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How Do I Install IBM PC-DOS 2.1 on The Hard Drive

johnnydicamillo

Experienced Member
Joined
May 15, 2011
Messages
88
Location
California
Hello,
I managed to have struck a deal on dos 2.1 and I went to fdisk, but I can't figure out how to install dos 2.1 on the hard drive. Can you even do this, if so please help me out.



thanks
 
Did you try reading the DOS manual? Fdisk and format are well documented. If you don't have the manual they are nearly the same in all versions of DOS. (Ignoring extended partitions ...)

What exactly are you having trouble with?
 
You may also need to low-level format the hard disk, depending on the controller. That largely depends on the card you have, but there are common entry points for in-ROM LL formatters, and you can find out how to jump into those with DEBUG elsewhere on the Internet.
 
I'd start at the bottom and work my way up - run the diagnostic diskette for your 5160 (or put GSETUP onto a bootable floppy disk). Does it see your hard drive?
 
The standard sequence is:
1. Low-level format the drive.
2. Use FDISK to create a boot partition.
3. Use FORMAT to high-level format the drive (the partition actually) and make it DOS bootable.

Please let the forum know that you have. Your previous posts suggest that your machine is an IBM 5160 and that the hard drive is 20MB sized. Is that the case? What is the make/model of the hard drive? What is the make/model of the hard drive controller card?
 
So to summarise:

1. Low-level format the hard disk. Ensure the hard disk is physically in the orientation that it will be used, i.e. not on its side if it will be used flat.
2. Reboot and run FDISK and create a partition and make it active.
3. Reboot and run 'format c: /s', which will perform the high-level format and transfer the two hidden system files.
4. Copy a:\command.com c:
5. Create a DOS directory on C: (i.e. c:\dos) then copy the contents of the floppy disk(s) to it
6. Create a file c:\config.sys using 'copy con c:\config.sys' then type:
FILES=30
BUFFERS=30
(then press F6 then enter to save)
7. Create a file c:\autoexec.bat using 'copy con c:\autoexec.bat' then type:
ECHO OFF
PATH C:\DOS
VER
(again press F6 then enter to save)

Now remove the floppy from the drive, and reboot to DOS 2.1 from hard disk :)
 
alright I will to to perform a low level format

thanks for your help guys

I will let you know how it goes

also yes it is a IBM 5160 XT 20mb
 
If the drive does not show up in diagnostics then low level format is not the problem. Nor can you even start a low level format (or any other operation) without the drive showing up.
 
I would look for an older copy of "Upgrading and Repairing PCs" by Scott Mueller. Some of them are available as PDF files. Even though most of them don't cover the XT very well, it is great background reading for you.
 
my bad i didn't see the post with the diagnostics disks in I meant fdisk doesn' see it, where could I get a copy of the diagnostics disk?
 
Note that the use of the Advanced Diagnostics floppy assumes that the hard disk controller is the IBM supplied one (the one made for IBM by Xebec).

Note that the OP has now started a related thread.
 
If i remember correctely the low-level format was done with the debug command.
enter "debug" on the prompt.
dcs:c800<enter>
g c800:5<enter>

this will bring you in the rom of the mfm controller
there will be a numbered list, one of the options is a low level format.

hope this helped.

Mike
 
I would look for an older copy of "Upgrading and Repairing PCs" by Scott Mueller. Some of them are available as PDF files. Even though most of them don't cover the XT very well, it is great background reading for you.

Very old copies of Upgrading and Repairing PCs sell very cheaply. I found copies of the first edition, from 1988, on Amazon for a penny plus shipping: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0880223952

That's not a scam; the sellers are trying to make a few cents on the shipping to get rid of slow-selling books.

While I haven't read that edition, it should give at least adequate coverage of XTs, as XT-class machines were still being sold in stores in 1988-89 and there were tons of them in the field. Even in 1994, I regularly had people ask me to work on XTs.

It's well worth the four bucks it'll cost to get a copy of that edition.
 
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