DOS boot up splash screen? \ VOGONS

DOS boot up splash screen?

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First post, by red_avatar

Posted on 2021-12-12, 14:53

red_avatar Offline

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Joined: 2004-04-12, 13:24

My old IBM PCs all have boot splash screens that hide the DOS text while it loads, displaying a logo instead. I quite like this approach so would like to use a similar system for my main "driver": an AT&T 486 DX2 66.

I found some programs like "Blackout" but I cannot seem to get them to work with CONFIG.SYS - it locks up the system when I add it to config.sys (I can't get it to load using the INSTALL= command for some reason).

The idea is that the splash screen loads before all the EMM386 & Sound Blaster stuff appears.

Basically what I want is:
- DOS starts booting
- splash screen appears
- after autoexec.bat is done executing, splash screen disappears

Right now the best I can do is:

- DOS starts booting
- config.sys runs & is visible (which has the most text by far)
- splash screen appears
- after autoexec.bat is done executing, splash screen disappears

Anyone have any ideas?

Retro game fanatic.
IBM PS1 386SX25 - 4MB
IBM Aptiva 486SX33 - 8MB - 2GB CF - SB16
IBM PC350 P233MMX - 64MB - 32GB SSD - AWE64 - Voodoo2
PIII600 - 320MB - 480GB SSD - SB Live! - GF4 Ti 4200
i5-2500k - 3GB - SB Audigy 2 - HD 4870

Reply 1 of 4, by mrwho

Posted on 2021-12-21, 22:57

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Location: Combing the Desert

Check this (haven't tested it yet myself) - http://www.win3x.org/win3board/viewtopic.php?t=19100

“Hey, you sass that hoopy MrWho? There's a frood who really knows where his towel is."
My home retro drivers repository: ftp://retro:drivers@mrwho.duckdns.org

Reply 2 of 4, by BitWrangler

Posted on 2021-12-21, 23:01

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IIRC there were a few image editors around in the day that could make an executable graphics file, i.e. run it and it displays, I think Graphics Workshop was one of them.

Unicorn herding operations are proceeding, but all the totes of hens teeth and barrels of rocking horse poop give them plenty of hiding spots.

Reply 3 of 4, by flynnsbit

Posted on 2021-12-22, 05:26

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I use this in my DOS Shareware pack. See the reference in the fdconfig.sys and autoexec for how to do it. https://github.com/flynnsbit/DOS_Shareware_MyMenu

The openinit.raw file has to be in a very specific format. I think I ended up using the dos version of paint shop to create it. You can download the fully built VHD from here if that is easier for you. https://github.com/flynnsbit/DOS_Shareware_My … ses/tag/v0.1.20

There are about 20 updates after that major version, but you can just extract the minor version over the top of a mounted VHD to update it.
it's setup for the MiSTer FPGA PC core but would work on any system or emulator.

Reply 4 of 4, by chinny22

Posted on 2021-12-23, 10:57

chinny22 Offline

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what if you used dos 7 that comes with Win9x that displays the windows splash screen by default.
In theory if you created your own c:\logo.sys which itself is really just a 256 colour 640 by 400 pixel bitmap I think that would work? (never tired myself)

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