FAQ about DexOS
Hello. I'm new to DexOS. But. it is look interesting to me for learning about building a simple OS or writing application for it. I have a few questions about drivers: 1. Is there a driver for SB16 soundcard for DexOS existed? (IRQ=5, DMA=1, Port=220 as such) 2. I use PS2 Keyboard and Mouse. During command console, I can't access the backslash(\\) key. So, I can't use CD command to change directory. Is there command like Keyb US/UK like in dos that I can use in DexOS. 3. Is DOS application .COM and .EXE can be used under DexOS? 4. Is there possible DexOS Dir command extended to make it's more interractive such as: <*> When accessing command prompt the prompt will be like this: DEX:\\>_ <*> Then when I type DIR and ENTER, it will show like this: DEX:\\>Dir [Computer:] [Network:] [A:] [C:] .. [X:] DEX:\\>_ <*> Let say I want to access So, I type like the following: DEX:\\>Computer:<ENTER> <*> Then use DIR again and it will show like this: Computer:\\>Dir [Hardware] [Memory] [Environment] Computer:\\>_ <*> So, if I want to check the list of my hardware I just use CD and DIR: Computer:\\>CD \\Hardware Computer:\\Hardware\\>DIR [Processor] [Display] [CD-Rom] [Disk] [USB] [Printer] [Soundcard] [Port] [System] : Computer:\\Hardware\\>_ <*>Accessing and will be similar to accessing any disk drive. It will makes DexOS more like a true Computer OS than a Disk OS EDIT: My backslash character seem doesn't appear in this forum too...

Hi 'ra and welcome to the forum, roboman has answered most of the ?, i would just add that you can also use / if that helps. Yes there is a SB driver, but its in the old driver forum, i will convert it and upload it. You can try the program playwav as that as a built in SB driver, so should work, if that does not work on your PC than the SB driver most likely will not.

Thanks Dex and roboman, I'm not understand an assembler source code quite well. most of my programming knowledge was using Basic compilers. But I can understand that DexOS using high address similar to Win32 application. So, I plan to learn DexOS and Fasm in a control development environment such as Virtual PC 2007. That is why I need SB16 sound card driver SB8 and/or SB pro doesn't work. So far, DexOS run good in VPC2007 accept no sound and a little keyboard hickup(no backslah). I've tested the .ISO version only. The Vesa driver seem work well for VPC2007 S3 display card. Another thing is how DexOS configure what to run during boot up since I didn't see any similarity with DOS such as Config.sys and Autoexec.bat? Are they hard coded into the OS kernel for the .ISO (LiveCD) version?

In the driver directory you'll notice a .bat file. It's the startup parameters for loading drivers/etc. The memory model for DexOS is flat, meaning you can access any memory address at any time, without changing segments/etc like in DOS. The keyboard hickup isn't the fault of the emulator, DexOS natively uses a UK keymap, so some of the keys are funny. (I think "~" is another example, but I'd have to double-check) VPC2007 is a really good emulator, as it was not developed by Microsoft, only purchased and extended by them. I used the older version for a long time (VPC2004), and was impressed by its speed and capability. I typically use Bochs, however, because of my constant moving between linux/windows.

TonyMac answered most of what i would of answered, what i can do is upload a ISO with the USA keyboard driver made by roboman, that should help with the keyboard problem. It may take a day or two, but i will post here when i have uploaded it. To auto load on startup (as tonyMac pointed out ), you need to change things in "startup.bat" its in the drivers folder, theres not many commands yet, but more will be added, you may beable to use "winimage" to change the startup.bat ? in the ISO. You can get WinImage off the net, not sure if it will work ?. Happy coding

Hi again, Thanks to roboman, using his updated Kernel32, now I can use my keyboard in DexOS. I'm also managed to run DexOS from a HD using LiveCD under VPC2007. The Disk Image version stop at boot before loading GUI. The Disk Image version only work under Qemu. But I can hear sound when run the PlayWav.Dex. Under VPS2007, I only hear "Thank you" and then it hang the VPC at "DSP 1000k" or something. From a HD, PlayWav keep looping searching the drive A over and over again. Anothing thing I've found is CD command only could access 1 level directory. If there another subdirectory, I could not access it. Probably, would be fun if CD could mimic the DOS version to access sub-folder without backslash and using space instead. Is the Media Player really can play CD audio track in GUI? When I insert a Music CD, I can see 11 tracks there. But there is no sound. I can see the equalizer bars animates like a music being played.

Thanks for the info 'ra, the CD does not load other than whats in root dir, i will add dir search, when time permits. Yes it plays the CD if you have a sound driver load, i have uploaded the SB driver see here: http://dex4u.com/download.htm you need the SbDriver.zip and replace the drivers folder on the disk with the one from the zip. NOTE: You also need the cable that goes from the CD to the sound card, some new PC do not have it :(.

Thanks Dex, I can play music now n VPC2007. So, I guess the sbdriver is working. Is there possibility a driver for VIA/Realtek HD Audio (Azalia) system could written for DexOS?

Thanks for the info 'ra and sure if i can find a dataSheet, i will write one as i think there one on one of my test PC.

Thanks Dex. Probably, Linux AlsaConf program would be useful for these purpose. May be, if a HLL available for DexOS will make the job easier. Or if there someone could make a converter for EXE and COM to DEX application.

As DexOS can run on Dos, its much better to do it the other way round. Eg: you have a bootable freeDos floppy with DexOS on it, if you want to run old dos program's.

Hi Dex, What I mean is a converter that change executable header or some sort where it re-align or change the high address to make it runnable in DexOS. I got this idea after reading HX Dos has a converter for Win32 PE console program to run under HX Dos 32bits. I guess, in this case only .EXE files to be converted to .DEX format. Basically, the same thing like what you've done on the 3D screensaver program which is has it's ASM source and you've change it's header and recompile using FASM for DexOS to make it runnable in DexOS. I'm suspected, when you ported many more DOS 32bits programs from it's source code, it will reveal most common header or parts change on them. So, this can be simplified by creating a program which is could convert directly the DOS32 .EXE files into .DEX without need the program source code.