Program requires booting into DOS outside of Windows

[videobruce]

I need to boot into DOS (outside of Windows, NOT MS-DOS) to use a specific device progranning progam. I also need to have access to the serial port since that is how the device interfaces with the PC. I was aware of this site, but I don't find it that 'easy';
http://www.nu2.nu/bootcd/

Using MS-DOS won't cut it, even Win95 is probabaly a issue. Anyway, I won't take a chance since if there is a probem, the devices' firmware will get corrupted and I wind up with a 'brick'.

Suggestions?

 

[MrChad]

Create a bootable USB key.

http://www.bootdisk.com/pendrive.htm

 

[Nothinman]

I need to boot into DOS (outside of Windows, NOT MS-DOS)

So which is it, DOS or not?

 

[videobruce]

As I said DOS.
I didn't write the damn program. It is for programming 2-way radios. If you try to use it within Windows (it does insatll within Windows, it just doesn't communicate with the radio) it can corrupt the internal firmware of the radio making it useless.

 

[TheKub]

Originally posted by: videobruce
As I said DOS.
I didn't write the damn program. It is for programming 2-way radios. If you try to use it within Windows (it does insatll within Windows, it just doesn't communicate with the radio) it can corrupt the internal firmware of the radio making it useless.

I dont know if there ever was such a thing as just DOS. Theres MS-DOS, PC DOS, and DR-DOS that I know of but some googleing shows there is also FreeDOS and PTS-DOS.

How will MS-DOS not cut it? (actual MS-DOS NOT just opening a cmd window)

 

[Nothinman]

As I said DOS.

Which is the equivalent of "car". You need a brand, i.e. MS DOS.

 

[KeypoX]

you guys know what he means, stopping be dicks.

 

[Gamingphreek]

Originally posted by: KeypoX
you guys know what he means, stopping be dicks.

No - honestly no one knows what he means.

As Nothinman said, he is saying the equivalent of "car". OP said he needs DOS, but not MS-DOS and not a basic Windows Command Shell. We know 2 things that he DOESN'T needs, but still don't know what he DOES.

-Kevin

 

[TheKub]

Originally posted by: KeypoX
you guys know what he means, stopping be dicks.

I don't have a clue what he means. I assume the OP doesn't know the difference between a cmd window in Windows VS MS-DOS but I can't be sure. That assumption is unfair and we are waiting more info so we may be able to better help him.

Seriously, a 95-98 boot disk should handle 90% of what I think the OP needs (with the addition of the radio specific program files). Very little info was given (and what was given is a bit contradictory) so a more detailed advice is difficult to offer.

 

[Nothinman]

you guys know what he means, stopping be dicks.

Initially no, we didn't because he contradicted himself.

 

[GeekDrew]

This thread makes me curious. videobruce, have you ever used this program before? If so, how? Perhaps that'll help us figure out exactly what you're trying to accomplish. If you haven't, then how do you know that it needs to be run in DOS? Is there a manual or something?

I'm curious about this because we have a similar situation at my office, and keeping an old PC around just to program radios annoys me to no end.

 

[Nothinman]

I'm curious about this because we have a similar situation at my office, and keeping an old PC around just to program radios annoys me to no end.

Can you just put DOS in a VM and give that VM access to the serial port?

 

[GeekDrew]

Originally posted by: Nothinman

I'm curious about this because we have a similar situation at my office, and keeping an old PC around just to program radios annoys me to no end.

Can you just put DOS in a VM and give that VM access to the serial port?

No idea. I'm somewhat terrified of touching the machine because I don't want to toast a really expensive radio by deviating from a known-good process. I suspect that you can, but I don't know it.

 

[Gamingphreek]

Originally posted by: GeekDrew

Originally posted by: Nothinman

I'm curious about this because we have a similar situation at my office, and keeping an old PC around just to program radios annoys me to no end.

Can you just put DOS in a VM and give that VM access to the serial port?

No idea. I'm somewhat terrified of touching the machine because I don't want to toast a really expensive radio by deviating from a known-good process. I suspect that you can, but I don't know it.

How would running through a VM destroy the hardware in any way shape or form?

It would either communicate successfully or not - I don't understand how/why you think the H/W would be at any risk whatsoever.

-Kevin

 

[videobruce]

Golly, thanks for all the replies. Sorry if I didn't make myself clearer, as I thought I did.

I dont know if there ever was such a thing as just DOS.

Correct, there wasn't. But,;

Which is the equivalent of "car".

Or "Kleenex" or "Scott towel". It was a general term I thought was acceptable to use in this case.

you guys know what he means, stopping be dicks.

Thank you.

I assume the OP doesn't know the difference between a cmd window in Windows VS MS-DOS but I can't be sure.

I have a general idea, but neither is what this program needs.

he contradicted himself.

Where??

have you ever used this program before?

I only installed in within Windows to see what would happen. It did install and it does load, but it does not communicate with the radio (serial port, no surprise). The program is suppose to automatically configure the serial port (or so I'm told by reading up on it). FWIW, it's Motorola's RSS (Radio Service Software), a real dandy to say the least. It was written by a 3rd party for Moto back in the late 80's or early 90's if I remember correctly and updated somewhat.

keeping an old PC around just to program radios annoys me to no end.

Some shops do this for conveinance if they work on these on a regular basis. I only have two handhelds to worry about.

Can you just put DOS in a VM and give that VM access to the serial port?

I have no idea how to do that as I never looked into a VM.

I don't want to toast a really expensive radio by deviating from a known-good process.

