Author Topic: Building an OS/2 Merlin DVD 2014 - 2015 - 2016  (Read 24670 times)

Sigurd Fastenrath

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Building an OS/2 Merlin DVD 2014 - 2015 - 2016
« on: February 12, 2014, 02:29:59 pm »
For those interested in: I am trying to build an

bootable OS/4 Merlin DVD with all latest Drivers and QS Loader from Scratch

You can follow this project if you like here:

http://translate.google.de/translate?sl=de&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=de&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fos2forum.teamos2hamburg.de%2Fviewtopic.php%3Ff%3D2%26t%3D117

Disclaimer: ecomstation.ru or ecs.ru is not allowed to use or distribute or use in any other way the content of my project (Pictures and Text)
« Last Edit: September 29, 2016, 05:52:09 pm by Sigurd Fastenrath »

OS4User

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Re: Project: Building an OS/4 Merlin DVD
« Reply #1 on: February 12, 2014, 05:04:09 pm »
For those interested in: I am trying to build an

bootable OS/4 Merlin DVD with all latest Drivers and QS Loader from Scratch

You can follow this project if you like here:

http://translate.google.de/translate?sl=de&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=de&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fos2forum.teamos2hamburg.de%2Fviewtopic.php%3Ff%3D2%26t%3D117

Disclaimer: ecomstation.ru or ecs.ru is not allowed to use or distribute or use in any other way the content of my project (Pictures and Text)

good idea,  you may also try to use os4apic.psd

Martin Iturbide

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Re: Project: Building an OS/4 Merlin DVD
« Reply #2 on: February 14, 2014, 05:52:50 pm »
Hi Sigurd

I want to help on your project.

How do you plan to do it? do you plan to put some files of the UpdCD environment and let people update their own Warp 4.52 ISO?

I will really love if this can be turned into an OS/2 distro. (without the IBM files, so everybody can download it and build it each self with their legally owned OS/2)

- I really want it to be an open project if it is possible allowing everybody to collaborate and have clear rules for it.
- I also want to try if it can be also possible to remove close/proprietary things from Warp 4.52 that just adding more stuff to the IBM files. For example to start simple, replace icons, backgrounds, wavs, for public domain/free distribution ones.
- Later maybe moving to a little complex things like replacing commands executables (attrib.exe, etc) to ones that are open sourced. And possible replacing the DLLs of some PM forwarders.
- Once I started to list which are the very vital OS/2 files and try to list some replacements. Maybe it can be interesting to give it a try to replace things and see the compatibility.

With that will be start moving to a more open source OS/2 little by little without breaking the compatibility.

Do you have a name for this project or OS/2 distro?

Regards
Martin Iturbide
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Sigurd Fastenrath

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Re: Project: Building an OS/4 Merlin DVD
« Reply #3 on: February 14, 2014, 07:07:02 pm »
Hi Sigurd

I want to help on your project.

How do you plan to do it? do you plan to put some files of the UpdCD environment and let people update their own Warp 4.52 ISO?


Hi Martin,

well, this is a private Project, I do not plan to make something and distribute it.
It is some Kind of a new Distro, but I think this would overrate the Project. ;)

What I am planning to do is building an UPDCD Environment with that it is possible to update the Merlin 4.52 CD to

- an bootable DVD with a lot of extra Software
- based on MCP 4.52
- with latest Kernel Support
- AHCI and "Boot from USB" Support during Installation (in fact this I have already done in 2011)
- integrating latest Drivers (USB, Network, Panorama, SNAP.....)

and (what is then new to me)

- integrating OS/4 kernel
- integrating QSLoader with an boot menue

I have to learn a lot about all this, thanks to Doug there is a lot of Information around about QSLoader so far.  :)

- I am hoping to realize that the QSLoader menu give the oportunity to start boot process for Installation with different config.sys like OS4PIC or eCS ACPI or so....

I want to include JAVA6, CUPS, SAMBA (with netdrive plugin), QT and some more.

But I do not know now, where this might lead me to, my latest OS/2 Merlin DVD dated from 2011 and well, I have to look... :)

So far I am trying to Setup an perfect environmet for UPDCD first - therefore did choose an ThinkPad X41 for this. I already installed "my" Merlin Version from 2011 on it but have to customize some things. I am looking Forward to install UPDCD this Weekend on it.

As I try to Show or explain as much as possible within the Thread I linked earlier, so that those interested in may Setup there own System.  ;)

Martin Iturbide

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Re: Project: Building an OS/4 Merlin DVD
« Reply #4 on: February 15, 2014, 08:24:38 pm »
By the way, I just checked with Zsolt to license terms of UpdCD and told me that it remains freeware for non commercial use. And since it is rexx and VREXX (and the source code is included) it can be modified. So there are no restriction from the UpdCD if we use it for non-commercial use. 
Martin Iturbide
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Doug Bissett

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Re: Project: Building an OS/4 Merlin DVD
« Reply #5 on: February 15, 2014, 09:26:56 pm »
Quote
So far I am trying to Setup an perfect environmet for UPDCD first - therefore did choose an ThinkPad X41 for this.

