[Feature Request] Selection of format and size of D drive at 1st creation

[RaouleMenard]

Hi, here's a simplified version of my request.

Currently, when selecting a CD then an installed OS, the 1GB D drive is created.

When this is the first time, please allow to select the format / size of this drive such as "1GB FAT, 2GB FAT32" etc. You could use the same type of menu as the installed OS selection.

Sorry again, though I think many users will face the 1GB limit so this is really important. Thanks!

[schellingb]

Not sure I can make a selection and remember the option or anything like that.

How about a core option then?

The only thing that could be confusing is that when you start using this with 1GB space and put some stuff on various D: drives and then switch to more free space the changes will seemingly vanish because it will start over with a "new" D: drive.

[RaouleMenard]

A core option would work, or even a hidden config option that you can only set in the .CFG file - if you're afraid some users would get confused.

I'll only have to set it once to 2GB - as I only plan on using Windows 98 SE and will never switch to 1GB ever.

[PoloniumRain]

Core options for 1/2/4GB would be good to have. I don't know of any game/software from that era that uses more than 2GB although i'm sure someone will somehow need it... (possibly myself).

And i don't know if this will be possible, but if you were to implement FAT32 support for OS installation, it would be a nice feature if DOSBox-Pure detected if the loaded .IMG image file is FAT32 and then automatically uses something very large like 4GB FAT32 for the D: drive. If a FAT16 image file is loaded it could use 2GB FAT16 for the D: drive. These larger default sizes would make more sense because of the way the D: drive .SAV files work, as they only take up the same amount of space as the installed game/software, so physical storage space concerns aren't so much of an issue here like they are with .IMG files. If things could be done this way then most users will likely never have to mess around with any settings.

The only thing that could be confusing is that when you start using this with 1GB space and put some stuff on various D: drives and then switch to more free space the changes will seemingly vanish because it will start over with a "new" D: drive.

This could be mentioned in the description text underneath the core option?

[RaouleMenard]

Hi @schellingb and thanks a lot for the fix! Unfortunately I'm not able to test as it's still not live on the nightly builds.

As soon as it is I'll test it and report!

[schellingb]

The new option is now available in the just released version 0.9.7. It can be found under System > Advanced > Free Space on D: in OS and selection is between 1GB (default) and 8GB (max). Please try it out and report back, thanks.

[RaouleMenard]

Hi @schellingb

I've just tried this version, set the option to 2GB, and installed a game that uses 1.1GB.

I can confirm everything is working fine. Full space is 2GB and free space 900MB.

Thanks again for implementing this!