djsb wrote on 2024-09-12, 04:52:

So I've been experimenting with FreeDOS 1.3 and dual booting with Windows XP and Windows 7 (both 32 bit). Using XP, I was able to boot into FreeDOS or XP if I installed FreeDOS first into a 10GB partition. A boot.ini file and ntldr file were installed into the FreeDOS partition by the Win XP installation process, as well as a few other files.
However, if trying to use FreeDOS with Windows 7 this does not work. Windows 7 can NOT see any FreeDOS partition, and I'm not able to dual boot at all. The PC ONLY boots into Windows 7. As this is experimental PC, I haven't lost anything. However, it would be nice if I could use Win 7 AND FreeDOS as well. Has anyone managed to do this? Thanks.

IIRC NeoSmart EasyBCD can add a boot entry for FreeDOS.

The reason why Win7 cannot see that FreeDOS partition is likely due to it being the system partition. That is, the one placed at the very first in the boot order. Newer Windows versions would not assign a drive letter for that one to avoid accidentally touching boot data thus making the system unbootable.

djsb wrote on 2024-09-12, 04:52:

So I've been experimenting with FreeDOS 1.3 and dual booting with Windows XP and Windows 7 (both 32 bit). Using XP, I was able to boot into FreeDOS or XP if I installed FreeDOS first into a 10GB partition. A boot.ini file and ntldr file were installed into the FreeDOS partition by the Win XP installation process, as well as a few other files.
However, if trying to use FreeDOS with Windows 7 this does not work. Windows 7 can NOT see any FreeDOS partition, and I'm not able to dual boot at all. The PC ONLY boots into Windows 7. As this is experimental PC, I haven't lost anything. However, it would be nice if I could use Win 7 AND FreeDOS as well. Has anyone managed to do this? Thanks.

Did you try GRUB4DOS?
Check this out: https://rmprepusb.com/tutorials/134-configure … -using-the-bcd/