The FreeDOS Project > Files > Beta9 (Final Release) |
Download FreeDOS software:
2004-09-28
The FreeDOS Beta 9 Distribution is now available on ibiblio and Fdos.org. This release is available as an ISO image
For your convenience we also provide a 1.44MB bootdisk image.
(A complete diskette distribution still lacks, though.)
please see the (rewritten)   readme file for more info.Dear FreeDOS user,
I'm proud to announce you the final version of the FreeDOS Distribution Beta9 series. The aim of this release was to update software components, to facilitate installation, to actually offer the disksets on diskettes again, and to make sure FreeDOS cooperates nicely with any previous installed operating system. Credits to Eric Auer for the OScheck utility.
Features and important updated components of this release candidate:
Despite this being the final Beta9 distribution it still only contains the BASE diskset and the corresponding sources for it.
- Improved installation menu navigation (Fdisk offered in very early stage)
- Configurable NLS settings (codepages, keyboard layouts)
- Text-installer runs in case GUI installer or CWSDPMI fails
- Memtest86+ v1.26 has been updated on the bootdisk (option 1, then option 2)
- Smart Boot Manager v3.7.1r1 has been added to bootdisk (option 1, then option 3) so you can boot from cd/dvd on any 386 or newer system.
- FreeDOS Kernel 2035-UNSTABLE (Bootdisk only, by Arkady, Lucho, Jeremy and others) This is an experimental branch of the FreeDOS kernel, for testing purposes only.
- FreeDOS Kernel 2035A-CVS, reduced memory usage (Bart Oldeman, Jeremy Davis)
- Format 0.91s, with improved Win98/FAT32 code (Eric Auer)
- DOSFSCHK 2.10b, checks FAT12/16/32 filesystems (DJGPP/CWSDPMI/i386, port improved by Eric Auer)
- Keyb 2.0 Prerelease 2 (Aitor Santamaria Merino)
- HTMLhelp 1.05, including ZIP support for saving disk space for the many helpfiles.
- MODE and DISPLAY, adding better codepage support (Eric Auer, Aitor Santamaria Merino)
A more complete version is expected in the near future, when we start on Beta 10 or Pre-1.0 releases, because of people contributing more than 10 years on the FreeDOS project, the released software is almost ready for a 1.0 release. Therefore we ask you to help us add items to the FreeDOS 1.0 ToDo list and to resolve the remaining issues.Beta9 can be obtained from Ibiblio.
With kind regards,
Bernd Blaauw
Other disksets have not been included due to lack of time and diskspace  (and especially download time) The ISO file (cdrom image) can be recreated by running MAKEISO.BAT from the ISOLINUX directory, even directly from cdrom. If you want to add your own content, first copy FreeDOS cdrom contents to harddisk, then add your own files, and finally run MAKEISO.
Mirrors of this Beta9 release candidate:
Were you looking for the source code?
You may want to visit the FreeDOS developer page at SourceForge to get the source for the kernel, FreeCOM, and Install program. For more source code to FreeDOS, refer to the maintainers list.
Files archive:
Primary download at ibiblio (formerly Sunsite):
Mirrors of the FreeDOS files archive:
- gd.tuwien.ac.at(www)
- gd.tuwien.ac.at(ftp)
- planetmirror.com(www)
- planetmirror.com(ftp)
- powerlink.no(www)
- rediris.es(www)
- rediris.es(ftp)
- wermlandsdata.com(www) (Sweden)
- If you would like to mirror the FreeDOS files archive, please email the webmaster!