DOSEMU

DOS compatibility layer for Linux From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

DOSEMU

DOSEMU, stylized as dosemu, is a compatibility layer software package that enables DOS operating systems (e.g., MS-DOS, DR-DOS, FreeDOS) and application software to run atop Linux on x86-based PCs (IBM PC compatible computers).

Quick Facts Original author(s), Initial release ...
DOSEMU
Original author(s)DOSEMU Team
Initial releaseSeptember 3, 1992; 32 years ago (1992-09-03)[1]
Final release
1.4.0 / May 5, 2007; 17 years ago (2007-05-05)
Repository
Operating systemLinux
TypeCompatibility layer
LicenseGPL
Websitewww.dosemu.org
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Quick Facts Preview release, Repository ...
dosemu2
Preview release
2.0pre9 / 29 January 2022; 3 years ago (2022-01-29)
Repositorygithub.com/dosemu2/dosemu2
Websitedosemu2.github.io/dosemu2/
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Features

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Perspective

It uses a combination of hardware-assisted virtualization features and high-level emulation. It can thus achieve nearly native speed for 8086-compatible DOS operating systems and applications on x86 compatible processors, and for DOS Protected Mode Interface (DPMI) applications on x86 compatible processors as well as on x86-64 processors. DOSEMU includes an 8086 processor emulator for use with real-mode applications in x86-64 long mode.

DOSEMU is only available for x86 and x86-64 Linux systems (Linux 3.15 x86-64 systems cannot enter DPMI by default. This is fixed in 3.16).[2]

DOSEMU is an option for people who need or want to continue to use legacy DOS software; in some cases virtualisation is good enough to drive external hardware such as device programmers connected to the parallel port. According to its manual, "dosemu" is a user-level program which uses certain special features of the Linux kernel and the 80386 processor to run DOS in a DOS box. The DOS box, relying on a combination of hardware and software, has these abilities:

  • Virtualize all input-output and processor control instructions
  • Supports the word size and addressing modes of the iAPX86 processor family's "real mode", while still running within the full protected mode environment
  • Trap all DOS and BIOS system calls and emulate such calls as needed for proper operation and good performance
  • Simulate a hardware environment over which DOS programs are accustomed to having control.
  • Provide DOS services through native Linux services; for example, dosemu can provide a virtual hard disk drive which is actually a Linux directory hierarchy.[3]
  • API-level support for Packet driver,[4] IPX, Berkeley sockets (dosnet).[5][6]

See also

References

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