I will suggest that the "perfect environment" might be a Virtual Box installation under Windows, or Linux. That way, everybody can have exactly the same machine to work with, and those who don't have a way to make the older OS/2 work on their hardware, can have a chance of making an updated disk. The "problem" would be that they cannot write directly to a CD, or DVD, so they would need to create an ISO file, which can be burned in whatever system that can do it.

Quote
I am hoping to realize that the QSLoader menu give the oportunity to start boot process for Installation with different config.sys like OS4PIC or eCS ACPI or so....

That should work, but you may need to have a number of different config.sys files, to cover all of the possibilities. I would also suggest that OS4APIC will not be needed, to do the install. It won't make much difference if it uses high, or low, IRQs. Likewise, a separate config.sys for AHCI, or Dani, would not be required, as long as you have both statements in config.sys (and the automatic detection works properly). ACPI could be a bit more complicated. So far, I have not found a machine that will not run without it, but others have indicated that they can't install without it. The initial install needs to be kept as simple as possible. Once you get booted from the hard disk, the rest can be done using REXX command files to start WarpIn, or simply unzip things, and create icons.

Just a few thoughts...

Sigurd Fastenrath

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Re: Project: Building an OS/4 Merlin DVD
« Reply #6 on: February 25, 2014, 01:33:47 pm »
There are some Updates in my Thread, even if those are still related to:

- Pimping the X41 up (Replacing HDD with a MSata SSD)
- Flashing X41 BIOS (to avoide Error 1802 (WLAN cards) and Error 2010 (HDD without FRU).

Have fun, next is OS/2 Installation, than UPDCD Installation, after that BUliding OS/4 DVD..... ::)

Sigurd Fastenrath

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Re: Project: Building an OS/4 Merlin DVD
« Reply #7 on: May 17, 2014, 11:32:07 am »
So, some updates there,

- setup UPDCD and it's components


Martin Iturbide

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Re: Project: Building an OS/4 Merlin DVD
« Reply #8 on: May 18, 2014, 04:08:50 pm »
Very Good Sigurd.

I'm still hoping you can share something, I'm not referring to IBM OS/2 files or the full image, but to share something like documentation on what are you doing, and possible the freeware and open source files of the UpdCD environment you are pulling together.

You can also put a name to you project, like creating a different OS/2 distro.  I really hope we can create an OS/2 distribution focused on open source software, that requires OS/2 Warp 4.52 CD until we can replace the close source components little by little.

Regards
Martin Iturbide
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Sigurd Fastenrath

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Re: Project: Building an OS/4 Merlin DVD
« Reply #9 on: June 26, 2014, 02:25:28 pm »
Some news there, slowly, but it does make progress  ;)

Sergey Posokhov

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Re: Project: Building an OS/4 Merlin DVD
« Reply #10 on: June 26, 2014, 02:30:19 pm »
If you want a domain name, I could transfer my existing domain to you, it's free.
(then I will move this e-book library to another domain name)
« Last Edit: January 16, 2019, 01:01:44 am by Sergey Posokhov »

Sigurd Fastenrath

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Re: Project: Building an OS/4 Merlin DVD
« Reply #11 on: June 27, 2014, 09:23:58 am »
If you want a domain name, I could transfer you www.os24.org, it's free.
(then I will move this e-book library to another domain name)

Hi, no Thanks, I do not need a domain  ;)

I made a lot of progress the last two days, please check. As for now following my instructions one can build a "recent" OS/2 Warp 4 DVD so far (hopefully). Further I will take a look at the things I planed from the beginning:

- adding OS/4 Kernel, OS/4 Loader, QSINIT Loader, DFSEE and (for testing only) ACPI  ;)


Martin Iturbide

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Re: Project: Building an OS/4 Merlin DVD
« Reply #12 on: June 27, 2014, 01:50:14 pm »
Hi Sigurd.

Can I have your permission to repost the English translated version of you forums posts on the OS2World Wiki, under the Creative Commons Share Alike license?

Regards
Martin Iturbide
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Sigurd Fastenrath

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Re: Project: Building an OS/4 Merlin DVD
« Reply #13 on: June 27, 2014, 05:37:45 pm »
Hi Sigurd.

Can I have your permission to repost the English translated version of you forums posts on the OS2World Wiki, under the Creative Commons Share Alike license?

Regards

Hi Martin,

yes, you can as you like. I would in addition not mind if you or someone else want to edit the english translation to make it more comfortable.

Best regards,

Sigurd

Sigurd Fastenrath

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Re: Project: Building an OS/4 Merlin DVD
« Reply #14 on: August 22, 2014, 08:33:10 am »
Hi,

some more steps there, getting closer.  :)