DOS: THE ALTERNATIVE OPERATING SYSTEM


Home DOS Versions Hardware Software DOS Installation Software Installation Networking Internet Connection My DOS Project IBM OS/2 & Apple MAC NT4 & IBM OS/2 Links	DOS Versions General There have been many versions of DOS (Disk Operating System) available over the last two decades but have limited this site to the more popular versions which are available either new or second-user and which should be compatible with 386 CPU or later and support software written for DOS version 3.3 or later, and can be upgraded with Windows 3.x/95A and install on Fat16 file systems (browse www.webopedia.com for details of hard drive file systems), IBM's OS/2 is included as it can run DOS software. FreeDOS FREEDOS aims to be a complete, free, 100% MS-DOS compatible operating system. It is ideal for anyone who wants a version of DOS without having to pay a royalty for its use which will also work on old hardware, it is an invaluable resource for people who would like to develop their own operating system. While there are many free operating systems out there, no other free DOS-compatible operating system exists. FreeDOS and Linux are free because they are released under the GNU General Public License which was created by the Free Software Foundation. This means you have access to the source code for all FreeDOS programs of which there are several and an ideal building block to tailoring your system to your needs. Support is offered on-line as FreeDos is written by a community of programmers around the globe and the developers give their time for free, and ideal for the hobbyist programmer. It has the option of a graphical users interface (GUI) and text editor. www.freedos.org DRDOS DRDOS is based on Digital Research and Novell DOS's and is sometimes refered to as Lineo's (Caldera) Dr-Dos, and it is a genuine 100% compatible year 2000 compliant DOS which will co-exist with other operating systems and includes a comprehensive set of utilities including Taskmanager multi-tasking software, documentation and Netware (based on Novell Netware) networking software. www.drdos.net. Version 7.03 can also be purchased from www.blands.co.uk for a commercial license CDROM, please note that no commercial support is available. PTSDOS 2000 PTSDOS 2000 is a powerful and fast DOS, graphical navigator user interface, Arachne web browser, numerous utilities and LotLan peer to peer networking, Will co-exist with other operating systems. www.phystechsoft.com PTSDOS 2000 PRO PTSDOS 2000 PRO is a powerful and fast DOS with FAT32 support, graphical navigator user interface, support for hard drives greater than 8 gigabyte, numerous utilities and LotLan peer to peer networking. Will co-exist with other operating systems, and is similar to PTSDOS 2000, therefore an update? www.paragon-gmbh.com MSDOS version 6 Microsoft MSDOS version 6.xx were the last stand-alone versions, DOSShell user interface (version 6.22), numerous utilities and Interserver peer to peer networking, versions 6.xx prior to 6.22 can be updated to 6.22 by downloading the files from Microsoft, navigate to their search page and typing 'MSDOS' will show links to knowledge base articles which link to downloadable files. New though unsupported can be purchased at www.cdromcellar.com. MSDOS version 7.1x Microsoft MSDOS version 7.1x underpins Windows 95B and though it can be accessed from within windows, it is also feasible to access from the C:\ command prompt, considering WIN95B on minimal install only takes up 90mb of hard drive space it may be an option if you have a CDROM drive and can obtain a licensed CD, please note that this version of Windows was never sold by retailers but supplied with new PC's. Just ignore the Windows files and folders, though would only reccomend this for more experienced user's and have provided details in DOS Installation PCDOS versions 6 and 7 IBM PCDOS version 6, 7 and 2000 (v7 revision 1), are supported commercial distributions targeted at the business user, DOSShell user interface, numerous utilities and Interserver peer to peer networking. www.ibm.com. New though unsupported can be purchased at www.cdromcellar.com. OS/2 Warp IBM OS/2 is not a DOS operating system, but was originally written as an operating system for IBM's PS/1 computer range in the late 80's, but will install on the same desktop computer's as DOS and it is still supported and now at Warp version 4, it has a graphical user's interface and command line navigation, which is similar to DOS/Windows3.x, and runs in a multi-tasking enviroment and has the ability to run most DOS software. www.ibm.com MSDOS & PCDOS version 5 Up to MSDOS & PCDOS version 5.xx Microsoft and IBM jointly developed DOS and there are many similarities between them and later versions. New though unsupported can be purchased at www.cdromcellar.com.

