System Commander

[SteveS]

I am trying to write a system commander type program. For those who are unfamilar with this type of program, it allows you a nice menu approach to selecting 1 of multiple operating systems.

I am stuck at 1 point though, getting my program to run first; ie. before the OS kicks in. Does anybody know how to get your program to be the one that is run first at system startup.

I think the answer is something to do with writing to the boot sector.

Thanks in advance,

[mlewis]

can't do this in vb.

vb needs windows, windows loads after the boot track of the drive.

if you use C++/assembler/etc to write a DOS program and then copy it over the boot track, you're golden.

Yep SteveS is right - You are very unlikely to be able to make a boot loader program, as Visual Basic requires Windows in order to function correctly.

Robert Culver

[SteveS]

OK so I need a DOS?? based programming package. I have a version of ANSI-C which allows based based programming. Does anyone have an example that I could use as a basis for my program.

Thanks again,

[Jop]

I think you could use Config.sys to make menu's to select an OS right?

[mlewis]

no--config.sys only loads once DOS had loaded. DOS is an OS, so once its loaded, you CAN'T run another os without rebooting --- a problem.

you can't use DOS dependent code because in a boot loader DOS can't exist unless the user boots to DOS; in other words, any functions dependent on DOS will not be usable before DOS loads.

sticky mess, writing machine level code.

[SteveS]

mlewis, thanks, I forgot about the fact that DOS wouldn't have loaded at this point in the boot up.

Where do I go from here though?

Does anybody have a site that I could look up for this type of problem. It's gotta be possible, even if I must use assember or whatever, I don't care.

Don't microsoft use "C" for programming windows. That is why I initially assumed that any programming language would be able to do this. Before windows loads you only have the BIOS at that point?????? Don't you.

[SteveS]

mlewis, thanks, I forgot about the fact that DOS wouldn't have loaded at this point in the boot up.

Where do I go from here though?

Does anybody have a site that I could look up for this type of problem. It's gotta be possible, even if I must use assember or whatever, I don't care.

Don't microsoft use "C" for programming windows. That is why I initially assumed that any programming language would be able to do this. Before windows loads you only have the BIOS at that point?????? Don't you?.