QEMU

This is a page about the qemu port by IngoReis and mcobit (forum thread here).

Documentation

PND download and installation

Downloading the PND

Use your favorite browser to navigate to the following url: [repo...](Will be available after release) and klick the Download button. Save the File somewhere on your PC. If you use your Pandora to download, you can save it to the directory mentioned in the next chapeter directly.

Installing the PND

Put the downloaded file onto your sdcard into one of the following folders: For Desktop: YOURSDCARD/pandora/desktop For Menu: YOURSDCARD/pandora/menu For both: YOURSDCARD/pandora/apps

If you do this on your PC, insert the sdcard into your Pandora afterwards.

If you use pndstore or some other tool to download and install pnds, please see their documentation for how to use them.

Running the PND

If the above steps worked properly, you should see the Qemu for Pandora icon in the above mentioned place(s) now. (Double)click it to startup the GUI.

Using the UI

Main

Mounting HDD images

Click on the icon with the folder next to "Load image..." to browse your filesystem. Navigate to the imagefile you want to load and select it by doubleclicking it or mark it with a single click and press "open". The help-button will provide some hints on how to do that as well. It is also possible to enter the fullpath including the imagename into the box directly. (e.g. /media/PATHTOYOURSD/qemuimages/freedos.qcow2)

Mounting CD/DVD images

Click on the icon with the folder next to "Load iso.." to browse your filesystem. Navigate to the iso (cdrom image) you want to load and select it by doubleclicking it or mark it with a single click and press "open". The help-button will provide some hints on how to do that as well. It is also possible to enter the fullpath including the isoname into the box directly. (e.g. /media/PATHTOYOURSD/qemuimages/freedos.iso)

Assigning RAM to the machine

Click on the textfield next to "RAM in MB" and enter the amount of RAM in MegaBytes, that the machine should use. If you leave this field blank, the standard value of 128MB will be used.

Launch the machine

When you are happy with all options, you can click the "Launch" button to start the virtual machine.

Exit the UI

If you want to quit the gui, click on the "Cancel" button in the Main tab.

Image Tools

Creating HDD images using the UI

• On the "Image Tools" tab, type in the name of your image in the first textfield without a fileextension. (e.g. test-image)
• Type the desired size of the new image into the second textfield. The size is in MegaBytes. So for a 1GB image type 1024.
• Click on the "Create Image" button.

Your new image will be created in the following directory: appdata/qemu/images/

Other options

Video options

• Use Bochs vga card instead of Cirrus Logic

Simulate a standard VGA card with Bochs VBE extensions instead of the default Cirrus Logic GD5446 PCI VGA

• Fullscreen

Start the virtual machine in fullscreenmode rather than in a window. You can switch between the modes by pressing alt+ctrl+f.

Sound options

• Disable sound

Disable sound by selection this option. (Qemu doesn't support to disable the sound completely, but with this option you will choose a soundcard, that is not supported by most operating systems)

• Adlib card emulation

Emulate an additional Adlib synthesizer card.

CPU options

• 486 CPU instead of pentium

Check this option, if you want qemu to emulate a 486 PC instead of the default pentium PC.

Network options

• Disable Network

Check this, if you do not want qemu to emulate a networkcard.

Installing an OS into an image

Creating HDD images using your Desktop PC (Windows)

• Download Qemu Manager 7 for Windows.

• Install into Windows and run Qemu Manager as Admin.

• go to the Option Qemu Version Management and install Qemu 0.14.1

(You must do this,otherwise QemuManager will use Version0.11 by itself and this Version isnt Compatible)

• Now you can Use the "File/Create new Virtual Disk" Option

• Choose the max Image Size and i recommend the qcow2 Image Format.

Your new empty Image ist now in your QemuManager Folder named "Images"

Installing Microsoft Windows 95 on PC

• start Qemu Manager

• create new VM

• Name it what you like(example win95)

• Choose x86PC , Operating system Windows58 and very very Important choose Qemu Version 0.14.1 the standart 0.11.1 will not work

• select Ram 128MB(the max what Pandora Qemu can use) and choose the size of your Harddisk

• Virtual Machine Output is important to set it to "QemuWindow"(not QemuManager)

• now you should use this Hardware Settings: Soundcard=Yes

SoundHW=Soundblaster16

Networking=none (the Networking is not testet now with Win98,but it could work)

VideoCard=Cirrus GD5446

• and under the Menu Advanced some Performance Tweaks:

Disable Hpet=YES

Disable ACPI Support=YES

• NOW WE CAN INSTALL Win95:

• Switch to Drives and Choose as CDROM your CDROM Drive or your own Win95Iso

• use one Win95 Bootdisk (.ima and .img Diskformats shoud work)

• start from Bootfloppydisk(or Image)and start install (THE MSDOS CDROM DRIVER HANGS A LITTLE BUT AFTER 1-2MINUTES WILL IT LOAD FINE)

• Setup Should start well(when it hangs in installation Progress,theres a alternativly way to install Win95/98)

• AFTER INTALLATION CHANGE IN HARDWAREMANAGER THE PLUG&PLAY BIOS MANUALY TO PCI-BUS.

