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FDI in Depth
shidel edited this page May 14, 2016
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Please note: This Document is based on a much earlier revision of FDI and is Out-Of-Date.
FreeCom and 1024 bytes free enviroment space. (/E:2048 recommended)
V8Power Tools located in path environment variable.
V8Power Tools requires an 8086+ or better CPU and EGA or better graphics.
grep requires an 80386 or better CPU.
It basically has the same requirements as the installer. It just requires less free environment space. I've been using /E:1024 without issue.
Download the latest version of V8Power Tools and place the binaries in the V8POWER subdirectory.
Create a FreeDOS package repository disc. One can be downloaded from Mateusz's Repository.
FDINST from the FDNPKG package must be installed.
SHSUFDRV package must also be installed.
A memory manager the can be used to allocate a 32Mb ram-disk. (like JEMM)
For best results and performance, I recommend booting from the most recent pre-made version FreeDOS Installer Prototype's boot image.
Stick the CD in your CD drive.
Stick a floppy to destroy in drive A:
run mkFDI.BAT
(Warning: all previous ramdisks will be shutdown!!)
Please note, a boot image is also available.
Also, a quick and easy "build from scratch" demo is available on YouTube as FreeDOS 1.2+ custom install media.
README.md - Basic installation instructions.
LICENSE - GNU GPL v2.
mkFDI.bat - Create the Floppy installation media.
SETTINGS\ - General OS installation settings and configurations.
SETTINGS\BUILD.CFG - Configuration file for FDINST for install media. (not for
the OS installation, that is located in SETTINGS)
SETTINGS\FDNPKG.CFG FDINST Package manager template config file for
the installation media.
SETTINGS\PKG_FDI.LST - List of packages to use for install disk creation.
SETTINGS\CLEANUP.LST - Files/directories to be removed after all packages
have been added to the install disk.
SETTINGS\PKG_BASE.LST - List of packages installed for BASE.
SETTINGS\PKG_ALL.LST - List of packages installed for ALL.
SETTINGS\PKG_XTRA.LST - List of packages not installed but are included
on the USB Stick and CD/DVD ISO images.
FDISETUP\ - Contains installer files.
LANGUAGE\ - Contains language translation directories and files for the
installer.
V8POWER\ - (Not included, but is required). A copy of the V8Power Tools
binaries. Available from http://up.lod.bz/V8Power
PACKAGES\ - If present, mkFDI will use these packages over any packages
on the package repository disc. They will also be copied to the install
disk and have priority over packages that will be on the install media.
BINARIES\ - If present, mkFDI will copy any files to the install disks
copy of the FreeDOS binaries and will overwrite any conflicting files.
These files will not automatically be copied to the installation system.
AUTOEXEC.BAT calls SETUP.BAT BOOT
SETUP.BAT
Tests for presence of V8Power Tools.
Starts FDSETUP.BAT
FDSETUP.BAT
Tests for presence of V8Power Tools.
Tests for I/O redirection support at present.
Does some basic settings initialization.
Loads configuration from STAGE000.BAT. This is where some of the
built-in default settings are stored. Things like New Volume Label,
OS Version and etc.
If BOOT option was present at launceh, tests if this version of
FreeDOS is already installed using STAGE100. If so, it just exists to
the prompt with a welcome message. Otherwise, it proceeds with
installation process.
STAGE200, Loads current color scheme from either THEMEDEF.BAT or
THEMEADV.BAT (Advanced Mode).
If FDSETUP\SETUP\FDSPLASH.BAT exists, it is called. It might be good
for displaying ascii art logo or something.
STAGE300, Displays the "Welcome to FreeDOS" installer message and offers
to continue or exit.
STAGE400, Checks if drive C exists. If not, prompts user that C needs
partitioned and offers to run fdisk or exit. If user selects fdisk,
then it offers to reboot or exit.
STAGE500, Checks if drive C is readable. If not, prompts user that C
needs to be formatted and offers to format or exit. If user selected
format, it formats and then rechecks if C is readable. If not, offers
to reboot or exit.
STAGE600, Reserved
NOTE: Now that a TEMP directory exists, batch files that use I/O
redirection and utilities like vmath can now be used.
STAGE700, Calls all Installation configuration batch files named
FDASK???.BAT located in the FDSETUP\SETUP directory.
STAGE800, Prompts user that installation will now begin, Offers
to continue or exit. Then, scans current FDSETUP\SETUP for all
FDINS???.BAT files.
STAGE900, Informs user that installation is complete offers reboot or
exit.
STAGE999, Performs cleanup and is always run. It is only not run
if the STAGE100 test for existing OS installation passes and the
batch script is exiting without running the installer.
Screen is cleared, reguardless of successful or failed installation.
If install has failed due to an error and FDSETUP\SETUP\FDERROR.BAT
exists it will be called now. You could set FREBOOT=y, to force reboot
or display addition error information, suggestions on how to correct
the issue or some such thing.
If user had selected reboot in STAGE900, it is done now.
If install had completed and reboot was not selected AND
FDSETUP\SETUP\FDTHANK.BAT exists it will be called last.
OS_NAME = Should always be "FreeDOS"
OS_VERSION = Current OS Version.
FADV = "y" if running in advanced mode.
FDIDFMT = "y" if during this execution the batch file formatted
drive C.
FWAIT = If your going to use vpause, This is how many seconds you
should pause. Example: vpause /t %FWAIT%
FDEL = Delay in milliseconds after non-interactive messages
are displayed.
FREBOOT = "" No effect when ending batch script.
= "n" will cause FDTHANK to be called at exit.
