FreeDOS
One of the most compatible and light weight operating systems that you can run in Limbo is FreeDOS. FreeDOS is a DOS compatible operating system that is open source. You can run directly the Live CD ROM image file in Limbo or install to a virtual disk image. Download the CDROM ISO image file from the official FreeDOS website and proceed with the installation instructions below.
Limbo Configuration
Before starting the virtual machine make sure you create a virtual disk large enough for the installation. Then attach the ISO image in the CD ROM under Removable section. Start the virtual machine and follow the instructions below to install FreeDOS to a virtual hard disk image file.
Limbo Configuration
- CPU: Default
- RAM Memory: 256 MB
- Mouse: ps2
- Graphics: std
- Audio: sb16
- Net: user
- Network Card: ne2k_pci
- Extra Parameters: -soundhw adlib
Before starting the virtual machine make sure you create a virtual disk large enough for the installation. Then attach the ISO image in the CD ROM under Removable section. Start the virtual machine and follow the instructions below to install FreeDOS to a virtual hard disk image file.
Installation
This is a guide for FreeDOS installation to a hard disk image. This process can be done either in Limbo or on your desktop using QEMU. We prefer the latter since it will make things a lot faster.
First create a qcow2 image using qemu-img:
"c:\Program Files\qemu\qemu-img" create -f qcow2 freedos.qcow2 10G
Download the FreeDOS live CD ISO file from here. You can also download the bonus CD from the same webpage it contains additional programs that you might find useful.
Now start a virtual machine with the live CD iso file attached as well as the virtual disk drive:
"c:\Program Files\qemu\qemu-system-x86_64.exe" -hda freedos.qcow2 -cdrom freedos.iso -net user -net nic,model=ne2k_pci -vga std -m 1024 -soundhw sb16 -soundhw adlib -cpu qemu32 -boot d
Choose "Install to harddisk" and choose your preferred language.
When asked to partition your disk press yes and press enter to reboot.
Follow the previous steps again, this time it will ask to format the disk press erase and format.
When asked about the type of installation select Plain DOS. You can do a Full Installation including Applications and games but it might hang so it is preferred to do a plain installation. You can always install software afterwards.
The install of software packages should now started and can take some time since FreeDOS doesn't work with haxm in windows (-accel hax). You can use -accel kvm if you are in Linux though which should speed things up.
Once the installation finishes you will be prompted to reboot so go ahead and reboot but choose boot from system harddisk when the menu appears.
Now if you're using FreeDOS 1.3 and above you can install additional packages using FDIMPLES.EXE as well as access the dvd by using the H: drive.
First create a qcow2 image using qemu-img:
"c:\Program Files\qemu\qemu-img" create -f qcow2 freedos.qcow2 10G
Download the FreeDOS live CD ISO file from here. You can also download the bonus CD from the same webpage it contains additional programs that you might find useful.
Now start a virtual machine with the live CD iso file attached as well as the virtual disk drive:
"c:\Program Files\qemu\qemu-system-x86_64.exe" -hda freedos.qcow2 -cdrom freedos.iso -net user -net nic,model=ne2k_pci -vga std -m 1024 -soundhw sb16 -soundhw adlib -cpu qemu32 -boot d
Choose "Install to harddisk" and choose your preferred language.
When asked to partition your disk press yes and press enter to reboot.
Follow the previous steps again, this time it will ask to format the disk press erase and format.
When asked about the type of installation select Plain DOS. You can do a Full Installation including Applications and games but it might hang so it is preferred to do a plain installation. You can always install software afterwards.
The install of software packages should now started and can take some time since FreeDOS doesn't work with haxm in windows (-accel hax). You can use -accel kvm if you are in Linux though which should speed things up.
Once the installation finishes you will be prompted to reboot so go ahead and reboot but choose boot from system harddisk when the menu appears.
Now if you're using FreeDOS 1.3 and above you can install additional packages using FDIMPLES.EXE as well as access the dvd by using the H: drive.
Audio
Make sure you attach both sb16 and adlib if you want to use MIDI audio with your FreeDOS games. Since you can have only one sound card selected in Limbo the adlib card can be added on the extra parameters under the Advanced section like so:
-soundhw adlib
You also need to edit autoexec.bat or fdauto.bat which might be located at c:\fdos or at the root directory.
If the file is missing the following line then edit the file with the edit command add the line and save the file:
SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 H5 P330
FreeDOS 1.3 includes mp3 and video players you can install via FDIMPLES and make sure the soundcard works.
-soundhw adlib
You also need to edit autoexec.bat or fdauto.bat which might be located at c:\fdos or at the root directory.
If the file is missing the following line then edit the file with the edit command add the line and save the file:
SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 H5 P330
FreeDOS 1.3 includes mp3 and video players you can install via FDIMPLES and make sure the soundcard works.
Mouse and Keyboard
Mouse
You will need to install the mouse driver for FreeDOS in order to use mouse with your virtual machine. You can try installing CuteMouse which supports FreeDOS. After installing CuteMouse in a folder in c: drive you need to edit autoexec.bat and add the following line (if it's missing) and reboot FreeDOS:
C:\CTMOUSE\CTMOUSE
The above path might different depending on the installation.
