SpartaDOS X Reference Manual

The Command Processor — Commands



BOOT Command

Index
Purpose This command tells a SpartaDOS formatted disk to boot a particular program at start up (normally a disk-based DOS).
 
Syntax BOOT [d:][path]fname[.ext]
 
Type Internal
 
Related COLD, FORMAT
 
Remarks   The DOS loader on the first three sectors of each SpartaDOS formatted diskette (version 2 and above), can load and run files in the same manner as a command file. Normally DOS is loaded, but anything could be loaded as long as it avoids the loader memory ($2E00-$3180).

The FORMAT command does not put SpartaDOS on the diskette it formats, so, if you want to create a bootable SpartaDOS diskette, you must COPY SpartaDOS to the diskette and use the BOOT command. If you just use SpartaDOS X, this will never be necessary (since SpartaDOS X boots from cartridge), but if you have SpartaDOS 3.2 (or 2.3), you may wish to create bootable diskettes. Of course you may still use the XINIT command to format and install DOS on your diskette.

This command is the most misunderstood command in SpartaDOS, so here are a few pertinent facts you should know:

  • The BOOT command simply writes the starting sector number of the sector map of the file to boot in a specific location on sector 1 of the diskette. (See "Technical Information")
  • If the file which is set to boot is either ERASEd or COPYed over, the boot flag is cleared — you will get the message "Error: No DOS" when attempting to boot that diskette until you set a new file (e.g. X32D.DOS) to boot!
  • The file you set to boot may reside anywhere on the diskette — even in a subdirectory.
  • This command does not work with SpartaDOS 1.1 — 1.1 does not contain a 3 sector booter! SpartaDOS 1.1 has a simplistic booting scheme that just loads a number of consecutive sectors. Since you now have SpartaDOS X, we strongly recommend that you abandon SpartaDOS 1.1.
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