Which is why I'm here. I have read enough into this that done incorrectly that is what you wind up with.

 

[videobruce]

To show how f*cked up Moto really is (other than their damn proprietary connectors), each radio, or series of radios has a different version of the software.

Anyway here are some links regarding the software;
http://www.hpaa.com/moslo/motorola_rssflow.htm#

and this nicely written paper;
http://www.repeater-builder.co...radio-programming.html

 

[Gamingphreek]

Which is why I'm here. I have read enough into this that done incorrectly that is what you wind up with.

Once again - how in the world do you expect simple communications/syncing software to destroy hardware? Unless it overwrites whatever primitive EEPROM that stores the device ID and what not, I don't know of any conceivable way that it can mess it up.

OP- you still have no answered what you are looking for. So far we know you are looking for a stand alone DOS based system and that a Command prompt or shell will not work. What is it that you are working for?? When you say not MS-DOS, but just DOS - that is not enough as such a thing doesn't exist. As was said earlier, there are many versions of DOS available - none of us know which one you want or why MS-DOS will not work for your purposes.

-Kevin

 

[videobruce]

how in the world do you expect simple communications/syncing software to destroy hardware? Unless it overwrites whatever primitive EEPROM that stores the device ID and what not, I don't know of any conceivable way that it can mess it up.

Read through that 2nd link above. Apparently, you don't know Moto. Might as well deal with the MPAA or the NCTA.

Ok, take a long read of this;
http://www.repeater-builder.com/motorola/rss/rss-2.html

 

[Gamingphreek]

Originally posted by: videobruce

how in the world do you expect simple communications/syncing software to destroy hardware? Unless it overwrites whatever primitive EEPROM that stores the device ID and what not, I don't know of any conceivable way that it can mess it up.

Read through that 2nd link above. Apparently, you don't know Moto. Might as well deal with the MPAA or the NCTA.

Ok, take a long read of this;
http://www.repeater-builder.com/motorola/rss/rss-2.html

Ah - those links weren't there when I posted my message.

Ok - so we were right when we suggested a standard MS-DOS/WIN98 rescue disk. Just throw it on a CD or a Flash Drive and boot from that into DOS.

Additionally, I don't believe him when he says a mouse could turn the radio into a brick. I don't understand how an interrupt request serviced for a mouse could get crossed with a serial port transfer and overwrite data onto the device. While a CMD Shell wont work as he says, there is no reason it or any mouse/IO drivers would turn your device into a brick.

A Virtual Machine would work in this case as well and would be infinitely better than booting into other OS's. So just head out and grab a copy of MS-DOS, fire up your favorite VM Server, install it and then run the program in there.

-Kevin

 

[TheKub]

Your first link says MS-DOS (NOT command window).

There you go get a MS-DOS boot disk and you should be all set for the software. That being said it looks like you will need to monkey around with the config.sys and autoexec.bat files to load and configure the software as needed, which Ill admit isnt going to be a walk in the park. Also you may need to ensure that your serial port in your BIOS is configured properly.

Edit
Read PC/DOS as PC-DOS

Edit-Edit
Looking at the repeater-builder link the "in summary" part has a bunch of useful info, primarily which is use MS-DOS which 6.22 is likely the version your going to find.

 

[TheKub]

Originally posted by: Gamingphreek
A Virtual Machine would work in this case as well and would be infinitely better than booting into other OS's. So just head out and grab a copy of MS-DOS, fire up your favorite VM Server, install it and then run the program in there.

I don't know about that, glancing through the links it looks like the app wants direct access to the serial port which I dont think a VM will grant you (especially a VM running in windows).

 

[videobruce]

we suggested a standard MS-DOS/WIN98 rescue disk.

I'm going to have to re-read all of that. I thought that was one of the no-no's.

 

[Gamingphreek]

Originally posted by: TheKub

Originally posted by: Gamingphreek
A Virtual Machine would work in this case as well and would be infinitely better than booting into other OS's. So just head out and grab a copy of MS-DOS, fire up your favorite VM Server, install it and then run the program in there.

I don't know about that, glancing through the links it looks like the app wants direct access to the serial port which I dont think a VM will grant you (especially a VM running in windows).

IIRC you can tell it to map the serial ports and others to the VM. The port should be masked to look like it is physically there. I don't imagine there is any difference between the 2. I remember hooking peripherals up via parallel port in a VM and it never noticed the difference to my knowledge.

I suppose part of it depends on which VM you use. I suggest VirtualBox

 

[Gamingphreek]

Originally posted by: videobruce

we suggested a standard MS-DOS/WIN98 rescue disk.

I'm going to have to re-read all of that. I thought that was one of the no-no's.

No - he said boot into DOS which is what that disk does. You are confusing that with opening a command prompt within the OS which while it may not/probably wont work, he claims it will destroy the device.

I suggest using a VM and loading MS-DOS on it; however, booting from removable media into DOS would work as well.

-Kevin

 

[TheKub]

Originally posted by: videobruce

we suggested a standard MS-DOS/WIN98 rescue disk.

I'm going to have to re-read all of that. I thought that was one of the no-no's.

Again, only glancing through the links provided the only issues I see you running into with a 98 "rescue disk" is that it loads a bunch of other things (drivers, ram disks, cd support, etc) and what I read you want the environment to be as minimal as possible (removing unneeded drivers, disable\remove sound cards\modems, etc). Now theres nothing stopping you from starting with a 98 "rescue disk" and sterilizing it by removing the unneeded fluff. I would rather start with a simple 6.22 boot disk which can simply be found at bootdisk.com (imagine that).