FreeDOS facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
FreeDOS

FreeDOS 1.1 default shell, FreeCOM
Company / developer	Jim Hall & The FreeDOS team
Programmed in	Assembly Language, C
OS family	DOS
Working state	Current
Source model	Open source
Initial release	16 September 1994; 30 years ago (1994-09-16)
Latest stable release	1.3 / 20 February 2022; 3 years ago (2022-02-20)
Latest unstable release	1.3 RC5 / 14 December 2021; 3 years ago (2021-12-14)
Available language(s)	English, German, Dutch, French, Turkish, Swedish, German, Spanish
Supported platforms	x86
Kernel type	Monolithic kernel
Influenced by	MS-DOS
Default user interface	Command-line interface (COMMAND.COM)
License	GNU GPL with various different licenses for utilities

FreeDOS is a special kind of operating system for computers that are like the original IBM PC. Think of an operating system as the main program that makes your computer work. FreeDOS is designed to act just like an old system called MS-DOS. This means it can run older computer programs and help with embedded systems, which are computers built into other devices.

You can start FreeDOS from a floppy disk or a USB flash drive. It also works well inside virtualization programs, which let you run one computer system inside another.

Unlike most versions of MS-DOS, FreeDOS is free software. This means people can use it, change it, and share it without paying. It uses a special license called the GNU General Public License. Some parts of FreeDOS might have different licenses, but they are still free to use.

History of FreeDOS

Blinky, the mascot of FreeDOS

The FreeDOS project started on June 29, 1994. This happened after Microsoft said they would stop selling and supporting MS-DOS. A student named Jim Hall had an idea. He wanted to create a version of DOS that anyone could use for free.

Soon, other programmers like Pat Villani and Tim Norman joined him. Together, they built the main parts of the system. This included the 'kernel' (the core of the OS), the 'command line interpreter' (how you type commands), and other basic tools. They used code they had written or found available for free.

Over the years, many test versions of FreeDOS were released. The first full version, FreeDOS 1.0, came out in 2006.

Blinky the Fish is the fun mascot of FreeDOS. Bas Snabilie designed him.

How FreeDOS is Used

FreeDOS is available to download as a CD-ROM image. This is like a digital copy of a CD. You can get a small version with just the basics or a larger one with many more programs, like games and tools.

Companies Using FreeDOS

Many companies use FreeDOS for different reasons:

• Dell used to put FreeDOS on some of its computers. This was to make them cheaper than computers with Microsoft Windows.
• HP also offered FreeDOS on some of its desktops and laptops. They also use it to update the special software called BIOS in their computers.
• A program called SpinRite, which helps fix hard drives, includes FreeDOS.
• Intel uses FreeDOS to update the software on its SSDs.
• Many companies that make computer motherboards suggest using FreeDOS. It helps run updates for the BIOS and other important software.

Other Ways FreeDOS is Used

FreeDOS is also part of many cool independent projects:

• FED-UP is a project that turns old computers into players for videos.
• FUZOMA is a version of FreeDOS that can start from a floppy disk. It helps turn older computers into learning tools for kids.
• XFDOS is a FreeDOS version that has a graphical user interface. This means it has windows and icons, like modern operating systems.

FreeDOS Versions Over Time

This table shows the different versions of FreeDOS that have been released over the years. It lists when each version came out and what its status was (like 'ALPHA' for early test versions or 'FINAL' for a complete release).

How FreeDOS Works with Other Systems

Computer Hardware

FreeDOS needs an older type of computer, like a PC/XT machine. It also needs at least 640 kilobytes of memory to run. Some programs that you add to FreeDOS might need even more memory.

Working with MS-DOS Programs

FreeDOS is very similar to MS-DOS. It can run most programs made for MS-DOS. It also has some new features that MS-DOS didn't have. For example, it can handle different languages better. With special tools, FreeDOS can even run some programs made for Windows Console, which are simple programs that run in a text window.

Working with Older Windows Versions

FreeDOS can run very old versions of Microsoft Windows, like Windows 1.0 and 2.0. However, it cannot fully run Windows 3.x or newer versions like Windows 95, 98, or Me. This is because those Windows versions use parts of MS-DOS in ways that FreeDOS doesn't copy. But you can install FreeDOS alongside these Windows systems and choose which one to start when you turn on your computer.

Working with Newer Windows and ReactOS

Newer Windows systems, like Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10, and 11, don't use MS-DOS as a main part. These systems often use a different way to store files called NTFS. FreeDOS can still be on the same computer as these systems. You can put FreeDOS on a separate part of your hard drive or on the same part if it uses an older file storage system called FAT. You can even set up your computer to choose FreeDOS when it starts.

Using FreeDOS in Virtual Machines

FreeDOS is made to work well with virtualization software. Programs like VirtualBox and VMware let you create a "virtual" computer inside your real computer. Installing FreeDOS in these virtual machines is just like installing it on a real computer. You can also install FreeDOS inside DOSBox, which is a program that pretends to be an old DOS computer. This gives you more features than DOSBox alone.

File Systems and Storage

FreeDOS's default text editor—a clone of the MS-DOS Editor, with added features

FreeDOS fully supports a way of organizing files called FAT32. This is the best way to set up your main drive. FreeDOS can work with large hard drives, up to 128 GB or even 2 TB, depending on your computer's BIOS.

There's also a tool called LFNDOS that lets FreeDOS use "long file names," like those in Windows 95. Without it, file names are limited to 8 characters plus a 3-character extension (like MYDOC.TXT). FreeDOS doesn't directly support newer file systems like NTFS or ext2, but you can find other programs that let you access files on those systems.

See also

• DOSBox
• DOSEMU
• DR-DOS