orders of magnitude faster

FAT32 practically requires 32-bit hardware.
FAT16 is most compatible with other versions of DOS.

Long file names (LFN)
=====================

I avoid LFN in order to "keep it simple."

DOSLFN adds support for long file names in DOS.  The command shell is
not aware of long file names.  For a LFN-aware shell, install 4dos.
I read that the latest DOSLFN requires SHSUCDX for CDROM support,
which requires a 32-bit CPU. DOSLFN version 0.34d does not require
SHSUCDX.

Hardware tips
=============
The "golden rule" is: select a motherboard that has at least one ISA
slot, then you can be 100% sure it will work under DOS control with
no problem whatsoever.

<https://mail-archive.com/freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net/msg21616.html>

* * *

Otherwise it can get messy:

The problem with running baremetal DOS on a new system is that, even
if the system has a non-UEFI "legacy" mode for a real MBR / BIOS
bootmode, the video is likely to be so crippled as to not even run
most DOS games. Systems newer than 8th gen core i3/i5/i7 with onboard
video (intel UHD?) have been castrated; there are no low-resolutions
availabe (no 320x200, 320x240, 640x350) and likely not even any 8-bit
video modes in the Video BIOS. So, any legacy game which uses 320x200
will crash when it tries to switch to this mode which 90% of legacy
DOS games used. It's such an artificial limitation, due totally to
crippled and missing video BIOS code. Some VESA modes are also
missing and / or incomplete.

The further problem on "new" systems exists that MTRRs can't be set,
so even if your game runs in DOS it will suffer from very slow video
reads and writes. With RayeR's MTRRLFBE utility, one can enable
write-caching MTRRs for LFB and also VGA modes in Intel 5th core
i3/i5/i7 systems and earlier, in my testing and experience. All "new"
systems from 6th gen on up have the MTRRs as unable to be set...

<https://www.vogons.org/viewtopic.php?p=1078214#p1078214>

I've had success with using a PCI VGA card on PCI-E (with a bridge of
course). Of course such bridges prevent the card from properly
fitting inside the case, so you'll need to get a little creative there.

<https://www.vogons.org/viewtopic.php?p=1331243#p1331243>