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A couple of years ago FreeDOS was needed to do BIOS upgrades if you had Linux machines with no Windows (e.g. on Dell). Now I haven't seen any BIOS upgrade for a
by usr1106 5y ago
A couple of years ago FreeDOS was needed to do BIOS upgrades if you had Linux machines with no Windows (e.g. on Dell). Now I haven't seen any BIOS upgrade for a while
that cannot be installed without Windows. Either they are UEFI executables or a format that the BIOS can handle or even supported by fwupdate on Linux.
Is there still any reason to run a FreeDOS except for fun and nostalgic reasons?
- yc-kraln 5y agoLegacy. There are tons of industrial machines whose control software runs on DOS. The machines are still good, and it's not like you can just pick up a new 20 ton press or 5 meter long lathe...
- badsectoracula 5y agoFun and nostalgia are reasons, entire multibillion businesses are made out of those :-P. For a more serious reason there is still DOS-based software in use that can't be replaced (or the replacement would be more costly) and FreeDOS is more compatible with modern hardware than MS-DOS in case replacements/fixes are needed.
- retzkek 5y agoJust this weekend I needed to run both a FreeDOS and Linux ISO in order to reflash the Dell PERC in an R520 to support IT mode to use it with ZFS. I wondered the same thing - why can't it all be done from Linux - and found this recent issue where the maintainer says it just doesn't seem to be possible: https://github.com/Fohdeesha/lab-docu/issues/18 https://github.com/Fohdeesha/lab-docu/issues/18