EComStation 2.x as a VirtualBox 5.x Guest

What is VirtualBox
VirtualBox is an x86 virtualization software package, originally created by German software company innotek, now developed by Oracle as part of its xVM virtualization platform. It is installed on an existing host operating system as an application. Within this application, additional operating systems, each known as a Guest OS, can be loaded and run, each with its own virtual environment.

Homepage Link: http://www.virtualbox.org/

Running OS/2 or eComStation as a guest
First, you will need to download and install the VirtualBox software that matches your machine's operating system (host machine). Then, simply create a new virtual machine from within it and tell VirtualBox to load the Guest OS from the OS/2 or eCS install media.

Audio
If you select "Audio Intel HD" as device of the Vitual Machine, it will work with the UNIAUD driver.

Using UNIAUD V1.9.25-SVNr551 (UNIAUD32.sys) and V1.9.5-SVNr534 (UNIAUD16.SYS) on you config.sys will look like:

DEVICE=C:\MMOS2\UNIAUD32.SYS /V DEVICE=C:\MMOS2\UNIAUD16.SYS /V /C

"/V" is to show the messaged on boot. When booting it will show you something like:

Universal Audio Driver for OS/2 and eComStation vl.9.26-SVNr551 Based on ALSA 1.0.21 Copyright 2005-2010 Netlab s http://www.netlabs.org Copyright 2000-2010 The ALSA Project HDA Intel at Oxf0801000 irq 21 Selected Mixer : SigmaTel STAC9221 A1 OS/2 Universal Audio MMPM/2 Driver vl.9.5-SVNr531 Copyright 2 000-2002 InnoTek Systemberatung GmbH Copyright 2002 IBM Corporation Maintained by Netlabs http://www.netlabs.org

Audio Testing
I did some audio testing with the different VirtualBox audio configuration and the OS/2 drivers.

PCnet-FAST III
For the PCnet-FAST III you need to install the "AMD PCNet Ethernet Family Adapter" that is included in eComStation.



Your config.sys will include this: DEVICE=C:\IBMCOM\MACS\PCNTND.OS2

Video
On the eComStation installation you can select the SNAP driver to be installed. With that it will not give you further issues.

If you want to a different resolution that is not listed on eComStation you can try:

From the host machine you can add a custom resolution support to the guest OS with the following command: VBoxManage setextradata "" "CustomVideoMode1" "1366x768x32"

Example: vboxmanage setextradata "eComStation 2.1" "CustomVideoMode1" "1366x768x32"

You will get no confirmation from this command code.

Turn on the guest OS/2 or eComStation and on the /SNAP/ directory run: gamode add 1366 768 32 This will add the new resolution on the eComStation Screen Resolution options. Access the settings page for resolution and select the new one.

USB
USB virtual ports are working on the platform.

You need to enable the USB ports on the configuration of the Virtual Machine:



After that you need to enable USB on the config.sys of OS2-eCS:

You can now mount USB device and will be recognized by the platform.



Config.sys Example
Here it is some sample on the parameters on config.sys for USB: BASEDEV=USBUHCD.SYS BASEDEV=USBOHCD.SYS BASEDEV=USBEHCD.SYS BASEDEV=USBD.SYS /REQ:USBUHCD$,USBOHCD$,USBEHCD$ BASEDEV=USBHID.SYS

Diskette
The diskette integration is very easy too:

On the settings of the Virtual Machine on "Storage" you can add the diskette drive.



Now you can select the Diskette image. The IMA format is supported.



You can use a Windows program called "WinImage" to generate your own IMA Diskettes imaged.

Shared Clipboard
The shared clipboard integration is working. It has been tested with Windows as host and eComStation 2.1 as guest. You can copy+paste text from Windows or eComStation without problems after installing the eComStation Guest Add-ons.

Be sure to enable the shared clipboard (bidirection) on the virtual machine.

Mouse Integration
Mouse integration also works. It had been tested with Windows has host and eComStation 2.1 as guest using eComStation Guest Add-ons.