= "y" will cause reboot at exit.
FERROR = Error message to display when installer is aborted
or exited with an error.
FDRIVE = installation drive for FreeDOS.
FTARGET = installation path for FreeDOS.
FBAK = Backup path for previous OS version, when the zip
archive backup method is selected in advanced mode.
FVERB = When is 'y', more status messages appear. By default,
FVERB is "n" unless the installer is started with the
option "adv". Switching to advanced mode from within
the installer does not change this setting.
FINSP = Installer path, set in Stage600.
FMEDIA = Is the path to the FreeDOS installation packages.
FPKGS = Set in FPINS600 and points to list of binary packages
to be installed.
FPSKP = When "y", installer will ignore missing packages.
Otherwise, a missing package will cause an error. Default
is "y".
FLANG = Current Language translation file.
OVOL If drive is formatted, set its labal to this text
(actually OVOL is set in STAGE000)
OBAK Set in FDASK200. If an operating system is detected.
and user selects backup it will be set to "y". In advanced
mode user can select 'archive to zip' then it is set as
"z". If no OS was detected, or uses selects no backup it
will be set to "n"
OCFG Set in FDASK300. If in advanced mode, user can choose not
to replace existing configuration files.
OCLEAN Set in FDASK400. If in advanced mode, user can choose not
to remove all files in FreeDOS target directory before
installing.
OSYS Set in FDASK500. If user is in basic mode it is set to
"y" to transfer system boot files. In advanced mode,
it is set to either "y" or "n" depended on choice.
OBSS Set in FDASK600, in basic mode it is set to 'y' or 'n'
automatically based on the installers best guess. In
advanced mode user is prompted. Force boot sector
update.
OALL Set in FDASK700. If user wants all binary packages, it is
set to 'y'
OSRC Set in FDASK700. If user wans sources for selected packages
installed it is set to 'y'
Note: When an FDINS???.BAT is called. The current drive and
directory are set automatically to the location of
the FDINS???.BAT file. Also, errorlevel must be 0 on
exit from the FDINS???.BAT script or the Installer
will assume failure and terminate. You may easily insure
that it continues by using "verrlvl 0" to clear any
existing errorlevel value. Also, any custom FDINS???.BAT
scripts should test the OS_NAME and OS_VERSION to
insure compatibility with the version of FreeDOS being
installed. Also, if you set FERROR, it will be displayed as
an error message when installer aborts.
FDINS000 Debugging batch file. When FDEBUG=y, this will display
the current environment variables then wait. Otherwise,
it does nothing.
FDINS100 Configures package list options FPBIN and FPSRC to point
to their respective package list files to be used in
FDINS700 during package installation.
FDINS200 Creates a backup folder of OS and CONFIG files if OBAK
is set to "y". If it is "z" then a zip archive is created
and stored in C:\FDBACKUP\ directory. If "n", then
does nothing.
FDINS300 Remove old conflicting packages.
FDINS400 Removes old FreeDOS target directory when OCLEAN is "y"
FDINS500 Removes old configuration files when OCFG is "y".
FDINS600 Transfers system files if OSYS is "y".
FDINS700 Installs binary and source packages.
FDINS800 Install language specific command.com.
FDINS900 Copy new configuration files, maybe. If so, also
creates the VERSION.FDI file for testing if this
version of the OS is already installed. It will use
the AUTOEXEC.DEF and FDCONFIG.DEF template files to
create the new configuration files. It will convert
$FLANG$ to the current %LANG%. Also, it will
replace $FDRIVE$ with the target drive (like C:) and
$FTARGET$ with the installation base directory (like
C:\FDOS).
FDCTRLC.BAT Code that is executed anytime the user presses CONTROL-C
at a vchoice or vpause. Provides 3 options, Return to
where you were, exit to dos or switch to/from advanced mode.
You do not "CALL" FDCTRLC.BAT you pass control to it and
provide the batch file and options you wish to maintain
if the user does not quit. The best example of this is
STAGE400.BAT can return to itself in two separate places.
FDIFAIL.BAT Call FDIFAIL "message about failure" to inform the user
that the installation has failed. It offers to reboot
or exit to DOS. Afterwards, if exit to DOS was selected,
it will return to your script. You should then exit
you batch file with an errorlevel of 1 to prevent
futher processing of the installation. Note: if %1 is
"cc" and in advanced mode, then an additional option to
continue will be also displayed at some points during
the installation process.
FDITEMP.BAT Responsible for creation of TEMP directory that is used
during the installation process.
FDIPKG.BAT Actual package installer. %1 is package name like "appendx".
It is run from the new freedos installation directory
%FTARGET% (probably "C:\FDOS") set errorlevel to 0 for
sucess, 1 for failure on leaving this batch.
FDILANG.BAT Uses current %LANG% setting to locate the current text
translation file and point %FLANG% to it.
FDCHECK.BAT If it exists, use to test system for compatibilty prior to
installation of FreeDOS.
FDSPLASH.BAT If it exists, use to display spash screen or logo prior to
the welcome message.
FDERROR.BAT If it exists, use it to display custom error messages when
the installer exists.
FDTHANK.BAT If it exists, use it to display a custom message after
the installer completes successfully just prior to
exiting the installer.
FDNOTICE.BAT If run during the boot process and this version is
already installed, this file will be called instead of
automatically starting the installer.
FDSWPENV.BAT If installed and not rebooted, this is run immediately
after the FDTHANK.BAT message to switch to the installed
version of the operating system.
FDNORUN.BAT If incompatible hardware is detected at startup, the
installer runs this batch file and terminates.