Re: port-i386/58624: dosboot(8) fails to load kernel through eXtended Memory Specification API (XMS)

[gnats-admin%netbsd.org@localhost]

The following reply was made to PR port-i386/58624; it has been noted by GNATS.

From: Martin Husemann <martin%duskware.de@localhost>
To: Rin Okuyama <rokuyama.rk%gmail.com@localhost>
Cc: Andrius V <vezhlys%gmail.com@localhost>, gnats-bugs%netbsd.org@localhost,
	port-i386-maintainer%netbsd.org@localhost, gnats-admin%netbsd.org@localhost,
	netbsd-bugs%netbsd.org@localhost
Subject: Re: port-i386/58624: dosboot(8) fails to load kernel through
 eXtended Memory Specification API (XMS)
Date: Fri, 30 Aug 2024 10:54:58 +0200

 Maybe a bit of historical context: back in the days the "easiest" way to
 test NetBSD on a machine that usually booted into Windows 95 was: download
 the install kernel, reboot and while rebooting press some function key
 to abort boot and drop into the DOS command line.
 
 Then you could run dosboot and let it loaded the NetBSD kernel.
 
 Most Win9x installations had some EMMS/XMS manager installed
 and properly talking to those was important to get the kernel loaded.
 
 Nowadays (with bootable USB sticks) this scenario is (as) obsolete (as Win9x),
 you would simply boot the full image from USB and not touch anything already
 installed on the machine. 
 
 Martin
 P.S.: I had to look it up but USB really happened only 1996, and firmware that
 could boot from it even (slightly) later.