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

[" Andrius V via gnats" <gnats-admin%NetBSD.org@localhost>]

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

From: Andrius V <vezhlys%gmail.com@localhost>
To: Martin Husemann <martin%duskware.de@localhost>
Cc: Rin Okuyama <rokuyama.rk%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, 13 Sep 2024 08:40:19 +0300

 On Fri, Aug 30, 2024 at 11:54=E2=80=AFAM Martin Husemann <martin@duskware.d=
 e> wrote:
 >
 > 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: downloa=
 d
 > 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 Wi=
 n9x),
 > you would simply boot the full image from USB and not touch anything alre=
 ady
 > 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.
 
 Thank you for insightful historical context! Yes, it seems not much
 people would do that in this way now. I removed the code for now, but
 as we discussed in IRC, if someone has passion to fix it, the code can
 be restored. I tried few patches, unfortunately with no success...