(HARDWARE AUTODETECTION WILL NOT WORK FULL THEN YOU MUST MAKE THIS AFTER INSTALLATION)

Happy installing/experimenting :)

Installing Microsoft Windows 98

On your Desktop PC

• start Qemu Manager

• create new VM

• Name it what you like(example win98)

• Choose x86PC , Operating system Windows98 and very very Important

choose Qemu Version 0.14.1 the standart 0.11.1 will not work

• select Ram 128MB(the max what Pandora Qemu can use)

and choose the size of your Harddisk

• Virtual Machine Output is important to set it to "QemuWindow"(not QemuManager)

• now you should use this Hardware Settings:

Soundcard=Yes

SoundHW=Soundblaster16

Networking=none (the Networking is not testet now with Win98,but it could work)

VideoCard=Cirrus GD5446

USBSupport=Yes

USBDevices=add USB Tablet with the + Symbol(this is for Pandora Touchscreen support)

• and under the Menu Advanced some Performance Tweaks:

Disable Hpet=YES

Disable ACPI Support=YES

• NOW WE CAN INSTALL WIN98 or WIN98SE:

• Switch to Drives and Choose as CDROM your CDROM Drive or your own Win98Iso

• start Qemu with the green Play Button

• start from CDROM and start install

(THE MSDOS CDROM DRIVER HANGS A LITTLE BUT AFTER 1-2MINUTES WILL IT LOAD FINE)

• THE TOUCHSCREEN SUPPORT WILL ONLY WORK WHEN YOU AFTER INTALLATION CHANGE IN HARDWAREMANAGER THE PLUG&PLAY BIOS MANUALY TO PCI-BUS.

• (HARDWARE AUTODETECTION WILL NOT WORK FULL THEN YOU MUST MAKE THIS AFTER INSTALLATION)

• Happy installing/experimenting :)

alternativly Way to install Win95/98

On the PC

• Break the installation Progress with F3 and you will be in MSDOS

• switch to a: and make your HD Image bootable with

sys c:

• switch to HDD and make a setup Directory with

md c:\setup

cd c:\setup

• now switch to your CD Drive

d:

cd win95 (or when you want to install win98,then "cd win98")

• and copy your Setup Files to your HDDImage

copy . c:.

• your setup Files should now copy to c:\setup

• after this boot your HDD Image without Floppy Image and without your Windows Iso

• you must be now in Dos and must type

cd setup

xmsmmgr

setup

• Now this is the Way who must install Windows perfectly

• happy experimenting/installing

On the Pandora

• same like PC

Installing Microsoft Windows XP

On your Desktop PC

same like Windows98 but not testet yet.

Troubleshooting

Known problems

We are working on them. If you have found a solution or can provide a patch, please pm mcobit at boards.openpandora.org

• Paths to image or isofiles as well, as imagenames specified in the "Image Tool" MUST NOT contain any whitespaces.
• EMS Memory under Dos is a little Tricky to get work but it work. You must use in Config.sys the Entry "EMM386 M9" and behind Himem.sys must stand nothing,only Himem.sys
• Shared Folders: don't use shared folders as an "active" source: write support for shared folders is buggy, so don't run applications/games from shared folder, just copy its content on the virtual systems drive. A lot of games have problems writing to the shared folder

What to do, if…

• Windows cannot find the mounted CD Image??

Solution=Install a MS-Dos CD-Rom Treiber in your Image and let it load before Windows starting.

• EMS Memory isnt working??

Solution=It works when you have in Config.sys:

Device=Himem.sys

Device=Emm386.exe M9

(or Devicehigh=)

• A Game/or System breaks and you are in PanQemu Startwindow again??

Its a Fullscreen Bug from Qemu

(Qemu for Pandora cannot handle Resolutions over 640x480 in Fullscreen Mode)

Solution=use Qemu in Windowed Mode(not in Fullscreen)and switch to 640x480,

then you can press ctrl+alt+f to switch to Fullscreen again(works well).

