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