Hi all, I'd like to resume the results obtained joining this forum in sept 2018 starting from a very basic iniztial knowledge, maybe someone will read something interesting to pick ideas.
OS2 was my first contact pc system, found preinstalled in a Hyundai pc, 1996. After 4 years I felt forced to switch to Windows XP due to the hardware/software requirements, which OS2 could not follow as needed at that moment.
I just kept remembering OS2 as a vintage old car which was nice to have owned once but with no more chances to drive it again on the today roads.
This till last summer, when on a Windows 10 usenet newsgroup an expert member told that it was not impossible getting an OS2 Warp 4.52 virtual machine full working for VirtualBox but just good to load and leave as-it-is, with not much more to do for real use, except some exciting WPS menu browsing to feel back in the latest nineteens.
Meantime I was aware of the most recent OS2 system adapted distributions; Ecomstation first and then ArcaOS, good to have but not freeware and not even cheap.
Then I found online a downloadable OS2 Warp 4.52 ready-to-boot virtual machine in its first-boot state: ready, go.
Tried to get help for updating/actualization on an OS2 usenet group nearly abandoned, where the only member listening suggested to join your forum.
Ready, go.
From its first-boot situation -I believe corresponding to 1998 HW/SW-, you here have lead me to implement and update much more than expected : dedicated Guest Addition for VirtualBox including shared folders and display custom resolution, Yum-Rpm packages Manager, USB volume handling, printer configuration, scanning device capabilities (Tame2), XWorkplace, Firefox, VLC, Samba and Netdrive for browsing external directories, and other useful features.
Now, since I like very much systems on a self-bootable USB stick, and also said that OS2 W4 cannot support itself such capability, I created a self-bootable fully installed Ubuntu 18.04 USB stick, and setted an autostart command for the OS2 Warp 4.5 guest machine (updated as above described) cloned and moved from the initial Win10 host system to the Linux VirtualBox application there.
This is the result: plug the USB stick in, turn the laptop on, select the usb volume to boot, wait about 90 secs, and OS2 Warp 4.52 full screen appears ready to use, you know that is a virtual machine hosted in Linux only for the 5 secs initial Ubuntu splash screen.
Cool.
Thank to you