DOCUMENT ID:  1182-02

SYNOPSIS:     DOS partition is not bootable after Solaris installation

OS RELEASE:   2.x

PRODUCT:      Solaris x86

KEYWORDS:     DOS partition boot install DOS12 DOS16 DOSHUGE


DESCRIPTION:

When installing Solaris X86, the installation gives an option to create
a DOS partition.  The options are DOS12, DOS16, and DOSHUGE. 

DOS12 is a 12 megabyte partition that would be sufficient for loading
DOS and diagnostic utilities. 

DOS16 is a 16 megabyte partition that would be used for the same reason
as DOS12, but with an extra 4 megabytes. 

DOSHUGE is the largest DOS partition.  You must define how large that
partition will be. 


SOLUTION:

After deciding what size the DOS partition will be continue with the
install.  After the installation is complete take the DOS install
diskette and insert it into the bootable drive.  The DOS install screen
will appear prompting the user to choose either ENTER to continue the
DOS install or F3 to exit the DOS install. 

Examples of each of these situations:

1. Press ENTER to continue the DOS installation

If using DOS 5 or DOS 6 the install determines whether the partition is
formatted.  If the partition is not formatted DOS install will prompt
the user to format the DOS partition.  After formatting the partition
DOS install starts copying DOS files over to a C:\DOS> directory.  After
the DOS install is complete the system will prompt the user to press any
key to reboot.  The system then is reset and boots to DOS, at this point
the user will use fdisk.exe, and change the active partition.  The
option the user will choose is "2 - change active partition".  There
will be a DOS partition marked as "A" for active, and an OTHER with no
"A".  Choose to change the active partition to OTHER, which is the
Solaris partition, make it the active partition, press Esc twice.  The
system will prompt you once again to press any key to reboot.  After the
system reboot, it will now boot to the Solaris X86 Boot Manager, and the
DOS partition will now boot if chosen. 

2. Press F3 to exit the DOS installation

When F3 is chosen, you will be at A:\>, and now can use format.exe to
format the DOS partition (i.e.  A:\>format C:/s).  This command will
format the DOS partition and transfer the DOS system files over that are
needed to boot to a DOS partition.  When the system is done with the
format, it will prompt the user that the system files were transferred,
and at this time the system should be rebooted with Ctrl-Alt-DEL.  The
system will boot DOS, but run fdisk, and make the "OTHER" partition the
"A" (active) partition.  Press Esc twice, and the system will now boot
the DOS partition from Solaris X86 Boot Manager. 

Note: When the user uses this method there are no DOS directories or DOS
files, just the system files along with command.com. 


DATE APPROVED: 09/28/95