On a computer with no hard disk and only one floppy disk, using DOS, it would be helpful to have a program that loads a program from one disk into memory, waits for you to remove the disk and insert another and press a key, then runs the program. That way, I could, for example, have FASM on one disk and a program on the other. To assemble, I would run like this:

dj fasmdos.exe myprog.asm

then swap disks and press a key, and FASM would run and compile the program. Not being an expert at DOS programming (by a long ways) and not knowing how DOS loads EXEs, I was wondering if anyone could tell me how to do this, or if someone could write such a program, or if there is already such a program. Thanks!

what about to use
ramdisk.sys

Sorry,
ramdrive.sys
you can create virtual disk in memory, copy all files there,
and work with them

it should be not difficult to add another fdd - if you have no ready belt for couple of them you can search for same connector (also from another old can be removed, but this needs some practice), then place it on the bundle before crossovering and press well to click - be sure of the pin 1! most cases (esp. old) allow to install two floppies. once i've been using system 386sx40/4 with 2 floppies: i've been running foxpro 2.6 on it

As i understand it you can use the B: drive as a virtual drive, if you only have one drive (eg: A: ) , You can load from the A: drive to B: drive and then use the A: drive and the B: drive.

This is how you can copy disks, but it been a long time since dos, so maybe you should check up on it.

If you type "cd B:" it pretends B:\ is A:\, and then "cd A:" changes back to A:\. I don't remember if it is possible to do that. The whole problem is the disk has not much space, so ramdrive.sys would not fit on the disk. I guess if I used that I could put some of the other files on the other disk... Maybe I should learn DOS programming again so I can write such a program...

if you can not put everything to the one floppy you could use one to boot and create ramdrive, then another to work. or you can use autounpacking archive to unpack utilities. or the best - just to find an old small hdd to play.

Yeah, exactly. That's the option I may have to take.

I tried using compressed drives under windows, but it only worked under windows.

BTW, I do technically have an HDD (not much space left, though ) but I'm trying not to use it. I'm trying to create a hackers/sysadmin's boot disk, with utilities for disk editing, programming, etc., for when you have no other options. Of course, it has FASM DOS on it I wanted it all on one disk, but it has very little room left for data, for example to write a FASM program. I hoped for a disk jockey program so one could write a FASM program on one disk, then compile with FASM on the other disk. The other disk would be data only, would not have any programs. But if I have to have two program disks, I guess that's what I'll do...

as advice: you should have command.com on each another disk to perform some dos operations, or you can copy it during boot to the ramdisk, set comspec var poining there and you have to make another bat file, wich will be copied also into ramdisk, and its name (with path) place in the end of autoexec.bat (without "call") - with this you can bundle off from floppy (or you will get notification "autoexec.bat not found" or smthng lk this).

also, this fmanager could be usefull to you due to its size.

Thanks!

I suspose you're just testing hard & software, BUT, if you're desperate (like I was) go dumpster diveing for hard/soft ware.
I found a P4 2.4 gig, 40gig hd, Nvidia AGP8x, that worked just fine.
I've found a lot of P3 800mhz rigs too.

Any way, it's just a thought.

I wish i lived near you Bitdog, we only get bits of old wood in our dumpster's.. .

Lemme guess, you live in Silicon Valley. That's where I live (though I've never found anything worth keeping in any dumpsters).

Actually this allows to do exactly what you want. If you write:

a:\fasm b:\x.asm

it should execute fasm from a: and then ask you to insert the floppy for drive b: - you insert another disk and press any key to let it read from drive b:, when it needs something from drive a: it will ask you to insert the floppy for drive a: again.