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Set up a (Free)DOS VM with networking (and shared folders)

Posted: 14. Jul 2007, 12:59
by ghr
 Edit: An updated version of this howto is at https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Sharing_files_with_DOS 
For your information: here are three essential files from my DOS VM with filesharing (checked with Win7 as host and Ubuntu 14.04, using VirtualBox 4.3.36):
  • CONFIG.SYS
  • AUTOEXC.BAT
  • PROTOCOL.INI
Of course I got these files here via file sharing :)

CONFIG.SYS:

Code: Select all

DEVICE=C:\SYSTEM\HIMEM.SYS
DOS=HIGH
FILES=30
DEVICE=C:\CDROM\AOATAPI.SYS /D:CD001
device=C:\NET\ifshlp.sys
LASTDRIVE=Z
AUTOEXEC.BAT:

Code: Select all

C:\NET\net initialize
@ECHO OFF
PROMPT $p$g
PATH C:\NET;C:\SYSTEM;C:\BATFILES
SET TEMP=C:\SYSTEM
C:\CDROM\MSCDEX /D:CD001
C:\DEXXAMSE\MOUSE.COM
DOSKEY
C:\DOSIDLE\DOSIDLE.EXE

C:\NET\netbind.com
C:\NET\umb.com
C:\NET\tcptsr.exe
C:\NET\tinyrfc.exe
C:\NET\nmtsr.exe
C:\NET\emsbfr.exe
C:\NET\net start
REM C:\NET\net initialize
REM C:\NET\nwlink
REM C:\NET\net start
PROTOCOL.INI:

Code: Select all

[network.setup]
version=0x3110
netcard=ms$pcntnd,1,MS$PCNTND,1
transport=tcpip,TCPIP
lana0=ms$pcntnd,1,tcpip

[TCPIP]
NBSessions=6
SubNetMask0=255 0 0 0
IPAddress0=0 0 0 0
DisableDHCP=0
DriverName=TCPIP$
BINDINGS=MS$PCNTND
LANABASE=0
[MS$PCNTND]
LED3=0x81
LED2=0x4088
LED1=0xb0
LED0=0xc0
TP=0
DMACHANNEL=0
INTERRUPT=0
IOADDRESS=0x0
DriverName=PCNTND$

[protman]
DriverName=PROTMAN$
PRIORITY=MS$NDISHLP
In both cases (Win, Linux) I use a host-only adapter. That 's all... Note that the host side also needs some preparations, see the Wiki.

Set up a (Free)DOS VM with networking (and shared folders): Win7, Win10

Posted: 4. Jan 2019, 13:56
by ghr
Some hints for Win 7 and Win 10, Home and Pro versions. I used a.o. VirtualBox 5.22, no 6.x version (yet).
My experience comes from Win 7 Pro and using Win 10 Home version 10.0.17134.407.

Follow these steps by michaln:
  1. Start gpedit and change the "Network Security: LAN Manager authentication level" setting under Computer Configuration/Windows Settings/Security Setings/Local Policies/Security Options to "Send LM & NTLM - use NTLMv2 session security if negotiated". (perhaps unnecessary?)
  2. In the same tab, change "Network security: Do not store LAN Manager hash value on next password change" to "Disabled". (required)
  3. Ran "gpudpate /force" to propagate the settings. (perhaps unnecessary?)
  4. Updated the password for the account. (required)

Step 4) is crucial because only when the password is changed (even to the same password), the LM password hash will be calculated and stored. Without the LM hash, DOS (and maybe Win9x) can't authenticate when connecting to a share provided by Windows 7.


The good news is: what works for 7 works for 10 too. The issue with Win 10 Home (or any Home version?) is that there is no gpedit.msc by default. For Win 10 Home this can be "enabled" by running a simple bat file, typically found as gpedit-enabler.bat. Worked for me using Win 10 Home version detailed above.

So the other good news is that there is NO need to change any SMB1 settings.

One note on the result on Win 10: names that do NOT obey the 8.3 convention are simply (!) omitted, beware of this when you are trying!

PS Mods: I put it here for visiblity and because I can't update the wiki???

Re: Set up a (Free)DOS VM with networking (and shared folders)

Posted: 12. Jan 2024, 17:28
by ghr
For anything that boots into DOS you can also use the "Unofficial guest additions for MS-DOS/FreeDOS/Windows3.x" by javispedro:
Unofficial guest additions for MS-DOS/FreeDOS/Windows3.x