VirtualBox.md

Running MichalOS in VirtualBox

If you aren't familiar with DOSBox (or don't have a Linux system available to build the project), this is your next best option. However, there is one big issue with using MichalOS on VirtualBox:

Sound doesn't work at all.

MichalOS uses old primitive PC sound technologies (PC speaker, AdLib FM Synthesizer), which aren't supported under VirtualBox.

Anyhow, here's the guide:

Step 1: Get VirtualBox

Here's the link to the VirtualBox's Downloads page.

Step 2: Create a new virtual machine

Open VirtualBox, and you should be greeted by this window:

Click on the blue "New" button. This should pop up:

Fill it in so that your settings match the ones on the picture (except the "Machine folder"), so:

• Name: "MichalOS"
• Type: "Other"
• Version: "Other/Unknown"

Next it will ask you how much RAM you want. Keep in mind that MichalOS can only use 640 kB of RAM, so just set it to the minimum:

Finally, it will ask you whether you want a hard disk. We don't, MichalOS doesn't support it, so select the "Do not add a virtual hard disk" option:

It will nag you for not adding a hard disk, however, we know what we're doing, so just click "Continue":

Step 3: Attach a floppy disk image to the virtual machine

After you've created your new virtual machine, highlight it and click on the orange "Settings" button:

A new window will pop up. From the panel on the left, select "Storage". Your window will now look like this:

On the bottom, there is a little button with an icon of a weird tilted green square and a plus icon (it's the one on the left). Click on it and select "I82078 (Floppy)":

This will create a new floppy controller.

Highlight it, and next to it will appear a little "floppy add" icon. Click on it, and it will take you to the Floppy Disk Selector:

Click on the "Add" button. From there, navigate to the directory where you have extracted MichalOS and find "michalos.flp" (it will be either in the "build" or "build/images" directory):

Click on "Open". That will take you back to the Floppy Disk Selector.

Select "michalos.flp" in the list and click "Choose". That will take you back to the settings dialog. Press "OK".

Step 4: Run!

Select "MichalOS" from the virtual machine list and press Start.