If you are running eComStation guest on a window, you don't have to disconnect the mouse with "Ctrl Right" to control the host OS.

VBOXMOUSE.SYS will replace MOUSE.SYS and your config.sys will look like this:

REM DEVICE=C:\ECS\BOOT\MOUSE.SYS DEVICE=C:\PROGRAMS\VBOX\VBOXMOUSE.SYS

The VBOXMOUSE.SYS driver included on the guest Add-Ons is:

Signature:      @#InnoTek:5.1#@##1## 23 Jul 2007 14:50:34     ::::370::@@ Vendor:         InnoTek Revision:       5.01 Date/Time:      23 Jul 2007 14:50:34 Build Machine: File Version:   5.1.370 Description:

Documentation
Documentation is available on the VirtualBox site to install several Guest OS's: http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Guest_OSes

According to the VirtualBox Documentation, OS/2 MCP2 was reported to be stable but it requires VT-x hardware virtualization support. That means that your computer has to be modern enough to have that feature.

eComStation 2.0 GA on Virtual Box 2.2 Mac OS X
eComStation 2.0 GA, just select "edit values before startup on CD", then IBM506ADD Compatibility mode and JJSCDROOM.add; on Virtual Box 2.2 for Mac Os X. And installation goes right well :-)

Question: eCS or OS/2 freezes on booting, showing only the Logo
A: Check that your computer has the VT-X mode enabled. Or check that VT-X hardware virtualization is turned on in your computer's BIOS.



Q: eComStation 2.0 RC7 traps on DANIS506 driver on boot. (Trap 000d)
A: Try to select IBM506.ADD drivers, on 2.0 GA DANIS506 gives similar problems on HOST MAX OS X Virtual box 3 and 2.2 versions

Q: When the Warp 4.52 Boot CD runs it says "OS/2 is unable to operate your hard disk or diskette drive"
A: Check that you are using a IDE disk on the Storage configuration of the Virtual Machine. If you are running SATA you require to install AHCI drivers on your OS/2-eComStation guest VM.



Q:What "network adapter" to use in Virtualbox OS/2 Guest?
Reply by Lars Erdmann:

I am running under a Windows host but I would hope the answer will be the same:

1) Use "Intel PRO/1000 MT Server". The equivalent driver in OS/2 is E1000.OS2 ("Intel(R) PRO/1000 Network Connection").

If you use DHCP in your OS/2 guest and have problems with it (you do not get assigned an IP address), then modify your \IBMCOM\PROTOCOL.INI file and add the following to the [E1000_nif] section: TRANSMITBUFFERS = 20 RECEIVEBUFFERS = 20

Note that you'll have to do this manually as these parameters are undocumented and not offered though the E1000.NIF file. You'll also have to redo this every time you let the network config tool change your PROTOCOL.INI.

2) If that still fails, then use "PCnet-FAST III (Am79C973)".

The equivalent driver in OS/2 should be PCNTND.OS2 ("AMD PCNet Ethernet Family Adapter"). Maybe you will have to pick "PCnet-PCI II (Am79C970A)" in VirtualBox instead. In any case, the OS/2 driver will be the same.

Changing the UUID of Virtual HDD
Sometimes you want to duplicate your Virtual HDD and move them to other Virtual machines. You may get an error that the VHDD UUID is already used and it can not be assigned to other VM.

I recommend this command to fix remove the UUID of the Virtual HDD image:

For example: "C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox\VBoxManage.exe" internalcommands sethduuid "D:\VM\VirtualBox\eComStation 2.2 b2\eCS 2.2 b2.vdi"

Changing the VM Screen Resolution
You also need sometimes to set a video resolution on the VM so OS/2 can recognize it with the video driver. I had used this with SNAP.

You need to change the video resolution of you VM with this command on the host:

"C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox\VBoxManage.exe" setextradata "eCS 2.2 b2" "CustomVideoMode1" "1920x1080x32"

Where "eCS 2.2 b2" is the name of your Virtual Machine.

Links

 * Discussion about eComStation as Guest and Screen Resolutions