FreeDOS 1.3
If you're using FreeDOS 1.3 and above ctmouse version 2.1 might already be installed. CTMOUSE 2.1 might be problematic if you encounter problems try the following settings:
Update autoexec.bat all the lines that start with:
ctmouse
to:
ctmouse /M
If you still run into problems like mouse locking you might want to uninstall version 2.1 via FDIMPLES and install the CTMOUSE 2.0a4 or 1.9 branch from the download link above.
Keyboard
The software keyboard keys might now work correctly especially if you run games for FreeDOS so you can use Key Mapper to create your own keypad layout to use with FreeDOS games. To learn more about the Key Mapper go to the User Interface section and scroll to the bottom.
You will need to install the mouse driver for FreeDOS in order to use mouse with your virtual machine. You can try installing CuteMouse which supports FreeDOS. After installing CuteMouse in a folder in c: drive you need to edit autoexec.bat and add the following line (if it's missing) and reboot FreeDOS:
C:\CTMOUSE\CTMOUSE
The above path might different depending on the installation.
FreeDOS 1.3
If you're using FreeDOS 1.3 and above ctmouse version 2.1 might already be installed. CTMOUSE 2.1 might be problematic if you encounter problems try the following settings:
Update autoexec.bat all the lines that start with:
ctmouse
to:
ctmouse /M
If you still run into problems like mouse locking you might want to uninstall version 2.1 via FDIMPLES and install the CTMOUSE 2.0a4 or 1.9 branch from the download link above.
Keyboard
The software keyboard keys might now work correctly especially if you run games for FreeDOS so you can use Key Mapper to create your own keypad layout to use with FreeDOS games. To learn more about the Key Mapper go to the User Interface section and scroll to the bottom.
Network
Configuration
If you want to use network under FreeDOS you have to attach the ne2k_pci card in Limbo under the network section. You can then boot FreeDOS and install the ne2000 DOS drivers within the virtual machine.
If use FreeDOS v1.3 and above you can nstall the ne2000 driver first install the CRYNWR package using the FDIMPLES package manager. Then add the following lines to autoexec.bat or fdauto.bat file:
c:\fdos\drivers\crynwr\ne2000.com 0x60 0xB 0xC000
Web Browser
If you need a web browser you can install Arachne, Dillo, or Lynx.
Arachne
Keep in mind Arachne is discontinued but there are a few forks that you can try out, you can get more information from here. If you're using FreeDOS 1.3 and above arachne is included in the FDIMPLES package manager so you can install it from there. Make sure you have already installed a mouse driver for DOS to make things little easier navigating within Arachne.
When you first start arachne choose VESA 800x600 driver as it is the recommended option with Limbo. Then choose the Packet Wizard and click on Configure TCP/IP. You can exit arachne by going to the desktop F10 and then press on Alt-X to exit.
Dillo
Dillo is a old web browser with a graphical user interface. If you're using FreeDOS 1.3 you can install it via the FDIMPLES utility under the network section. Once the utility is installed go to its installation directory it should probably be under c:\net\dillo and edit the dillo.bat file to set the following parameters for the batch script and the dillo home directory:
set DILO=c:\net\dillo
set SELF=c:\net\dillo\dillo.bat
Note: Dillo might be a little slow to load and might seem unresponsive at first, just be patient.
Lynx:
Lynx is a very fast text web browser which you can also install via FDIMPLES if you encounter mouse problems with the other web browsers.
If you want to use network under FreeDOS you have to attach the ne2k_pci card in Limbo under the network section. You can then boot FreeDOS and install the ne2000 DOS drivers within the virtual machine.
If use FreeDOS v1.3 and above you can nstall the ne2000 driver first install the CRYNWR package using the FDIMPLES package manager. Then add the following lines to autoexec.bat or fdauto.bat file:
c:\fdos\drivers\crynwr\ne2000.com 0x60 0xB 0xC000
Web Browser
If you need a web browser you can install Arachne, Dillo, or Lynx.
Arachne
Keep in mind Arachne is discontinued but there are a few forks that you can try out, you can get more information from here. If you're using FreeDOS 1.3 and above arachne is included in the FDIMPLES package manager so you can install it from there. Make sure you have already installed a mouse driver for DOS to make things little easier navigating within Arachne.
When you first start arachne choose VESA 800x600 driver as it is the recommended option with Limbo. Then choose the Packet Wizard and click on Configure TCP/IP. You can exit arachne by going to the desktop F10 and then press on Alt-X to exit.
Dillo
Dillo is a old web browser with a graphical user interface. If you're using FreeDOS 1.3 you can install it via the FDIMPLES utility under the network section. Once the utility is installed go to its installation directory it should probably be under c:\net\dillo and edit the dillo.bat file to set the following parameters for the batch script and the dillo home directory:
set DILO=c:\net\dillo
set SELF=c:\net\dillo\dillo.bat
Note: Dillo might be a little slow to load and might seem unresponsive at first, just be patient.
Lynx:
Lynx is a very fast text web browser which you can also install via FDIMPLES if you encounter mouse problems with the other web browsers.