FreeDOS - Bad or Missing Command Interpreter, help!

[dashky]

Hi everyone! This is my first time using FreeDOS and it's been cool so far. Until I encounter a problem now.

I've tested FreeDOS on a few desktops and laptops, some are ok, but some are not. Those that are not ok will prompt out... the message below when loading the kernel and trying to load the config.sys I think.

Bad or missing Command Interpreter
Enter the full shell command line:
command.com /P /E:256

I've tried to enter the command shell=c:\command.com /p /e:256 into the config.sys but no luck.

One funny thing is, the affected laptop/desktop will be able to load everything (config.sys and autoexec.bat) when I plug in a USB floppy drive. When I unplug it, restart, the same problem persists.

This is a problem because it not possible for me to plug-in the usb floppy drive onto the laptop all the time when I start FreeDOS.

This happen to those affected desktops too. When I disable floppy support, the same problem as above. But when I enable floppy support, it works!

So, is there anyway around this problem? Is it possible to trick FreeDOS that I have a floppy drive connected even when I don't have one?

Appreciate it if someone can lend me a helping hand or advice.

Thank you very much and have a nice day!

[GaryRouth]

I don't use FreeDOS that much, but the versions I have all both boot from and run from the floppy diskette. This is convenient, since it doesn't install anything on the host computer. I use it mainly for memory and hard disk diagnostics, and DOS based antivirus tools.

It sounds like the version you currently have is also set to boot from and run from the floppy diskette. That's pretty much what the error message says - it can't locate command.com (the command interpreter). If the floppy drive isn't present = no FreeDOS.

I believe there are versions that boot from and run from different types of drives, such as Zip drives, CD-drives, and of course: hard drives. To run from the hard drive, you usually need it to have it's own partition. There are some Linux DOS-emulators that can run FreeDOS from within Linux.

Sorry I don't know that much about FreeDOS, but I can point you to the experts:
http://www.freedos.org/
http://freedos.sourceforge.net/gamers/

Here's a page that has a CD-image version of FreeDOS
http://www.freedos.org/freedos/files/

And there's a 32-bit version of FreeDOS, too
http://freedos-32.sourceforge.net/

Best of luck
. . . Gary

[P.S. -- just noticed this is your first post here. Welcome to the PC Mechanic forums!]

[dashky]

Thanks.. glad to be here and glad that someone reply to this post too.

Well, I downloaded the fdbootcd.iso (should be the full cd image of the newest Beta9 Service Release #2 distribution) from here - http://www.freedos.org/freedos/files/

So, I do as always, install the install.exe from the D:\FREEDOS\SETUP\INSTALL folder...

Problem is it works on some laptops or desktops without floppy drive enabled or attached. But on some that don't, when you attach a floppy drive, it works!

Hmm... it's sad. Or maybe it's the BIOS. Hmm... anyway, thanks for replying. Appreciate it.

[mrgui]

Install it to a real hard drive first, then sys the USB stick. You could also try overwriting the kernel.sys on the USB with the one from a hard drive install. Worked for me.

[EzyStvy]

Last post before today was -> 02-19-2006, 07:03 PM

Odds are pretty good that the OP has moved on

[mrgui]

Yeah, but I found it through a Google search today. Since I figured out an answer, I posted it to help anyone else who might run across the issue.