Create a bootable dos partition in Linux

[lordmithrandir]

I was wondering if anyone knew how to create a bootable DOS parition in a linux environment. I have the DOS files io.sys, msdos.sys, and command.com. I am trying to do this in an automated environment just using linux, so the idea is that I am not physically at the computer I am working on, so I can't just put in a dos boot disk or something. I have tried a program called ms-sys without much luck, it just says Disk I/O error when I try to boot. Any help you can offer would be appreciated.

[bidi]

I guess you could just make a DOS partition using your favorite parititioning tool, formating it FAT, and copying the first over. Have you tried that yet?

[lordmithrandir]

I have tried making a FAT16 and a FAT32 partition, formatting it, and copying of the three files io.sys, msdos.sys, and command.com. I have tried every combination of the order of copying these files. I have also used the ms-sys program (it writes mbrs) and then copied over the above files. Still no luck. I guess the question is, besides copying the files, what needs to be done to make DOS boot? Does the mbr have to be changed, and if it does how? And yes I have made the partition bootable w/ fdisk.

[drakebasher]

I have tried making a FAT16 and a FAT32 partition, formatting it, and copying of the three files io.sys, msdos.sys, and command.com. I have tried every combination of the order of copying these files. I have also used the ms-sys program (it writes mbrs) and then copied over the above files. Still no luck. I guess the question is, besides copying the files, what needs to be done to make DOS boot? Does the mbr have to be changed, and if it does how? And yes I have made the partition bootable w/ fdisk.

When you tried to boot after copying the files, did you try to boot the "normal" way of starting the computer, or did you chainload it with a bootloader? I wonder if the 3 files (or at least the 2 .sys ones) need to be in specific locations on the filesystem (I'm referring to byte addresses)? You could check this on a working DOS and use the dd command to put the files exactly where you want them. Actually, I think that what you might want to do is copy all three files and the MBR from a working disk and just lay them down all in one shot (like an image) on the target disk using dd. (not that I really know anything here, but I'd try it.) (...but wouldn't that destroy the partition table?....)

[ksm89]

no, my question is how do i create a windows me bood disk with linux?

[ksm89]

oops, sorry, wrong topic.

[valan]

Creating a fat partition and filesystem then copying the files should do it, but you also need to go into fdisk and set the partition as "active" or "bootable" (not sure what linux fdisk calls it). Also, afaik DOS needs to be the first partition, so it will either need to be hda1 or you will need to instruct the bootloader to hide any partitions before it.