Mick Fitzpatrick wrote:
>
> Hello
>
> I want to add DOS to a seperate partition so I can 'play' with it and get
> familiar with it. I have Partition Magic 4 so the partition side is easy. I
> would like to know if there is anything else i need to consider before i go
> ahead. Any advice will be appreciated.
>
> Mick
>

Mike,

What do you mean by play?  What kind of OS are you running?  Win 95
(original) has a FAT16 file structure which is "equavalent" to a DOS
file structure.  Win95 (OSR2) and Win98 can be FAT16 or FAT32 (FAT32 is
a different structure that allows long file names and cannot be seen by
DOS programs.

There is really much more to this than what I am writing about.  (Look
at the NoSpin archives to read up about FAT16 and FAT32 file
structures).

Let's say you have Win95 (OSR2) or Win98 and you have a FAT16 file
structure.  When you make another partition (also look in the archives
about 'partition' of a hard drive) that is also FAT16, you will now have
two drives letters (probably C: and D:) so your CDROM drive letter will
change! (Look at the recent thread about CDROM drive letters or the
archive).  But now that you have another drive partition, what good is
it?  You can store programs and files there but that is all.  It is like
a second hard drive.

Now, if your statement about wanting "to play with it" means you want to
use it for DOS programs and a DOS operating system, now that is
something different.  If your current Win OS is a FAT32 system, when you
make the new partition, it can be either a FAT16 or FAT32.  For DOS
usage, it must be a FAT16.  Since Windows 9x is designed to start (boot)
immediately, you may want to take your Partition Magic program to make a
Multi-boot section on the primary, active hard drive.  Then you can load
up the DOS operating system onto your 'new' DOS partition and everytime
you start your computer, you will have the choice of selecting the Win9x
OS or the DOS OS.

Just having a DOS partition does not afford much opportunity to 'play
around'.  It is just as if you installed a second hard drive in your
system.

There will probably be many other comments about your question, but I
think you will first need to be more specific about just what you want
to do.  And take a look at the archives.  There is a wealth of
information there, already, that can give you a good idea of terms and
definitions before you start.

HTH
--
Jean Bourvic :>))

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