WELCOME TO THE FREEDOS BETA 1 DISTRIBUTION!
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FreeDOS is a DOS-like operating system compatible with Microsoft's
MS-DOS.  You may use and re-distribute FreeDOS freely.  All programs
distributed with FreeDOS are free, but not all use the GNU General
Public License.  The license for each program is copied to a DOC
directory when you install the package using the install program.

To install FreeDOS, change to the FREEDOS\INSTALL\ directory, and type:

  INSTALL

When asked where to install FreeDOS from, type:

  D:\FREEDOS\DISTRIB

(This assumes your CD-ROM drive is the D: drive.)  When asked where to
install FreeDOS to, type:

  C:\FDOS

You can install FreeDOS to whatever drive and directory that you like. 
You do not need to use the exact drive or path that is shown here.

When you install the FreeDOS distribution on your computer, you are not
making FreeDOS your default operating system on your computer.  Put
another way, you will not over-write your existing copy of DOS or
Windows just by installing the FreeDOS software.  To make FreeDOS your
default operating system, first install FreeDOS, then change to the
KERNEL directory and type:

  INSTALL

This will create a 1.44MB bootable floppy in your A: drive.  Boot from
this floppy, and type:

  SYS C:

This will make FreeDOS your default operating system on your computer. 
IF YOU ARE ALREADY RUNNING A VERSION OF DOS OR WINDOWS ON YOUR COMPUTER,
THINK BEFORE YOU DO THIS.  Running "SYS" on a hard disk that already has
a copy of DOS on it will make your hard disk boot using FreeDOS.

WARNING: THE FREEDOS KERNEL CONTAINED IN THIS RELEASE HAS A BUG THAT MAY
CORRUPT DOS DISKS THAT ARE LARGER THAN 500MB.  IF YOUR HARD DRIVE IS
BIGGER THAN 500MB, YOU CAN STILL USE THE FREEDOS SOFTWARE, BUT YOU
SHOULD NOT BOOT FROM THE FREEDOS KERNEL.

For more information about FreeDOS, visit us on the web at
http://www.freedos.org

-jh
