# How to install a dos or windows base FreeBSD?



## z33 (May 16, 2009)

Hi guys,

I have a PC only installed FreeBSD5.5 and I need install a dos or windows, but I don't have a cdrom, and my PC cannot boot from USB.

How I can do this?

Thanks,
Jacky


----------



## ale (May 16, 2009)

I don't know what you have to do with dos or windows, but why not giving a try to emulators/dosbox or emulators/wine ?


----------



## rocky (May 16, 2009)

z33 said:
			
		

> Hi guys,
> 
> I have a PC only installed FreeBSD5.5 and I need install a dos or windows, but I don't have a cdrom, and my PC cannot boot from USB.



In order to install Windows you may use *emulators/qemu* but it is quite slow. I have no idea about DOS.


----------



## bsdvm (May 16, 2009)

*Initiate Windows Installation from floppy*

Do you have a floppy? You can initiate the Windows Installation from a diskette...


----------



## Beastie (May 16, 2009)

For Windows, it may be difficult without a CDROM, but for MS-DOS it's quite easy. You can create a "Windows startup disk" in any Windows 9x/ME using "Control Panel" > "Add/Remove". You may also find floppy images on the net.
- Boot with your floppy
- Choose the second option (something like boot without CD support)
- IIRC, MS-DOS needs to boot from the first primary BIOS partition, so "fdisk", remove the first - non-DOS - partition (probably your FreeBSD slice) and create a primary partition for DOS.
- Exit fdisk and reboot
- From the floppy do a "format /s c:" This will format the partition in FAT and copy the appropriate system files
- Remove the floppy and reboot. You'll hopefully boot from c:
Now you can reinstall FreeBSD. Fun, eh?


You may also use dosbox or wine (as suggested by ale). MS-DOS is super fast on Qemu (suggested by rocky) but Windows is so unbearable you'll hardly be able to finish the setup, let alone run it productively.


----------



## z33 (May 18, 2009)

Thanks guys.
Finally I borrow a cd-rom, the problem solved.


----------