DOS Versions

General
There have been many versions of DOS (Disk Operating System) available over the last two decades but have limited this site to the more popular versions which are available either new or second-user and which should be compatible with 386 CPU or later and support software written for DOS version 3.3 or later, and can be upgraded with Windows 3.x/95A and install on Fat16 file systems (browse www.webopedia.com for details of hard drive file systems), IBM's OS/2 is included as it can run DOS software.

FreeDOS

FREEDOS aims to be a complete, free, 100% MS-DOS compatible operating system. It is ideal for anyone who wants a version of DOS without having to pay a royalty for its use which will also work on old hardware, it is an invaluable resource for people who would like to develop their own operating system. While there are many free operating systems out there, no other free DOS-compatible operating system exists. FreeDOS and Linux are free because they are released under the GNU General Public License which was created by the Free Software Foundation. This means you have access to the source code for all FreeDOS programs of which there are several and an ideal building block to tailoring your system to your needs. Support is offered on-line as FreeDos is written by a community of programmers around the globe and the developers give their time for free, and ideal for the hobbyist programmer. It has the option of a graphical users interface (GUI) and text editor. www.freedos.org

DRDOS

DRDOS is based on Digital Research and Novell DOS's and is sometimes refered to as Lineo's (Caldera) Dr-Dos, and it is a genuine 100% compatible year 2000 compliant DOS which will co-exist with other operating systems and includes a comprehensive set of utilities including Taskmanager multi-tasking software, documentation and Netware (based on Novell Netware) networking software. www.drdos.net. Version 7.03 can also be purchased from www.blands.co.uk for a commercial license CDROM, please note that no commercial support is available.

PTSDOS 2000

PTSDOS 2000 is a powerful and fast DOS, graphical navigator user interface, Arachne web browser, numerous utilities and LotLan peer to peer networking, Will co-exist with other operating systems. www.phystechsoft.com

PTSDOS 2000 PRO

PTSDOS 2000 PRO is a powerful and fast DOS with FAT32 support, graphical navigator user interface, support for hard drives greater than 8 gigabyte, numerous utilities and LotLan peer to peer networking. Will co-exist with other operating systems, and is similar to PTSDOS 2000, therefore an update? www.paragon-gmbh.com

MSDOS version 6

Microsoft MSDOS version 6.xx were the last stand-alone versions, DOSShell user interface (version 6.22), numerous utilities and Interserver peer to peer networking, versions 6.xx prior to 6.22 can be updated to 6.22 by downloading the files from Microsoft, navigate to their search page and typing 'MSDOS' will show links to knowledge base articles which link to downloadable files. New though unsupported can be purchased at www.cdromcellar.com.

MSDOS version 7.1x

Microsoft MSDOS version 7.1x underpins Windows 95B and though it can be accessed from within windows, it is also feasible to access from the C:\ command prompt, considering WIN95B on minimal install only takes up 90mb of hard drive space it may be an option if you have a CDROM drive and can obtain a licensed CD, please note that this version of Windows was never sold by retailers but supplied with new PC's. Just ignore the Windows files and folders, though would only reccomend this for more experienced user's and have provided details in DOS Installation

PCDOS versions 6 and 7

IBM PCDOS version 6, 7 and 2000 (v7 revision 1), are supported commercial distributions targeted at the business user, DOSShell user interface, numerous utilities and Interserver peer to peer networking. www.ibm.com. New though unsupported can be purchased at www.cdromcellar.com.

OS/2 Warp

IBM OS/2 is not a DOS operating system, but was originally written as an operating system for IBM's PS/1 computer range in the late 80's, but will install on the same desktop computer's as DOS and it is still supported and now at Warp version 4, it has a graphical user's interface and command line navigation, which is similar to DOS/Windows3.x, and runs in a multi-tasking enviroment and has the ability to run most DOS software. www.ibm.com

MSDOS & PCDOS version 5

Up to MSDOS & PCDOS version 5.xx Microsoft and IBM jointly developed DOS and there are many similarities between them and later versions. New though unsupported can be purchased at www.cdromcellar.com.