DOS install size?

Discussion in 'Operating Systems' started by (.)(.), May 22, 2015.

  1. (.)(.)

    (.)(.) Banned

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    Google seems unable to answer such a simple question, so i was wondering if anyone here could tell me.

    How much space does DOS itself use/take up?

    All Google tells me is recommended partition sizes but nothing of how much the actual OS itself uses.

    Thanks.

    Edit: Dos 6.xx
     
    Last edited: May 22, 2015
  2. Derragon

    Derragon Guest

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    Considering that the whole OS fits on about 4 floppy drives, I'd gander it takes up around 8MB. I don't know if it decompresses any files when installing, so it's likely either the same size as the 4 Floppies (it actually fits on 3 floppies, it uses a 4th for drivers). Otherwise, I'd take a guess any say it takes up less than 20MB. The only way to tell would be to install it to a virtual drive, copy the size of the drive before installing MS-DOS, and then installing it and comparing the size of it afterwards.
     
  3. mbk1969

    mbk1969 Ancient Guru

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    What are you talking about? One 3.5 diskette was enough for DOS.
     
  4. thatguy91

    thatguy91 Guest

    I'm guessing you are referring to the old MS-DOS, or are you referring to DR DOS, FreeDOS, PC DOS, PTS DOS... what version?

    Typically for all of these, just the main files a couple of hundred kilobytes covers it with spare room.
     

  5. Adil0n

    Adil0n Guest

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    Not if it was DOS 5.1 if I recall... All those help files and the fact that included Basic and Edit was a huge step for the OS... aahh those were the days! I really feel the need to screw someones computer doing a deltree!
     
  6. (.)(.)

    (.)(.) Banned

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    Sorry all, Dos 6.xx.
     
  7. Adil0n

    Adil0n Guest

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    [​IMG]

    Here's your proof that MS-DOS ver 6.22 used at least 3 disks for it's install
     
  8. mbk1969

    mbk1969 Ancient Guru

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    That is distributive - not working copy of DOS.
     
  9. Adil0n

    Adil0n Guest

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    Guess somebody will have to buy it and install it :nerd:
     
  10. mbk1969

    mbk1969 Ancient Guru

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    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_MS-DOS_system_files

    without "Standard DOS utility programs:" you had almost all diskette space for your apps.

    Guess somebody was creating those DOS diskettes back then for many years.

    Edit: I don`t know about "included Basic" but QuickBasic and QuickC were super comfortable IDEs.
     
    Last edited: May 22, 2015

  11. Derragon

    Derragon Guest

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    My original guess was actually over-estimating. I just installed MS-DOS 6.22 in a Virtual Machine and the difference in size before and after is a little under 7MB.

    So there you have it: MS-DOS 6.22 takes just under 7MB of space.
     

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