Tipps, Tricks & Hints

General

• If you happen to miss the [alt] and [strg] keys, look between the nubs

MS-DOS 6 and above / alike

• CD-ROM Support
  • To use cd images as CD-ROMS under MS-DOS 6 and above you need to do the following
  • Get the Ms CD extension (mscdex.exe) from here
  • You need a CD-ROM driver, there are several available, one that is known to work is "oakcdrom.sys"
  • Copy the both on your virtual disk, the following bulletpoints assumes that you put them both into "c:\dos", if not change the pathnames according to your choice
  • Put the following line in your config.sys : "DEVICEHIGH= C:\DOS\OAKCDROM.SYS /D:MSCD001"
  • Put the following line in your autoexec.bat: "LH C:\DOS\MSCDEX.EXE /D:MSCD001 /L:E"
  • Some explanation to the above: the character string "MSCD001" is just id you can choose as you like, but it has to be identical in both files. The Parameter "L:E" associates the CD-ROM with the drive letter "E", this is optional.
• Mouse support
  • Mouse needs a driver under MS-DOS environments.
  • There are several around, a - memory wise - light alternative could be CuteMouse
  • There are several executable files in the archive you download (inside the bin folder). You need a file that begins with "ctm-", choose the file according to the language you prefer (e.g. "ctm-en.exe" who wan't it in english)
  • If you choose the english version and put it directly into the root of your main virtual drive, simply put the line "LH C:\ctm-en.exe" in your autoexec.bat to load it on startup.
• Two pane file manager
  • As using the commandline to move data from one point to another can be very cumbersome (at least if no xcopy is available) have a look at DOS Navigator an open source Norton Commander clone

Compatibility lists

Operating Systems

Name	Version	Runs?	Useable?	Loadingtime	Comments
Microsoft DOS	6.22	Yes	Yes	??
Microsoft DOS	7.10	Yes	Yes	??
Microsoft Windows	3.1	??	??	??
Microsoft Windows	3.11	??	??	??
Microsoft Windows	95	Yes	Yes	??
Microsoft Windows	98	Yes	Yes	??	IO - Access seems slow
Microsoft Windows	ME	??	??	??
Microsoft Windows	2000	??	??	??	Should only install with activated Win2k hack for qemu
Microsoft Windows	XP	Yes	Not quite	??
Microsoft Windows	VISTA	??	??	??
Microsoft Windows	7	??	??	??
Freedos	1.1	Yes	Yes	??	Need a bit of work to get it installed
ReactOS	??	Yes	Yes	??	Downloadable image from website
Ubuntu Linux	??	??	??	??
TinyCore Linux	??	Yes	Yes	??

Office/Desktop programs

Name	Version	Runs?	Useable?	Loadingtime	Comments
Notepad	Windows 95	Yes	Yes
CasCADe	Windows 95	Yes	Yes

Games

Office/Desktop programs:

Name	Version	Operating System	Runs	Sound	MHz	Playable	Comments
Age of Empires		Microsoft Windows 95	Yes	yes	950	Yes
Archemdian Dynasty (Schleichfahrt)		Microsoft DOS 6.22	No	No	950	No
Ascendancy		Microsoft DOS 6.22	Yes	No	950	Yes
Alone in the Dark		Microsoft DOS 6.22	yes	No	950	yes	slow but playable
Battle Arena Toshinden		Microsoft DOS 7.10	Yes	Yes	870	Yes
Command&Conquer		Microsoft DOS 7.10	Yes	yes	950	Yes	perfectly
Crusader: No Remorse	Gog.com	Microsoft DOS 6.22	Yes	Yes	950	Yes
Dune 2		FreeDos	Yes	No	900	Yes
DungeonKeeper		Microsoft DOS 7.10	Yes	Yes	870	Yes
Descent	1	Microsoft DOS 7.10	Yes	Yes	870	Yes
Fatal Racing		Microsoft DOS 6.22	yes	No	950	No	too slow to play
Gods		Microsoft DOS 6.22	No	No	950	No
Ishar III		Microsoft DOS 7.10	Yes	No	870	Yes
James Pond 2		Microsoft DOS 6.22	yes	No	950	yes	runs perfectly without Sound
Microprose F1GP Demo!		Microsoft DOS 6.22	Yes	No	950	Yes	Demo is restricted to 8 FPS
Need for Speed		Microsoft Dos 7.10	Yes	No	950	Yes	runs perfectly without Sound
One Must Fall 2097	CD	Microsoft DOS 6.22	Yes	Yes	950	Yes	runs near perfect, with best sound quality
Theme Park		Microsoft DOS 6.22	Yes	Yes	950	Yes	no music
Tie Fighter		Microsoft DOS 6.22	No	No	950	No	Does not start
Tomb Raider		Microsoft DOS 7.10	Yes	yes	950	Yes	very little Bit of stuttering
Stunts		Dos 6.22	Yes	yes	800	Yes	perfectly
Syndicate		Microsoft DOS 7.10	Yes	yes	950	Yes	smoothly
Skyroads		Freedos1.1	Yes	yes	950	Yes	smoothly
Silent Hunter		Microsoft DOS 7.10	Yes	yes	950	Yes	super playable with Mouse
Settlers 2 Gold (Die Siedler 2 Gold)		Microsoft DOS 6.22	Yes	No	950	Yes	save/load leads to crashes sometimes
Ultima Underworld : The Stygian Abyss		Microsoft DOS 6.22	Yes	No	950	No	too slow to be playable
WIPEEEOUT		Microsoft DOS 7.10	Yes	No	870	Yes
World of Xeen		Microsoft DOS 6.22	Yes	Yes	950	Yes
Xentar(Knights of)		Microsoft DOS 6.22	Yes	Yes	950	Yes	perfectly in 2D Mode
X-Wing		Microsoft DOS 6.22	Yes	No	950	Yes	Runs well with low details