Getting Started with bootOS

This guide will help you get bootOS up and running on your system.

Prerequisites

To use bootOS, you'll need:

• NASM (Netwide Assembler) - For building from source
• QEMU or VirtualBox - For running the OS in an emulator
• A floppy disk - For running on real hardware (optional)

Quick Start

1. Build the OS

nasm -f bin os.asm -l os.lst -o os.img

Or use the provided Makefile:

make

2. Run in QEMU

qemu-system-x86_64 -fda os.img

Or with the Makefile:

make runqemu

3. Initialize the Filesystem

On first run, enter:

$format

This initializes the directory and copies bootOS to the boot sector.

4. Try Some Commands

$ver        # Show version
$dir        # List files
$enter      # Create a new program

Next Steps

• Installation Guide - Detailed installation instructions
• Building from Source - Advanced build options
• Quick Start Guide - Interactive tutorial

Troubleshooting

NASM not found

Install NASM:

• macOS: brew install nasm
• Ubuntu/Debian: apt-get install nasm
• Windows: Download from nasm.us

QEMU not found

Install QEMU:

• macOS: brew install qemu
• Ubuntu/Debian: apt-get install qemu-system-x86
• Windows: Download from qemu.org

Boot sector won't start

Ensure the disk image is the correct size (360K, 720K, or 1440K).