Maybe install DOS on a VM, then clone the VM's disk to the CF card. Or use the CF card as a drive right away if that's possible.

This is actually very easy and convenient to do.

Follow this guide here: http://theinstructionlimit.com/installing-ms- … -to-ide-adapter

Just remember to FDISK /MBR in VirtualBox after you install DOS and then reboot to confirm it loads properly in the VM before inserting into your retro PC. (You may need to loadup your bootdisks IMG to do so.)

Afterwards you'l just need to remount your CF card and assign a drive letter in Windows Partition Manager so you can transfer files in explorer and voila!

EDIT: Since your using a PC-XT you might need to limit your install to 504mb or use XT-IDE. I'm not too knowledgeable on that old a PC. Check your HDD limits.

What version of DOS ? If the drive (CF card in your case) is already bootable with the same DOS version you can just create a DOS directory and copy the DOS files into it *IF* they are already expanded. If DOS 6.x then you need to manually expand them before copying the files into the DOS directory. Basically the DOS install just copies+expands the files into the DOS directory after Sys'ing the HD.

Horun wrote on 2020-08-29, 20:22:

What version of DOS ? If the drive (CF card in your case) is already bootable with the same DOS version you can just create a DOS directory and copy the DOS files into it *IF* they are already expanded. If DOS 6.x then you need to manually expand them before copying the files into the DOS directory. Basically the DOS install just copies+expands the files into the DOS directory after Sys'ing the HD.

Thank you so much for the help everyone! The version is 6.22. How do you expand the files?

The EXPAND.EXE included on Disk1 is used. Basically the command is: expand ATTRIB.EX_ ATTRIB.EXE
you have to do it for every compressed file you want. I have a file list + batch file that I wrote to do it for me. It expands all the main DOS files on disk 2 and 3. Let me check my "work" machine..
This does not include DOSSHELL or anything off the Supplemental Disk, I have a separate file set for that.

Horun wrote on 2020-08-29, 21:35:

The EXPAND.EXE included on Disk1 is used. Basically the command is: expand ATTRIB.EX_ ATTRIB.EXE
you have to do it for every compressed file you want. I have a file list + batch file that I wrote to do it for me. It expands all the main DOS files on disk 2 and 3. Let me check my "work" machine..
This does not include DOSSHELL or anything off the Supplemental Disk, I have a separate file set for that.

Wow! Thank you so much! That's perfect! I'll try it right now.

Wow! It looks like it worked!!!! Thank you so much for the help! This PC hasn't been functional in years! I'm really excited to start using it!

Is it safe to create a c:\dos folder and dump all of the files in there, or will that mess everything up?

Thank you!

Yes that is what you want to do. Make a C:\DOS folder and copy or move the files there. You also need to copy some files off Disk1, and there are a few that need expanding, added the disk1 info and .bat.
So do same thing using the dir_disk1.txt and .bat file. If all goes well then you have all the main DOS 6.22 files in the \DOS folder
Next step is to create or edit config.sys and autoexec.bat file in root of C: to point to the C:\DOS folder and make any system stuff you need... that is whole diff ballgame than just getting DOS installed 😀

Hope it works OK for you, it did work for me under a similar situation but Yes took a bit of extra time compared to having good disks and working floppy drive.

Horun wrote on 2020-08-30, 00:22:

Yes that is what you want to do. Make a C:\DOS folder and copy or move the files there. You also need to copy some files off Dis […]
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Yes that is what you want to do. Make a C:\DOS folder and copy or move the files there. You also need to copy some files off Disk1, and there are a few that need expanding, added the disk1 info and .bat.
So do same thing using the dir_disk1.txt and .bat file. If all goes well then you have all the main DOS 6.22 files in the \DOS folder
Next step is to create or edit config.sys and autoexec.bat file in root of C: to point to the C:\DOS folder and make any system stuff you need... that is whole diff ballgame than just getting DOS installed 😀

Hope it works OK for you, it did work for me under a similar situation but Yes took a bit of extra time compared to having good disks and working floppy drive.

It looks like it's all working now! I was able to run Prince of Persia and Monkey Island! They have the framerate of a slideshow, but it's really cool to see them running! Tetris and Zork work too and run really smoothly in comparison.

Thank you so much for the help! I really appreciate it!